Primary Care and Digital Health Support - February 2026

The Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program that was launched on 1 Nov 2025 supports practices and providers to deliver more bulk billed services for all Medicare-eligible patients.

Services Australia has launched new BBPIP eligibility assessments tools - forecast assessments and final assessments to help practices manage their participation in BBPIP. These features help practices stay on track to receive incentive payments. These assessment tools will support practices to check eligibility requirements and identify any problems, monitor bulk billing percentages, estimate their practice and provider payment at a point-in-time and to view quarterly final payments.

Please refer to MyMedicare BBPIP module highlighting how to use these assessment tools and view their Frequently Asked Questions.

If the practice is BBPIP registered and meets program requirements, it’s first incentive payment will be made in January 2026. Information for providers on sharing bank account details with Services Australia can be found in the Step by Step guide. Practice managers can find if linked providers have updated their bank details or not by using the forecast assessment tool.

 For further information, please contact: [email protected].

An Emergency Response Planning Tool (ERPT) can provide guidance when dealing with heat-related emergencies. Country SA PHN provides funding to the ERPT for general practices in country areas.

The ERPT is a subscription-only resource, and a Royal Australian College of General Practitioners aligned guide that can prove useful in the creation of a customised emergency response plan. It offers a structured, practical framework to deal with emergencies such as: heatwaves, bushfires, and smoke exposure, as well as corresponding issues such as: power outages, staff unavailability, cyber incidents, and complete or partial loss of premises.

For assistance implementing the ERPT, or tailoring it to your local context, contact Country SA PHN or reach out to Healthpoint ANZ at [email protected] or 1800 008 384.

The my health app has been renamed 1800MEDICARE.

The 1800MEDICARE app is a secure and convenient way to view important health information that patients, healthcare providers, or authorised representatives have uploaded to My Health Record.

The app also provides access to electronic prescriptions and Active Script Lists, along with a range of helpful features, including the ability to book health services, use a symptom checker, access Medicare information, as well as enrolment and claiming services.

For more information, please refer to 1800MEDICARE app.

If the GPs are visiting residential aged care homes, they may be eligible to register for the General Practice Aged Care Incentive (GPACI) Program. The Program supports practices and GPs who provide regular, coordinated care to older Australians living in residential aged care, recognising the additional time and continuity involved in this care. If eligible for the Program, GPs will be paid on a quarterly basis.

More information about the program is available online or you can contact us at [email protected].

Better and Faster Access, an initiative of Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) will introduce some important updates to improve how health information is shared across Australia’s healthcare system. New arrangements will mean more blood tests and X-ray reports are added to My Health Record by default (unless patients choose otherwise) helping ensure health information is more complete, available sooner, and easier for patients and healthcare providers to access.

These changes aim to support safer, more connected care, while still allowing individuals to manage privacy settings and choose how their information is shared. For more information visit the Australian Digital Health Agency website.

For practices applying for their next round of MyMedicare accreditation, a new accreditation record must be added in Provider Digital Access (PRODA) each time it is renewed, to maintain MyMedicare eligibility and ensure incentive payments are not impacted. This is done when updating the organisation site record in PRODA.

For more information, contact [email protected].

The Country SA PHN Primary Care and Digital Support will be visiting the following regions: Adelaide Hills, Barossa, Lower North, Mid North and the Fleurieu regions.

Topics for discussion include: Bulk Billing Incentives Program (BBPIP), Better Access – Mental Health changes, GoShare by Healthily, Emergency Response Planning Tool, Market Insights, Practice Health Profiles available in primary care portal designed to support Quality Improvement (QI) by using practice-level data to assist with Accreditation, Lulu immunisation books and accreditation support.

Attendance for the Bowel and Cervical Screening roadshow continues to grow. The event held in Murray Bridge attracted GP’s, registrars, general practice and aged care nurses and other Allied Health Professionals who attended face-to-face and online.

Gastroenterologist Dr Ryan Mathias provided information on bowel screening guidelines, how to support and encourage patients to screen and provided examples of case studies. Discussion also centred on the new cervical screening guidelines and how general practices can use the National Cancer Screening Register.

Andrew Schultz from the Cancer Council SA also presented on the new lung screening program which is now open for general practice to register. Craig Garrett, a lived experience bowel cancer survivor, captivated the audience with his journey dealing with and recovering from the disease.

The next event will be held in Moonta on Thursday 19 March 2026 - Register here.

Future events will be on Tuesday 28 April 2026 in Port Augusta and Thursday 25 June 2026 in Renmark.

Country SA PHN is pleased to announce the outcome of the Screening and Early Detection Request for Proposal, with funding awarded to:

• Eyre and Far North Local Health Network
• Renmark Medical Clinic
• Southern Fleurieu Family Practice

The commissioned projects will focus on improving access to screening and early detection for priority populations, supporting earlier identification of health conditions and addressing barriers to primary health care access in regional and remote communities.

Funded activities are expected to commence in early 2026, following contract finalisation.

Country SA PHN looks forward to working in partnership with the successful organisations as these activities are implemented.