Giving medicine by injection into the spine (intrathecal, epidural). Medical doctor present for up to 1 hour.
Treatment venue
Medical specialty
Your care options
Bulk billing patient:
If you are bulk billed for a medical service you will have no out-of-pocket costs. The GP or specialist bills Medicare and accepts the Medicare benefit as full payment for the service.
Non-bulk billing patient:
GPs and specialists can set a fee for the service that is higher than the Medicare benefit. In this case you may have out-of-pocket costs. This is the difference between the service fee and the Medicare benefit.
For patients who had an MBS item 18216 in a private setting across all of Australia, 34% had an out-of-pocket cost. Of those:
Patients typically paid: $0, Medicare paid: $171, Insurer paid: $0. Typical fees: $171.Percent of patients who paid in 2022-23
66% of patients had no out-of-pocket costs
34% of patients had out-of-pocket costs
Low, typical, and high out-of-pocket costs
Of the 34% of people who had an out-of-pocket cost in 2022-23, the typical cost was calculated as follows:
The table below shows the following by state and territory:
- Percent of patients who paid no out-of-pocket cost. The GP or specialist’s fees were paid by Medicare.
- How much GPs or specialists typically charged for this service, when there was an out-of-pocket cost for the patient.
- How much patients typically paid if they had an out-of-pocket cost.
Some regions may not show data due to insufficient services or providers available to ensure a specific person is not identified.
This information is for all services using this MBS item in the selected specialty in 2022-23.
| NSW | |
|---|---|
| % with no out-of-pocket costs | 67% |
| Typical GP or specialists’ fees | $171 |
| Patients typically paid | $0 |
What the fees and costs shown include
The fees and costs show typical fees for an individual service. They are based on data from 2022-23.
Each service is linked to a number listed on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), called an MBS item. Patients may have other MBS items as well, as multiple services may occur in a setting. The Medicare benefit amount(opens in new tab) has been rounded to the nearest dollar.
Talk to your GP or specialist to find out:
- If you may need a referral to a medical specialist.
- What specific tests or treatments you will need. This might include diagnostic imaging or pathology services.
- What other specialists may be involved in your service, and their fees.
We show local data by Primary Health Network(opens in new tab) if a person or provider can’t be identified. Otherwise, we will show information at higher level, by aggregating the data. The data might then be at a state and territory level, or across Australia. See our disclaimer for more information.
What the fees and costs shown don’t include
- Aftercare costs.
- Costs associated with pharmaceuticals and other incidentals.
MBS item number(s) that may be the main treatment for an MBS item 18216.
Giving medicine by injection into the spine (intrathecal, epidural). Medical doctor present for up to 1 hour.