Recently, there has been a lot of discussion regarding the benefits of MyMedicare, its impact on general practice, and how it will be put into action. To give an overall idea of the current details accessible, here is a brief summary of the information that has been made available by the Department of Health and Aged Care so far: 

 What are the benefits? 

• Registered practices will have access to MBS-funded longer telephone consultations (levels C and D) to registered patients. 
• Triple bulk-billing incentive for longer MBS telehealth consultations (levels C, D and E) for registered patients under 16, pensioners and Commonwealth concession card holders.

The following new blended funding payments will be available to registered practices and providers:  

• the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive from 1 August 2024, which will support regular health assessments, care plans and regular GP visits for people in residential aged care homes.
• new blended funding payments to support better care in the community for people with complex, chronic disease who frequently attend hospitals. These arrangements will roll out progressively across Australia over three years from FY2024–25. 
• Chronic Disease Management items linked to a patient’s registration in MyMedicare from November 2024, to support continuity of care for people with chronic and complex conditions. Patients who are not registered in MyMedicare will still be able to receive Chronic Disease Management items from their usual GP. 

Other important notes: 

• Work is underway to integrate registration information with practice software to reduce administrative burden and allow GPs to access their registered patient lists directly. 
• More information on patient registration is expected to be released by the Department of Health and Aged Care this month (September 2023) 

 Significant dates coming up: 

• From 1 October 2023, patient registration will be available to all Australians with a Medicare Card or Department of Veteran’s Affairs (DVA) Veteran Card. 
• From 1 November 2023, MBS level C and D telephone telehealth items will be available for registered patients. The triple bulk billing incentive for MBS level C, D, and E telehealth items will be available for eligible patients only with their registered practices. 
• From February 2024, the Department of Health will roll out a national advertising campaign to increase patient registration. 

SEMPHN strives to provide you with current updates on MyMedicare. Check out our dedicated page and sign up for Network News to stay informed.