Treatment for TB is provided free of charge to patients in Australia. Testing to confirm active mycobacterial infection is only covered if the patient is a public patient in a public hospital or if the test performed is listed on the MBS. Standard microbial testing for TB in people with signs and symptoms of active disease in Australia involves AFB microscopy and culture of suitable specimens, and these tests are listed on the MBS (Table ).
Table Current MBS item descriptors for diagnosing active mycobacterial infections
