MBS item

343
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Psychiatrist interview with third party (15–30 mins, patient absent) for initial assessment or ongoing management, limited to 15 services yearly across specified items.

Category 1 · Professional attendances[Group A8](/groups/A8)Referred

Schedule fee$105.05

100% benefitGP, out of hospital—

85% benefitOut of hospital$89.30

75% benefitIn hospital$78.80

The schedule fee for MBS item 343 is $105.05. Medicare pays $89.30 (85%) out of hospital, or $78.80 (75%) for a privately admitted patient in hospital. Fee effective 1 July 2026.

Gap for what you charge
-----------------------

Your fee$

Out of hospitalIn hospital (private)

Medicare pays$89.30

Patient gap$15.75

Bulk billing means accepting $89.30 as full payment, with no gap and no extra charges. [Add incentives](/bulk-billing?item=343)

Extended Medicare Safety Net cap: $315.15 (300% of the schedule fee, up to $500.00). Once a patient reaches the EMSN threshold, the extra benefit for this item is 80% of their out-of-pocket cost, but no more than this cap. [How safety nets work](/guides/medicare-safety-nets)

Item descriptor
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An interview, lasting more than 15 minutes but not more than 30 minutes, of a person other than the patient when the patient is not in attendance, by a consultant physician in the practice of the consultant physician’s specialty of psychiatry following referral of the patient to the consultant physician by a referring practitioner, for the purposes of: (a) initial diagnostic evaluation; or (b) continuing management of the patient; if that service and another service to which this item or any of items 341, 345, 347, 349, 91874 to 91878 and 91882 to 91884 applies have not exceeded 15 services in a calendar year in relation to the patient

[Explanatory notes and rules on MBS Online ↗](https://www9.health.gov.au/mbs/fullDisplay.cfm?type=item&q=343)

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

StateNSWVICQLDSAWATASACTNT

Guides
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- [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=343) before billing. This is a reference tool, not billing or financial advice.