Highlight news
The new MyMedicare General Practice in Aged Care Incentive has been open for registration since 1 July 2024.
The incentive aims to support older people living in residential aged care to receive planned, continuous, and quality primary care from a GP and the care support team available at the practice. Key benefits include an improved access to healthcare and continuity of care for residents of aged care homes.
The incentive promotes consistent and ongoing medical care, by encouraging GPs and care teams to regularly visit aged care homes. The incentive provides financial support to GPs and general practices, making it more viable for them to allocate time and resources to aged care homes.
How does the new incentive work?
Once registered in MyMedicare and the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive, practices and medical practitioners can begin delivering eligible services, with the first incentive assessment period being 1 July 2024 to 30 September 2024. The MyMedicare General Practice in Aged Care Incentive payments will be quarterly, in addition to existing Medicare Benefits Scheme and Department of Veterans’ Affairs rebates for services delivered. More detailed information on the incentive is available in the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive program guidelines.
Resources
In addition to the program guidelines, there are audience specific Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) available on the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive webpage.
The FAQs are targeted at:
The Department will update these FAQs frequently, based on input and queries from the sector.
Services Australia has also developed factsheets and a learning module to support practices and GPs with the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive. These are in addition to the MyMedicare learning modules and supporting material available.
Webinars and engagements
On 4 July 2024, the Australian Association of Practice Management hosted an introduction webinar for the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive, for practice managers and Primary Health Network staff. The webinar had 500+ attendees with around 80 questions raised. We will share the pack and the responses to the questions with this group.
There is another webinar scheduled for 6 August 2024, in collaboration with the Ageing and Aged Care Group at the department. This webinar introduces the incentive to aged care providers and staff, and older people living in aged care homes and their family, friends, and carers. The registration link for the webinar will also be shared with this group, when available.
If there are other opportunities to engage with appropriate forums, we would appreciate any feedback.
Best practice guidance and tools
Best practice guidance and tools are currently being developed, targeted at GPs, Peaks, Primary Health Networks, aged care providers, and older people living in aged care homes and their family, friends, and carers. These materials are expected to be available in early August.
A series of webinars and engagements for the respective audiences will be provided to better understand the content and how to leverage it.
We encourage you to share these resources with your networks to raise awareness about this incentive and its benefits for older people living in aged care.
A reminder on the Practice Incentives Program (PIP) General Practitioner (GP) Aged Care Access Incentive (ACAI)
The PIP GP ACAI will cease on 31 July 2024 and GPs are encouraged to update their bank details to enable final payments to be made.
Practices and providers may be eligible to receive payments under both the PIP GP ACAI and the MyMedicare General Practice in Aged Care Incentive for services delivered while both programs are active, if they meet the specific eligibility and servicing requirements of both programs.
All news
The new MyMedicare General Practice in Aged Care Incentive has been open for registration since 1 July 2024.
The incentive aims to support older people living in residential aged care to receive planned, continuous, and quality primary care from a GP and the care support team available at the practice. Key benefits include an improved access to healthcare and continuity of care for residents of aged care homes.
The incentive promotes consistent and ongoing medical care, by encouraging GPs and care teams to regularly visit aged care homes. The incentive provides financial support to GPs and general practices, making it more viable for them to allocate time and resources to aged care homes.
How does the new incentive work?
Once registered in MyMedicare and the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive, practices and medical practitioners can begin delivering eligible services, with the first incentive assessment period being 1 July 2024 to 30 September 2024. The MyMedicare General Practice in Aged Care Incentive payments will be quarterly, in addition to existing Medicare Benefits Scheme and Department of Veterans’ Affairs rebates for services delivered. More detailed information on the incentive is available in the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive program guidelines.
Resources
In addition to the program guidelines, there are audience specific Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) available on the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive webpage.
The FAQs are targeted at:
The Department will update these FAQs frequently, based on input and queries from the sector.
Services Australia has also developed factsheets and a learning module to support practices and GPs with the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive. These are in addition to the MyMedicare learning modules and supporting material available.
Webinars and engagements
On 4 July 2024, the Australian Association of Practice Management hosted an introduction webinar for the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive, for practice managers and Primary Health Network staff. The webinar had 500+ attendees with around 80 questions raised. We will share the pack and the responses to the questions with this group.
There is another webinar scheduled for 6 August 2024, in collaboration with the Ageing and Aged Care Group at the department. This webinar introduces the incentive to aged care providers and staff, and older people living in aged care homes and their family, friends, and carers. The registration link for the webinar will also be shared with this group, when available.
If there are other opportunities to engage with appropriate forums, we would appreciate any feedback.
Best practice guidance and tools
Best practice guidance and tools are currently being developed, targeted at GPs, Peaks, Primary Health Networks, aged care providers, and older people living in aged care homes and their family, friends, and carers. These materials are expected to be available in early August.
A series of webinars and engagements for the respective audiences will be provided to better understand the content and how to leverage it.
We encourage you to share these resources with your networks to raise awareness about this incentive and its benefits for older people living in aged care.
A reminder on the Practice Incentives Program (PIP) General Practitioner (GP) Aged Care Access Incentive (ACAI)
The PIP GP ACAI will cease on 31 July 2024 and GPs are encouraged to update their bank details to enable final payments to be made.
Practices and providers may be eligible to receive payments under both the PIP GP ACAI and the MyMedicare General Practice in Aged Care Incentive for services delivered while both programs are active, if they meet the specific eligibility and servicing requirements of both programs.