Applications

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

Find out about the service or technology in this application and the medical condition it addresses. You can also view the application documents, the deadlines for providing consultation input and the outcome of the application when the MSAC process is complete.

  • Status Assessment
  • Type New application
  • Pre-PASC consultation Closed
  • Pre-MSAC consultation Closed
  • Outcome Other (see outcome details)

Application details

Applicant

Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons Inc

Reason for application

New MBS items.

Service or technology in this application

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

Medical condition this application addresses

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.

Consultation survey and deadlines

The following consultation deadlines apply:

  • Pre-PASC consultation deadline: Closed 3 November 2023
  • Pre-MSAC consultation deadline: Closed Friday 14 February 2025 11:59 pm AEDT

For other ways to provide input, see how to have your say.

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.

Find out more about consultation.

Meetings to consider this application

  • PASC meeting: 7–8 December 2023
  • ESC meeting: 13–14 February 2025
  • MSAC meeting: 3–4 April 2025

Outcome details

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. 

After 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. After this work is complete the clinical assessment will be considered at a future MSAC meeting. The website will be updated with meeting dates.

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

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More information

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