1754 – Surgical Procedures for Gender Affirmation in Adults with Gender Incongruence

New Medicare Benefits Schedule items.

This application requests the creation of a series of new MBS items for gender affirming surgeries. Gender affirming surgeries refer to a constellation of procedures intended to align a person’s body with their gender identity.

Type: Therapeutic technology

Gender incongruence is characterised by a marked and persistent difference between an individual´s experienced gender and the assigned sex, which often leads to a desire to ‘transition’, in order to live and be accepted as a person of the experienced gender.

The following consultation deadlines apply:

• Pre-PASC consultation deadline: Closed 3 November 2023
• Pre-MSAC consultation deadline: Friday 9 October 2026 11:59 pm AEDT

We welcome input from everyone. We are especially keen to hear from those with lived experience of the health condition, service or technology the applications are addressing. 

This survey contains targeted questions which aim to build on the previous consultation input and to address the specific aspects MSAC requested. Previous consultation input received for MSAC application 1754, will be carried forward and included in all future considerations by ESC and MSAC. There is no need to give further input unless you want to comment on the specific questions in this survey. 

To provide input, go to the relevant application page and select the ‘provide your input online’ button. For other ways to provide input, see how to have your say. Before providing your input, please read the Privacy notice for MSAC consultation input to ensure you are comfortable with how we will use your input.

Find out more about consultation.

This application will be considered at the following meetings:

• PASC meeting: 7 to 8 December 2023
• ESC meeting: 
  • 13 to 14 February 2025
  • 8 to 9 October 2026
• MSAC meeting: 
  • 3 to 4 April 2025
  • 26 to 27 November 2026
• Stakeholder meetings: 5 to 12 May 2026
  Five (5) MSAC Stakeholder meetings were held with consumer groups, state and territory representatives, and medical and allied health disciplines involved in the provision of gender affirming care. The meetings were not an MSAC decision forum, but an opportunity to seek stakeholder input on issues raised by MSAC during its April 2025 consideration of MSAC application 1754. Once finalised, a summary of the meeting outcomes will be published on the MSAC website in early August 2026.

Find out more about our meetings. 

Outcome details and progress
MSAC application 1754 seeks the creation of new Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items and amendments to existing items to support gender affirming surgeries and related consultations for adults experiencing gender incongruence. The application is undergoing a two-stage assessment pathway with the first stage, presented to MSAC at its April 2025 meeting, focusing on the clinical evidence supporting the proposed services. The second stage will evaluate the economic and financial implications of the proposed MBS items. 

At its April 2025 meeting, MSAC requested that further work be undertaken by the Department to ensure that the clinical assessment is robust, accurately reflects Australian clinical practice, and is appropriately tailored to the Australian population. This application received a considerable amount of feedback, and MSAC expressed their gratitude for people's willingness to share their experiences. MSAC acknowledged the clinical need for gender affirming care, and will undertake further consultation with care providers and people with lived experience to inform this application. 

MSAC application 1754 will next be considered at the November 2026 MSAC meeting (see meeting dates above), where MSAC will consider the requested additional work as part of the first stage assessment including:

• Outcomes of the stakeholder meetings (will be published above once available) along with all consultation previously received or newly submitted via the consultation survey link above.
• Assessment reports on Models of care and Natural history of gender incongruence (published above).
• Further comprehensive assessment of the comparative safety and effectiveness of gender affirming surgery (in progress).

For more information about two-stage assessment reports see Develop an applicant-developed assessment report (ADAR) | Medical Services Advisory Committee

Find out more about:

• the MSAC process
• application types
• application timelines.