Chronic Conditions Management – change activities for your general practice

Country SA PHN Newsletter March 2025

It’s time to prepare your general practice for changes to Chronic Conditions Management (CCM) MBS items. Chronic Conditions Management (CCM) MBS item changes recommended by the MBS Review Taskforce are the first major change to chronic disease management in 20 years, and are scheduled to come into effect 1 July 2025.

Change is a dish best served in small, manageable bites! Australian general practices are well versed in continuous quality improvement methods and Plan – Do – Study – Act cycles that support change in busy environments, safely and sustainably whilst measuring results.

To help your practice prepare to transition to CCM with small, manageable changes, Country SA PHN invites your practice to participate in our CCM activation series of high impact change activities with your practice team and patients to implement new chronic conditions management items, strengthening the connections that patients have with your practice through MyMedicare.

Activity 1 aims to engage patients returning to your practice for Chronic Disease Management Plans and team care arrangements in MyMedicare, and regular reviews in the future.

Activity 2 aims to raise awareness among your practice team of MyMedicare, Chronic Conditions Management changes, and support your team to explore their roles in both MyMedicare and Chronic Conditions Management.

Contact [email protected] for further information. Information will also be distributed to practices in the coming weeks. We look forward to supporting you through this CCM activation series!

Other steps your practice can take to prepare now

Here are some other ideas you might like to consider preparing for Chronic Conditions Management and MyMedicare patient registration:

1. Discuss what these changes mean with your practice team. Identify any processes you need to review or update (e.g. incorporate MyMedicare registration in your chronic disease management workflows).
2. Register your practice for MyMedicare if you have not done so already.
3. Encourage your patients with a chronic condition or existing care plan to register with MyMedicare:
   • Prepare your practice team to speak with patients about MyMedicare. Discuss MyMedicare at a practice meeting and print copies of MyMedicare brochures and MyMedicare patient registration frequently asked questions to use in conversations with patients. 
   • Include the MyMedicare Registration form and brochure with your patient consent form
   • Update your practice website to include links to MyMedicare patient registration information.
   • 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 in your practice social media page using Social Media Tiles.

Should your practice need assistance in registering for MyMedicare, please email [email protected].

Image credit: The Department of Health and Aged Care

Published on: March 17, 2025