22 July 2024
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
Upcoming webinar: Introduction to General Practice in Aged Care Incentive: Older people living in aged care homes and their family, friends, and carers – 6 August 2024.
The PHN cooperative in collaboration with the Department of Health and Aged Care, are running a webinar to introduce the incentive to aged care providers and staff, and older people living in aged care homes and their family, friends, and carers.
Join this webinar to:
- Learn about the new program
- Understand what it means for aged care residents, providers and workers
- Ask us your questions in an interactive Q&A session
Register for this webinar now.
Previous webinar: 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. A recording of the webinar will be shared once available.
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.
Recent MyMedicare General Practice in Aged Care Incentive articles:
