MBS item

31537
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Insertion of a marker clip into breast or axilla after biopsy using imaging when additional surgery, neoadjuvant therapy, follow-up imaging or radiation may be needed, to mark lesion site, confirm biopsy location, or aid future localisation.

Category 3 · Therapeutic procedures[Group T8 · subgroup 1](/groups/T8)

Schedule fee$226.75

100% benefitGP, out of hospital—

85% benefitOut of hospital$192.75

75% benefitIn hospital$170.10

The schedule fee for MBS item 31537 is $226.75. Medicare pays $192.75 (85%) out of hospital, or $170.10 (75%) for a privately admitted patient in hospital. Fee effective 1 July 2026.

Gap for what you charge
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Your fee$

Out of hospitalIn hospital (private)

Medicare pays$192.75

Patient gap$34.00

Bulk billing means accepting $192.75 as full payment, with no gap and no extra charges. [Add incentives](/bulk-billing?item=31537)

Item descriptor
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Insertion of a marker clip into a breast, including axilla, following a breast biopsy and using imaging (but not including the associated imaging), if additional surgery, neoadjuvant systemic therapy, follow up imaging or radiation may be required and the insertion is for any of the following reasons: (a) to mark the site of a lesion that has been totally or almost completely removed; (b) to confirm biopsy site if multiple lesions are present; (c) to confirm biopsy site of an ill-defined lesion; (d) future surgery or preoperative localisation is considered to be potentially difficult due to lesion conspicuity; (e) preoperative localisation is likely to be carried out using a modality different from the biopsy modality; (f) for correlation across modalities for diagnostic reasons (Anaes.)

[Explanatory notes and rules on MBS Online ↗](https://www9.health.gov.au/mbs/fullDisplay.cfm?type=item&q=31537)

Health fund and DVA rates
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Total fee each scheme recognises for this item in hospital.

StateNSWVICQLDSAWATASACTNT

Guides
------

- [How Medicare benefits work: schedule fees, 75%, 85% and 100%](/guides/how-medicare-benefits-work)
- [Medicare safety nets explained: original and extended (EMSN) thresholds for 2026](/guides/medicare-safety-nets)
- [In-hospital billing: the 75% benefit, the 25% fund benefit, and no-gap and known-gap schemes](/guides/in-hospital-billing-and-gap-cover)
- [Bulk billing incentives and BBPIP explained: 2026 amounts by MM area](/guides/bulk-billing-incentives)
- [The MBS multiple operation rule and surgical assistant fees](/guides/multiple-operation-rule)
- [Assignment of benefit for bulk billing: the changes from 1 July 2026](/guides/assignment-of-benefit-2026)
- [MBS telehealth rules: the eligible telehealth practitioner and phone items](/guides/mbs-telehealth-rules)
- [GP chronic condition management plans: items 965 and 967 explained](/guides/chronic-condition-management-plans)
- [Medicare billing compliance: claim time limits, records and the 80/20 rule](/guides/medicare-billing-compliance)

Data source: [Australian Government Medicare Benefits Schedule](https://www.mbsonline.gov.au/) · Record updated 1 September 2026. Health fund rates come from each fund's published schedule. Verify item descriptors, rules and fees on [MBS Online](https://www9.health.gov.au/mbs/fullDisplay.cfm?type=item&q=31537) before billing. This is a reference tool, not billing or financial advice.