Creating a healthier, better connected Gippsland.

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.

Supported by recommendations from the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce, the recent Commonwealth 2023–24 Budget invests $19.7 million over 4 years in MyMedicare. A further $39.8 million will be delivered  to support systems delivery through Services Australia.

MyMedicare seeks to improve health outcomes by:

  1. consolidating the GP’s role as the primary provider and leader in continuity of care for patients
  2. strengthening patient relationships with the extended primary care team and increasing multidisciplinary care
  3. improving communication between general practice and other health providers
  4. 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.

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.

  1. Steps required to add the MyMedicare General Practice in Aged Care Incentive
  2. Adding the MyMedicare General Practice in Aged Care Incentive

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.

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

Patient registration for MyMedicare, Australia’s new national system of voluntary patient registration opened Sunday 1 October 2023.

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 and Aged Care 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 and Aged Care.

Webinar recordings on MyMedicare can also be found by visiting MyMedicare webinars | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.

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.

Residents will benefit from registering in MyMedicare, with new incentives being introduced in 2024 to support more regular proactive visits and care planning from GPs and practices.

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.

You can also go to our dedicated MyMedicare webpage.

Key dates and actions to remember

  • Eligible general practices can begin the MyMedicare registration process. Please note: if your practice is already registered and all registered health providers are linked in the Organisation Register, you do not need to complete a second registration process.
  • Patients can register from 1 October 2023 by completing a paper form at their regular general practice or online through their Medicare account.
  • Registration in MyMedicare is voluntary for patients, general practices and providers. PHNs encourage all eligible practices to register as the system will improve patient outcomes and enable financial incentives for providers.
  • See the timeline below.

Helpful information and resources

In preparation for the start of MyMedicare, information on what practices need to do to get ready for MyMedicare is available at the Department of Health and Aged Care website at health.gov.au/MyMedicare and the Services Australia Health Professional Education website hpe.servicesaustralia.gov.au

For general practice and healthcare providers

Resources for MyMedicare general practices and healthcare providers | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

Webinar recording

MyMedicare: First steps: what is it, and what do I need to know?” was a webinar on Monday 28 August 2023, hosted by the NSW/ACT PHN and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. If you missed it, the recording can be found here.

MyMedicare: a deeper dive (including PRODA) webinar on Monday 18 September 2023. The webinar recording is now available on the RACGP Events page here.

Helpful fact sheets

In the lead up to MyMedicare patient registration on 1 October 2023, general practice can start preparing now. One helpful preparation activity is data cleansing and archiving of patients. See these helpful fact sheets produced by Brisbane PHN below:

How to archive your inactive patients in Best Practice.  
How to archive your inactive patients in Medical Director.

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