UPDATE FROM THE AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY OF PLASTIC SURGEONS (ASPS) regarding an MBS item number for postpartum abdominoplasty:
ASPS along with it’s members and members of the community, have been working tirelessly to re-instate the abdominoplasty item number, which will come into effect from 1st of July 2022. Their office has been receiving many queries in relation to the new abdominoplasty item number, which is now confirmed as 30175.
They have kindly taken the liberty to create a quick FAQ below to assist patients and practices.
1. When will the item become available? It will be available for use from 1st of July 2022 and the item number is 30175.
2. Does a radiologist need to measure the diastasis or can a physiotherapist undertake the scan? As per the Medicare item descriptor, it must be formally scanned and reported by a diagnostic imaging practice.
3. What is the minimum timeframe for a patient to be undergoing non-surgical conservative treatment before qualifying for abdominoplasty? The item descriptor does not dictate a minimum timeframe, however the patient must have been at least 12 months post-partum and have undergone and failed to respond to non-surgical conservative treatment including physiotherapy before qualifying for abdominoplasty.
30175 – Item Descriptor
Radical abdominoplasty, with repair of rectus diastasis, excision of skin and subcutaneous tissue, and transposition of umbilicus, not being a laparoscopic procedure, where the patient has an abdominal wall defect as a consequence of pregnancy, if:
(a) The patient:
(i) Has a diastasis of at least 3cm measured by diagnostic imaging prior to this service; and
(ii) has symptoms of at least moderate severity of pain or discomfort at the site of the diastasis in the abdominal wall during functional use and/or low back pain or urinary symptoms likely due to rectus diastasis that have been documented in the patient’s records by the practitioner providing this service; and
(iii) Has failed to respond to non-surgical conservative treatment including physiotherapy; and
(iv) Has not been pregnant in the last 12 months
