A dedicated consultation in a professional Brisbane GP setting to discuss perimenopause, MBS rebates, and PBS-listed treatments.
If you've ever left a GP appointment about hot flushes, disrupted sleep or brain fog feeling like there wasn't really time to get into it, you weren't imagining it, and as of last year, the system has actually changed to address that.
From 1 July 2025, a new Medicare item (MBS 695) gives GPs a dedicated rebate for menopause and perimenopause health assessments, consultations of 20 minutes or more, specifically for premature ovarian insufficiency, early menopause, perimenopause and menopause. In its first five months alone, more than 61,000 Australian women used it. Around the same time, the first new PBS-listed menopausal hormone therapies in over 20 years, Prometrium, Estrogel and Estrogel Pro, became available, with roughly 150,000 women already saving money on treatment that was previously an out-of-pocket cost.
For women in Newstead, Fortitude Valley, Teneriffe and inner-city Brisbane juggling careers and family life while quietly managing symptoms, this is a genuinely practical shift: a longer appointment, properly funded, is now the standard offer, not something you have to push for.
This change followed a parliamentary inquiry into menopause and perimenopause care in Australia, which found that many women were going years without a proper assessment, often being told symptoms were "just stress" or "just getting older," and paying full price for treatment that other PBS-listed medications didn't require. A standard short consult was rarely enough time to properly cover symptoms, treatment options, and individual risk factors, which is exactly the gap the new longer, dedicated item is designed to close.
Perimenopause is the transition period before periods stop altogether, and it can start years before menopause itself, sometimes in the late 30s or early-to-mid 40s. Fluctuating hormone levels during this time can cause a wide range of symptoms: irregular periods, hot flushes, disrupted sleep, mood changes, and difficulty concentrating that's often described as "brain fog." The average age of menopause in Australia is 51, but for women who go through it earlier (between 40 and 50), there's an associated increase in longer-term health risks, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, which is part of why a proper assessment, not just symptom management, matters.
A dedicated menopause consultation is an opportunity to cover your symptoms and history in real depth, discuss the full range of treatment options (including hormone therapy where appropriate and non-hormonal alternatives), and talk through your individual risk factors rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. It's also a chance to ask the questions that are easy to feel rushed through in a standard appointment — including what's changed, and what these new PBS listings actually mean for cost.
At Next Practice Newstead, Dr Christine Slater brings a specific interest in women's health, hormonal health and endocrinology, making her a strong fit for perimenopause and menopause assessments. Dr Marija Lugonja and Dr Daryna Rudolph also see women's health and hormone therapy as part of their practice, so there are several options depending on who you'd prefer to see or when you're able to book.
If you've been managing symptoms on your own, or it's been a while since anyone properly asked how you're going through this transition, the system has genuinely changed to make that conversation more accessible.
Book a menopause or perimenopause health assessment at Next Practice Newstead, 520 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley, serving women across Newstead, Teneriffe, Bowen Hills, New Farm and the Brisbane CBD.
This article is general information only and isn't a substitute for individual medical advice. Your GP can advise on whether hormone therapy or other treatment options are appropriate for your circumstances.
RACGP / newsGP. (2025). Detail of new women's health MBS items explained. racgp.org.au
Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. (2025). Strengthening Medicare — Women's health: $792.9 million investment. health.gov.au
Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. (2025). Australian women save millions on medicines. health.gov.au
InSight+ (MJA). (2025). Long-awaited funding for women's reproductive health. insightplus.mja.com.au
