MyMedicare: What is it, and should you sign up?
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If you want to take better care of your health, listen up! The Australian government has introduced a new program called MyMedicare that makes it easier and more affordable to see your doctor regularly.
Keep reading to discover what benefits MyMedicare offers and how you can sign up in just a few easy steps.
What is MyMedicare?
MyMedicare is a free and optional patient registration program introduced by the federal government in early October. It's part of the government's efforts to enhance Medicare.
With MyMedicare, you can register as a patient at your preferred clinic and choose your favourite GP. However, it only works if your clinic is also part of the program.
In simple terms, MyMedicare provides you with extra Medicare rebates (and sometimes bulk billing) while giving your GP clinic more funding from the federal government.
A key point to remember is that if you visit a clinic with multiple doctors, you can see any GP there, even if they're not your chosen doctor, and still receive the same benefits.
MyMedicare is available to all Australians with a Medicare card or a Department of Veterans Affairs card. You're eligible if you've had at least two face-to-face appointments at your regular practice in the past two years (or just one face-to-face visit for practices in remote areas).
Do note that MyMedicare is different from My Health Record, as it doesn't store your clinical information but only keeps details about your regular GP.
What are the benefits of signing up for MyMedicare now?
One major benefit is accessing Medicare rebates for longer telehealth consultations.
Previously, the government stopped providing rebates for telehealth appointments that exceeded 20 minutes (known as level C) and 40 minutes (level D). However, by registering through MyMedicare, you regain access to these rebates.
The actual cost of these appointments varies depending on your location, but on average, Medicare will cover approximately half of the consultation fee.
This can be especially helpful for vulnerable individuals, such as those seeking mental health support or living in remote areas, as per the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).
There are benefits for your GP as well. Your GP will receive government incentives for bulk-billing specific patients registered through MyMedicare for lengthy telehealth appointments.
Starting November 1, doctors will receive triple the usual incentive when bulk-billing children under 16, pensioners, and concession card holders for these consultations.
They will also receive more patient information, allowing them to tailor services to better meet patient needs.
MyMedicare will be introduced gradually over three years, with more benefits becoming available later. Starting from mid-2024, two additional incentives will be introduced:
The Aged Care Incentive: This incentive offers doctors a payment for regularly visiting patients registered with MyMedicare in residential aged care facilities. The exact bonus amount will be determined in the coming months.
The Frequent Hospital Users Incentive: This incentive is designed for individuals with complex chronic diseases who frequently visit hospitals. Doctors will receive a bonus (the specific amount is still to be determined) for providing comprehensive, multi-disciplinary care to these patients in the community, thereby reducing their hospital visits.
So, how do I sign up?
You have a few options to sign up for MyMedicare. You can do it online through your Medicare account or app, or you can ask your GP to help you get started. If you prefer paper registration, you can also fill out a physical form and give it to your GP.
Just remember that you can't choose your preferred practice until they've joined the program, no matter which sign-up method you use.
The Department of Health believes that when people regularly see the same GP and healthcare team, it leads to better health outcomes. By establishing a formal relationship with your GP through MyMedicare, it can potentially result in improved health outcomes.
This program is part of a broader effort to enhance Medicare, which includes a $3.5 billion investment in encouraging bulk billing that began on November 1. The budget also includes the extension of prescription lengths for 300 medicines on the PBS.
'We're delivering the biggest investment in Medicare in over 40 years, with more incentives for bulk billing and 58 new urgent care clinics across Australia,' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
'These changes to the Medicare bulk billing incentive will make it easier and cheaper for more than 11 million Australians to visit a doctor.'
We hope you found this article helpful and informative, members! If you want to know more about MyMedicare, we suggest checking out the official website here.
Keep reading to discover what benefits MyMedicare offers and how you can sign up in just a few easy steps.
What is MyMedicare?
MyMedicare is a free and optional patient registration program introduced by the federal government in early October. It's part of the government's efforts to enhance Medicare.
With MyMedicare, you can register as a patient at your preferred clinic and choose your favourite GP. However, it only works if your clinic is also part of the program.
In simple terms, MyMedicare provides you with extra Medicare rebates (and sometimes bulk billing) while giving your GP clinic more funding from the federal government.
MyMedicare is a new voluntary patient registration model that aims to formalise the relationship between patients, their general practice, general practitioner and primary care teams. Credit: Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.
A key point to remember is that if you visit a clinic with multiple doctors, you can see any GP there, even if they're not your chosen doctor, and still receive the same benefits.
MyMedicare is available to all Australians with a Medicare card or a Department of Veterans Affairs card. You're eligible if you've had at least two face-to-face appointments at your regular practice in the past two years (or just one face-to-face visit for practices in remote areas).
Do note that MyMedicare is different from My Health Record, as it doesn't store your clinical information but only keeps details about your regular GP.
What are the benefits of signing up for MyMedicare now?
One major benefit is accessing Medicare rebates for longer telehealth consultations.
Previously, the government stopped providing rebates for telehealth appointments that exceeded 20 minutes (known as level C) and 40 minutes (level D). However, by registering through MyMedicare, you regain access to these rebates.
The actual cost of these appointments varies depending on your location, but on average, Medicare will cover approximately half of the consultation fee.
This can be especially helpful for vulnerable individuals, such as those seeking mental health support or living in remote areas, as per the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).
There are benefits for your GP as well. Your GP will receive government incentives for bulk-billing specific patients registered through MyMedicare for lengthy telehealth appointments.
Starting November 1, doctors will receive triple the usual incentive when bulk-billing children under 16, pensioners, and concession card holders for these consultations.
They will also receive more patient information, allowing them to tailor services to better meet patient needs.
MyMedicare will be introduced gradually over three years, with more benefits becoming available later. Starting from mid-2024, two additional incentives will be introduced:
The Aged Care Incentive: This incentive offers doctors a payment for regularly visiting patients registered with MyMedicare in residential aged care facilities. The exact bonus amount will be determined in the coming months.
The Frequent Hospital Users Incentive: This incentive is designed for individuals with complex chronic diseases who frequently visit hospitals. Doctors will receive a bonus (the specific amount is still to be determined) for providing comprehensive, multi-disciplinary care to these patients in the community, thereby reducing their hospital visits.
So, how do I sign up?
You have a few options to sign up for MyMedicare. You can do it online through your Medicare account or app, or you can ask your GP to help you get started. If you prefer paper registration, you can also fill out a physical form and give it to your GP.
Just remember that you can't choose your preferred practice until they've joined the program, no matter which sign-up method you use.
The Department of Health believes that when people regularly see the same GP and healthcare team, it leads to better health outcomes. By establishing a formal relationship with your GP through MyMedicare, it can potentially result in improved health outcomes.
This program is part of a broader effort to enhance Medicare, which includes a $3.5 billion investment in encouraging bulk billing that began on November 1. The budget also includes the extension of prescription lengths for 300 medicines on the PBS.
'We're delivering the biggest investment in Medicare in over 40 years, with more incentives for bulk billing and 58 new urgent care clinics across Australia,' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
'These changes to the Medicare bulk billing incentive will make it easier and cheaper for more than 11 million Australians to visit a doctor.'
We hope you found this article helpful and informative, members! If you want to know more about MyMedicare, we suggest checking out the official website here.
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