MBS item

80116
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Psychologist-delivered focused psychological strategies lasting at least 50 minutes provided to someone other than the patient (e.g., family member) as part of the patient's treatment plan, at a non-consulting room location, when referred by a practi…

Category 8 · Miscellaneous services[Group M7 · subgroup 1](/groups/M7)Referred

Schedule fee$150.00

100% benefitGP, out of hospital—

85% benefitOut of hospital$127.50

75% benefitIn hospital—

The schedule fee for MBS item 80116 is $150.00. Medicare pays $127.50 (85%) out of hospital. Fee effective 1 July 2026.

Gap for what you charge
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Your fee$

Out of hospital

Medicare pays$127.50

Patient gap$22.50

Bulk billing means accepting $127.50 as full payment, with no gap and no extra charges. [Add incentives](/bulk-billing?item=80116)

Extended Medicare Safety Net cap: $450.00 (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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Focussed psychological strategies health service provided at a place other than consulting rooms by an eligible psychologist to a person other than the patient, if: (a) the service is part of the patient’s treatment; (b) the patient has been referred to the eligible psychologist by a referring practitioner; and (c) the service lasts at least 50 minutes

[Explanatory notes and rules on MBS Online ↗](https://www9.health.gov.au/mbs/fullDisplay.cfm?type=item&q=80116)

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=80116) before billing. This is a reference tool, not billing or financial advice.
