MBS item

5260
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Doctor visit at a residential aged care facility lasting up to 5 minutes per patient, covering one or more patients seen during a single visit to the facility.

Category 1 · Professional attendances[Group A23](/groups/A23)

Schedule fee—

100% benefitGP, out of hospital—

85% benefitOut of hospital—

75% benefitIn hospital—

MBS item 5260 has no fixed schedule fee.

Derived fee

An amount equal to $18.50, plus $27.95 divided by the number of patients seen, up to a maximum of six patients. For seven or more patients - an amount equal to $18.50 plus $1.25 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
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Professional attendance (other than a service to which another item applies) at a residential aged care facility (other than a professional attendance at a self-contained unit) or professional attendance at consulting rooms situated within such a complex if the patient is accommodated in the residential aged care facility (other than accommodation in a self-contained unit) of not more than 5 minutes in duration by a medical practitioner (other than a general practitioner)-an attendance on one or more patients at one residential aged care facility on one occasion-each patient

[Explanatory notes and rules on MBS Online ↗](https://www9.health.gov.au/mbs/fullDisplay.cfm?type=item&q=5260)

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=5260) before billing. This is a reference tool, not billing or financial advice.