Palliative care’s focus on pain management, symptom control, the coordination of care and holistic wellbeing aligns closely with the purpose of the MBS Health Assessment items – namely, to promote health, better manage long-term conditions, prevent deterioration and support early intervention in at-risk populations. However, the existing MBS health assessment framework does not explicitly recognise the relevance of palliative care.

There are significant opportunities for the health assessments to better identify and respond to the needs of people who either need palliative care now or will in time - who comprise a growing proportion of the population and of those using primary care.  Among our recommendations, PCA draws attention to opportunities to:

• Include advance care planning, and palliative care needs assessment and planning, in the annual health assessment for people aged 75 and over.
• Introduce a new health assessment for people with palliative care needs.
• Incentivise palliative care assessment and planning in regular health assessments for patients enrolled in MyMedicare.

MBS Health Assessment Items - PCA Submission