Changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule items for chronic disease management

Changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items for chronic disease management have been deferred by the Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHAC) from 1 November 2024 until 1 July 2025.

The additional time will support all practices and providers, including GPs and allied health providers, to be ready for the changes to these important services. Previously, these changes were due to come into effect from 1 November 2024.  

Find out more on the Department’s website, and you can also read RACGP’s statement on the deferral of changes.

Chronic disease management webinar postponed

As a result of the Department’s announcement to defer the planned MBS item changes to 1 July 2025, RACGP’s upcoming webinar on changes to MBS chronic disease management items (due to take place on 9 October 2024) has now been postponed.

RACGP will reschedule this event next year in advance of the new implementation date for the changes.

Steps your practice can take to prepare

Here are some ideas you might like to consider to start preparing your practice team for Chronic Conditions Management and MyMedicare patient registration:

• Discuss what these changes mean with your practice team and identify any activities or processes you need to review or update (e.g. incorporating MyMedicare registration in your workflows for chronic disease/conditions management).
• Register your practice for MyMedicare if you have not done so already.
• Engage your patients to encourage them to register with MyMedicare, particularly those with a chronic condition or existing care plan:
  • Prepare your practice team to speak with patients about MyMedicare. Discuss MyMedicare at a practice meeting or print off copies of the MyMedicare brochures and MyMedicare patient registration frequently asked questions for your practice team to have on hand to support conversations with patients.
  • Include the MyMedicare Registration form and brochure with your patient consent and data collection form.
  • Update your practice website to include links to MyMedicare brochures a, MyMedicare patient registration information, and MyMedicare patient registration frequently asked questions.
  • Place MyMedicare posters and brochures in your practice waiting room/reception and display MyMedicare Patient videos in your waiting room screens.
  • Post information about MyMedicare on your practice Facebook or social media page using the following Social Media Tiles.

The MyMedicare communication resources for General Practice includes social media tiles, videos, brochures and posters.

Country SA PHN will keep you updated with more information about these changes as it is released. Please contact us at [email protected] for information and support.

Patient information about MyMedicare

To inform patients and their carers about MyMedicare the resources below can help explain the benefits and what it means for them.

Patient Brochures

• MyMedicare Brochure | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
• Easy Read MyMedicare Patient brochure

Patient Videos

• Introducing MyMedicare | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
• Registering in MyMedicare | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care