MBS item

37
==

GP professional attendance at a non-consulting room location (home, workplace, etc.) for at least 20 minutes, including history, examination, investigations, management plan, or preventive care for one or more health issues.

Category 1 · Professional attendances[Group A1](/groups/A1)

Schedule fee—

100% benefitGP, out of hospital—

85% benefitOut of hospital—

75% benefitIn hospital—

MBS item 37 has no fixed schedule fee.

Derived fee

The fee for item 36, plus $31.50 divided by the number of patients seen, up to a maximum of six patients. For seven or more patients - the fee for item 36 plus $2.50 per patient.

Extended Medicare Safety Net cap: $500.00 (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
---------------

Professional attendance by a general practitioner (other than attendance at consulting rooms or a residential aged care facility or a service to which another item in this Schedule applies), lasting at least 20 minutes and including any of the following that are clinically relevant: (a) taking a detailed patient history; (b) performing a clinical examination; (c) arranging any necessary investigation; (d) implementing a management plan; (e) providing appropriate preventive health care; for one or more health‑related issues, with appropriate documentation—an attendance on one or more patients at one place on one occasion—each patient

[Explanatory notes and rules on MBS Online ↗](https://www9.health.gov.au/mbs/fullDisplay.cfm?type=item&q=37)

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=37) before billing. This is a reference tool, not billing or financial advice.