MyMedicare and Bulk billing – what practices need to know

• MyMedicare is designed to enhance the care patients already receive. Registration helps strengthen the relationship with their preferred GP or practice and may open access to new or expanded services over time.
• MyMedicare registration supports better continuity of care, and patients can still access bulk billing as usual, with no changes to the practice’s billing approach.
• Bulk billing continues to be guided by the GP’s or practice’s usual clinical and business approach, so patients can expect the same level of access and support they already experience. MyMedicare simply adds extra benefits on top of existing care.

The Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (BBPIP)

• Practices participating in BBPIP receive an additional 12.5% incentive payment on every $1 of the MBS benefits paid from eligible services, split evenly (50/50) between the GP and the practice.
• Participating practices must bulk bill every eligible MBS service for all their Medicare-eligible patients to receive the incentive payment. The full list of BBPIP eligible MBS services is available on the department’s website.
• Eligible MBS services include the most common GP services such as time-tiered consultation items, health assessments, mental health treatment items and chronic condition management items.
• The BBPIP incentive payment is in addition to MBS benefits paid, and MBS BBIs are paid independently of the BBPIP incentive payments.
• Practices participating in BBPIP must promote their participation by:
  • registering as a fully bulk billing practice in healthdirect Australia’s National Health Services Directory (NHSD)
  • displaying Medicare Bulk Billing Practice signage on-site

Resources

• The Department’s website for the BBPIP and the MyMedicare Program.
• BBPIP: eligible services
• BBPIP: register or update details on the healthdirect National Health Services Directory.