What is a Heart Health Check?

An outline of the assessment and an implementation flowchart

A Heart Health Check (MBS item number 699 and 177) is the patient-friendly term for a comprehensive CVD risk assessment and ongoing management plan for people who do not have CVD.

Eligibility

• Adults not already known to have CVD aged 45 and over
• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples not already known to have CVD aged 30 and over

Consultation time

• At least 20 minutes

Risk assessment

• Blood pressure
• Smoking status
• Cholesterol
• Diabetes status
• Chronic kidney disease (CKD)
• Family history of CVD
• Alcohol intake
• Absolute CVD risk must be calculated and recorded using the online calculator at cvdcheck.org.au OR via calculators built in to practice software

Interventions

• Discuss risk and options for management with patient
• Provide lifestyle advice to address modifiable risk factors
• Recommend interventions and referrals to support lifestyle changes
• Initiate blood pressure and lipid lowering medicines for high-risk patients where appropriate
• Implement a plan for ongoing management and assessment of CVD risk

Follow-up

• Implement reminder system to recall patients where clinically necessary

How often can this be claimed?

• Once per patient in a 12-month period. Cannot be claimed with other health assessments e.g. items 701, 703, 705, 707 & 715
• Item 699 or 177 can be co-claimed with other items to enhance patient management. Here are some examples of how you can co-claim.

• Bulk-billing: Like other health assessments, 699 or 177 can be co-claimed with item 10990 or 10991, where eligible.

• Chronic disease management (CDM): For Heart Health Check patients who have a chronic disease and require a CDM plan, 699 or 177 may be claimed in conjunction with the suite of CDM items available where eligible.

Schedule fee (as of July 2022)

• 699: Fee = $76.95. Benefit = 100% rebate
• 177: Fee = $61.55. Benefit = 100% rebate

Visit mbsonline.gov.au for full details on the Heart Health Check item descriptions, explanatory notes and schedule fees.

How to implement Heart Health Checks in your practice

More information

In this Toolkit

• Identifying eligible patients

• Patient invitation templates

• Templates for use with patients

• CVD risk calculators

Other resources

• CVD risk calculator – cvdcheck.org.au

• Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) – mbsonline.gov.au

• Order up to 50 free copies of the 'What is a Heart Health Check?' brochure from the Heart Foundation online shop

Read next ...

Why assess cvd risk?

Table of contents