FibroScan and Medicare: Why MSAC Rejected Application 1797 — and What It Means for Your Practice
In early 2025, MSAC declined to fund VCTE (FibroScan) on the Australian MBS. No other page in Australia explains this decision and its commercial implications in full.
MSAC 1797 rejected in early 2025. FibroScan (VCTE) has no MBS rebate for MASLD. Every patient scan is 100% out-of-pocket at $250–$330. Annual service contract: ~$11,400/yr.
If you are considering purchasing a FibroScan for your practice, there is one regulatory fact that should inform your decision above all others: as of early 2025, the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) declined to fund vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) — the technology used by FibroScan — on the Medicare Benefits Schedule for MASLD fibrosis assessment.
This article explains what MSAC decided, why it made that decision, and what the commercial and clinical implications are for Australian clinicians and device buyers in 2025 and beyond.
What Is MSAC Application 1797?
Application 1797 was a submission to include VCTE for the identification of advanced liver fibrosis in patients with MASLD (Metabolic dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease) on the MBS. The application was supported by GESA (Gastroenterological Society of Australia) and the RACGP, who argued that non-invasive fibrosis testing would reduce unnecessary liver biopsies and improve care for Australia's growing MASLD population.
What Did MSAC Decide?
In early 2025, MSAC did not support the application. The committee's rationale centred on two key findings:
FIB-4 already performs the rule-out function at near-zero cost
The FIB-4 index — calculated from routine blood tests (age, AST, ALT, platelet count) — has a negative predictive value of 95–97% for significant fibrosis. Adding an expensive technology that largely duplicates this rule-out function was not considered cost-effective.
Insufficient evidence of incremental patient outcome improvement
The clinical evidence did not sufficiently demonstrate that adding VCTE to the MBS pathway improved patient treatment outcomes compared to existing assessments. Without a clear, incremental benefit, MSAC could not justify the additional cost to the taxpayer.
What This Means for FibroScan Buyers
| Commercial Implication | FibroScan Reality |
|---|---|
| Device cost | $65,000–$120,000+ AUD base unit |
| Medicare rebate for MASLD scans | None — MSAC 1797 rejected |
| Patient out-of-pocket per scan | $250–$330 (fully private) |
| Annual service contract | ~$11,400/yr (Quantum Healthcare AU) |
| 3-year total cost of ownership | $115,000–$175,000+ |
| Rebate timeline | No current MSAC review scheduled |
Is There a Medicare Rebate for Any Liver Elastography?
Yes — via a different pathway. Guided transient elastography (guided TE) is frequently performed as an adjunct to a standard abdominal ultrasound in radiology-led settings. Abdominal ultrasound attracts a Medicare rebate of approximately $100–$120 under existing item numbers. When liver stiffness measurement is performed as part of the same appointment, the rebate applies to the ultrasound component — meaning the out-of-pocket gap for a patient receiving both anatomical imaging and liver stiffness measurement is often substantially lower than a standalone FibroScan consultation.
This billing pathway does not apply to VCTE-only devices. It requires a system capable of full diagnostic ultrasound imaging combined with SWE — the type of integrated guided system supplied by Elastography Australia.
What MSAC Did NOT Reject
It is important to note what MSAC explicitly did not reject:
The MSAC decision essentially tells clinicians: use FIB-4 first, then use a more resource-efficient technology for those who need further staging. Guided TE, which can be delivered as part of a standard ultrasound appointment with a Medicare contribution, fits this model better than a standalone proprietary VCTE device.
The Commercial Weapon: Building Authority on This Decision
No competitor has published a definitive explanation of MSAC 1797. Clinicians and buyers searching “FibroScan Medicare rebate 2025” will find conflicting or outdated information — until this page. GPs asking whether they should refer patients to a FibroScan service or a guided TE service need this information to make an informed decision. Practice managers evaluating a $90,000 capital commitment need to know that no rebate pathway exists for VCTE.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did MSAC approve FibroScan for Medicare funding in Australia?
No. MSAC Application 1797, which sought to include VCTE (FibroScan's technology) on the MBS for MASLD fibrosis assessment, was not supported in early 2025. There is currently no Medicare rebate for standalone FibroScan scanning in Australia.
Is there any Medicare rebate for liver elastography in Australia?
A partial rebate of approximately $100–$120 is available for abdominal ultrasound performed in radiology settings under existing MBS items. When liver stiffness measurement via guided TE is performed as part of this appointment, the rebate applies to the ultrasound component, reducing the patient's out-of-pocket cost compared to a standalone FibroScan consultation.
Why did MSAC reject FibroScan funding?
MSAC concluded that the FIB-4 index already provides equivalent rule-out performance for significant fibrosis at near-zero cost, and that clinical evidence did not demonstrate sufficient incremental improvement in patient outcomes from adding VCTE to the pathway to justify MBS funding.
What does the MSAC 1797 rejection mean for practices buying FibroScan?
Any practice purchasing a FibroScan today is investing $65,000–$120,000+ AUD in a device whose primary clinical use attracts no Medicare rebate, with no rebate likely in the near future. Every patient scan is fully out-of-pocket at $250–$330. Annual service contracts add approximately $11,400/year regardless of scan volume.
Does the MSAC decision mean FibroScan is clinically inferior?
No. MSAC acknowledged that VCTE is safe and non-invasive. The rejection was a cost-effectiveness decision — the committee concluded that FIB-4 already performs the rule-out function at near-zero cost, so adding VCTE was not cost-effective for the taxpayer. FibroScan remains guideline-referenced globally.
Evaluate the guided alternative
iLivTouch guided TE: ~$45,000, no annual service contract, partial Medicare billing via abdominal US adjunct. Request a comparison demonstration.
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