MBS item

73451
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Carrier screening for pregnant or planning-to-become-pregnant patients for cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy, or fragile X syndrome; once per lifetime.

Category 6 · Pathology services[Group P7](/groups/P7)

Schedule fee$400.00

100% benefitGP, out of hospital—

85% benefitOut of hospital$340.00

75% benefitIn hospital$300.00

The schedule fee for MBS item 73451 is $400.00. Medicare pays $340.00 (85%) out of hospital, or $300.00 (75%) for a privately admitted patient in hospital. Fee effective 1 November 2023.

Gap for what you charge
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Your fee$

Out of hospitalIn hospital (private)

Medicare pays$340.00

Patient gap$60.00

Bulk billing means accepting $340.00 as full payment, with no gap and no extra charges. [Add incentives](/bulk-billing?item=73451)

Item descriptor
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Testing of a patient (who is pregnant or planning pregnancy) to identify carrier status for pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in a gene mentioned in paragraph (a), (b) or (c), to determine: (a) for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene—reproductive risk of cystic fibrosis; (b) for the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene—reproductive risk of spinal muscular atrophy; (c) for the fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMR1) gene—reproductive risk of fragile X syndrome; (other than a service associated with a service to which item 73300, 73305, 73345, 73346, 73347, 73348, 73349 or 73350 applies) One test per lifetime

[Explanatory notes and rules on MBS Online ↗](https://www9.health.gov.au/mbs/fullDisplay.cfm?type=item&q=73451)

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

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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=73451) before billing. This is a reference tool, not billing or financial advice.