MyMedicare

MyMedicare and Strengthening Medicare

The Australian Government is committed to improving primary health care for all Australians to lay the foundations for a stronger Medicare.

The Government is responding to the recommendations of the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce Report, which outlined a vision for Australia’s primary care system of the future. Its vision is to enable quality, integrated and person-centred care for all Australians, building on Australia’s Primary Health Care 10 Year Plan 2022 – 2032.

The taskforce identified 4 priority areas for primary care reform:

increasing access to primary care
encouraging multidisciplinary team-based care
modernising primary care
supporting change management and cultural change

Learn more about some of the initiatives coming out of the Government’s commitment to Strengthening Medicare and how Gippsland PHN can support your practice with them below.

MyMedicare

Learn more about some of the initiatives coming out of the Government’s commitment to Strengthening Medicare and how Gippsland PHN can support your practice with them below.

MyMedicare

MyMedicare: what it means for you

MyMedicare is Australia’s new voluntary patient registration model. It will enable a blended funding model that sits alongside fee-for-service while strengthening the relationship between patients, their general practice, general practitioner (GP) and primary care teams.

MyMedicare seeks to improve health outcomes by:

consolidating the GP’s role as the primary provider and leader in continuity of care for patients
strengthening patient relationships with the extended primary care team and increasing multidisciplinary care
improving communication between general practice and other health providers
improving equitable access for priority population groups.

A range of incentives are offered for general practice to participate, including for telehealth consultations with MyMedicare registrants.

Information about the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive

The General Practice in Aged Care Incentive scheme is commencing on August 1, 2024. The Department of Health and Aged Care Have released guidelines to assist you in preparing your practice and General Practitioners.

Referring to the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive program Guidelines.

Services Australia have also published information for practices about the process in PRODA and HPOS to register the practice to participate in the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive, and how to link Responsible Providers and patients.

There are also some instructions here

For further information please refer to the Department website

Helpful registration guide for Gippsland general practices

Gippsland PHN has produced a comprehensive step by step guide to help you register and manage MyMedicare.

For practices already registered, the guide provides helpful ways to maintain your MyMedicare. For those yet to register, it is a how-to guide with Gippsland PHN providing one-on-one support should you need it.

Click here for the MyMedicare Registration Guide or email digitalhealth@gphn.org.au

MBS incentive bulk billing payments

From 1 November 2023, MBS incentive bulk billing payments for a range of consultation items are increasing for Commonwealth concession card holders and children under 16 years of age, including for long video and telephone consultations when a patient is registered with the practice through MyMedicare.

GPACI MBS billing codes

MyMedicare is open to consumers — your patients can now choose your practice as their registered MyMedicare practice

There are a number of ways patients can register with your practice in MyMedicare:

Patients can register via their Medicare Online Account or the Express Plus Medicare mobile application. Practice staff will then accept the registration in the MyMedicare system.
Your practice may start the registration in MyMedicare. This will trigger a registration in your patients’ Medicare Online Account or Express Plus Medicare mobile application, which they can then complete.
You may provide patients with the patient registration form to fill out at your practice. By signing the form, patients are giving consent to participate in MyMedicare with your practice. Practice staff will then complete the registration in the MyMedicare system.

A registration in MyMedicare is only successful when both the patient and practice have provided consent to formalise their relationship through one of the processes noted above.

Please also see attached frequently asked questions resources for both practices and patients.

For information on patient registration, including benefits, eligibility, frequently asked questions and how to register, visit the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website Information for MyMedicare patients.

If your practice has not yet registered to participate in MyMedicare, you can find useful information including eligibility criteria and how to register on this webpage MyMedicare | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.

Webinar recordings on MyMedicare can also be found by visiting MyMedicare webinars | Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.

Conversations to support your practice

This GP Toolkit will help you engage with your patients about MyMedicare and answer questions they may have.

These resources will help you have conversations with your patients about MyMedicare.

Registering if you live in a Residential Aged Care Home

Residential Aged Care Home residents can register for MyMedicare by completing a registration form provided by your GP or through their Medicare Online Account. Residents don’t need to physically attend a practice to complete registration.

We’re here to support you

If you have any questions about MyMedicare general practice registration or patient registration, contact Gippsland PHN at info@gphn.org.au.