AMA List of Medical Services and Fees

The latest edition of the AMA List of Medical Services and Fees - with calculations applicable from 1 November 2004 to 31 October 2005 - is now being made available to all AMA members in private practice or with rights of private practice.

The List is published to provide costing assistance and is a guide only.  It has been produced as a service to AMA members since 1973.

The AMA advises members that fee-setting decisions for all medical services must be made by individual medical practitioners on the basis of their individual practice circumstances.

There has been a slowing in the rate of increase in medical indemnity premiums compared with the last two years, and this is reflected in this year's List with smaller indemnity premium increases than last year built into every area of medical practice.

The Federal Government's assistance package for medical indemnity has slowed the growth in premiums.  However, the medical indemnity reforms impact differently on individual doctors. 

The AMA recommends that medical practitioners consider their own personal medical indemnity situation - premiums, the UMP levy, the premium support scheme, or any change in indemnity costs due to a change in activity levels or a change in the nature of services undertaken - when reviewing their fees.

The AMA's investigations into average practice and income cost components of fees indicate fees for GP consultations for the next 12 months, from 1 November 2004, as follows:

Level A                        $26.50

Level B                        $54.00

Level C                        $99.00

Level D                        $150.00

The AMA's investigations into practice and income cost components of fees by specialty indicate an increase on average on existing fees for the next twelve months, from 1 November 2004, as follows:

Group 1                   Pathology                   3.17%

Group 2                   Radiology                   3.21%

Group 3                   Non-procedural General Practice                   3.41%

Group 4                   Anaesthesia                   3.23%

Group 5                   Physician, Psychiatry & Dermatology                   3.41%

Group 6                   Surgery not otherwise covered in groups 7, 8 & 9                   3.25%

Group 7                   General, Vascular & Gynaecological surgery                   3.58%

Group 8                   Obstetrics                   6.38%

Group 9                   Neurosurgery, Orthopaedics, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery                   4.30%

Group S                   Specialist consultations                   3.94%

Anaesthesia RVG unit value is now $58.00. 

The AMA calls on all health funds to index their benefit schedules by a fair and reasonable amount:

• to ensure their members receive value for money for their private health insurance
• to prevent large medical gaps from re-emerging, and
• to prevent a decline in participation in gap cover schemes.

Any failure to index appropriately will inevitably lead to fund members growing disenchanted with funds which, in turn, will lead to a decline in membership as consumers question the value of their private health insurance.

As a guide for members, the AMA has developed an electronic fee calculator, which is available to members in the 'members only' section of the AMA website at /

15 October 2004

CONTACT:    John Flannery                       (02) 6270 5477 / (0419) 494 761

                        Judith Tokley                        (02) 6270 5471 / (0408) 824 306