Following 10 years of advocacy, MBS M10 eligibility will be expanded to include stuttering, speech sound disorders (SSDs), and cleft lip ± palate. We understand that no further approvals are needed - the measure starts around March 2026.
With a referral from a GP or other medical practitioner, people with cleft lip ± palate, suspected stuttering or SSDs (including articulation and phonological disorders, childhood apraxia of speech, and dysarthria), will have access to 8 Medicare-funded assessments under MBS items 82005, 93033, and 93036. With a confirmed diagnosis, and a treatment and management plan created, up to 20 treatment sessions will be available under MBS items 82020, 93041, and 93044.
SPA has long advocated for expanded Medicare access—through budget submissions, direct lobbying, and collaboration with the Department of Health and Aged Care. SPA contributed to the MBS Review Taskforce from 2015, and in 2019, its Allied Health Reference Group recommended expanding M10. We continued to push for the recommendation to be approved and funded.
The new funding commitment will significantly improve access to vital care, addressing long-standing service gaps. An investment of $74.9 million will be made over four years from 2025-26, with $29.1 million annually thereafter, benefiting an estimated 385,000 people. This is a welcome step towards more equitable access to speech pathology care.
While SPA advocated for the inclusion of developmental language disorder (DLD), it has not been funded as part of this measure. SPA will explore alternative funding avenues for the assessment and treatment of DLD and will ensure it remains a key advocacy priority.
There is more work to do to ensure access to speech pathology services for all people.