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197

Attendance by a medical practitioner who holds endorsement of… — 20+ min

Professional attendances · Group A7 — Acupuncture and non-specialist practitioner items

Schedule fee
$85.80
BenefitAmountGap to fee
100%$85.80—

Benefit amounts as published in the schedule, not recalculated.

Fee current from 1 Jul 2026.

Conditions in the descriptor

20+ minOther place

Time requirement as written: “at least 20 minutes”

Descriptor · law
Professional attendance by a medical practitioner who holds endorsement of registration for acupuncture with the Medical Board of Australia or is registered by the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia as an acupuncturist, at a place other than a hospital, for treatment 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, at which acupuncture is performed by the medical practitioner by the application of stimuli on or through the skin by any means, including any consultation on the same occasion and another attendance on the same day related to the condition for which the acupuncture is performed
Descriptor current from 1 Nov 2022.

Explanatory notes · departmental guidance · 1

AN.0.29 Acupuncture (Item 193, 195, 197 and 199)
Note AN.0.29

Items 193, 195, 197 and 199 cover not only the performance of the acupuncture but include any consultation on the same occasion and any other attendance on the same day for the condition for which acupuncture was given. 

For the purpose of payment of Medicare benefits "acupuncture" is interpreted as including treatment by means other than the use of acupuncture needles where the same effect is achieved without puncture, eg by application of ultrasound, laser beams, pressure or moxibustion, etc. 

For more information on the content-based item structure used in this Group, see para AN.0.9 of explanatory notes to this Category.

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More in Group A7 — Acupuncture and non-specialist practitioner items

177Heart health assessment, prescribed medical practitioner179Attendance at consulting rooms lasting not more than 5 minutes…181Acupuncture and non-specialist practitioner items, prescribed… — up to 5 min, out of rooms (item 181)185Attendance at consulting rooms lasting more than 5 minutes but not more…187Acupuncture and non-specialist practitioner items, prescribed… — 5–25 min, out of rooms (item 187)189Attendance at consulting rooms lasting more than 25 minutes but not more…191Acupuncture and non-specialist practitioner items, prescribed… — 25–45 min, out of rooms (item 191)193Attendance by a medical practitioner who holds endorsement of… — under 20 min195Attendance by a medical practitioner who holds endorsement of… — under 20 min, hospital199Attendance by a medical practitioner who holds endorsement of… — 40+ min203Attendance at consulting rooms lasting more than 45 minutes but not more…206Acupuncture and non-specialist practitioner items, prescribed… — 45–60 min, out of rooms (item 206)214Attendance by a prescribed medical practitioner for a period of not less… — 1–2 h215Attendance by a prescribed medical practitioner for a period of not less… — 2–3 h218Attendance by a prescribed medical practitioner for a period of not less… — 3–4 h219Attendance by a prescribed medical practitioner for a period of not less… — 4–5 h220Attendance by a prescribed medical practitioner for a period of 5 hours…221Attendance for the purpose of group therapy lasting at least one hour… (item 221)222Attendance for the purpose of group therapy lasting at least one hour… (item 222)223Attendance for the purpose of group therapy lasting at least one hour… — 4+ patients224Perform a brief health assessment, prescribed practitioner225Perform a standard health assessment, prescribed practitioner226Perform a long health assessment, prescribed practitioner227Perform a prolonged health assessment, prescribed practitioner
All 89 items in this group
Item number197
Category1 — Professional attendances
GroupA7 — Acupuncture and non-specialist practitioner items
Subheading—
Item typeS (schedule code)
Fee typeN (normal)
In schedule since1 May 2003
Fee current from1 Jul 2026
GP scopeIn scope
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As at 1 Aug 2026 · Shows what the schedule publishes. Not billing advice. · page built 15 Sep 2026