Amendments to Medicare Assignment of Benefits changes
On 18 June 2026, the Australian Government announced amendments to the planned changes to the new Assignment of Benefit (AoB) process, effective 1 July 2026.
What's new?
- Regulatory amendments to support a 12-month transition period.
- Verbal consent will be available in all settings for 12 months from 1 July 2026.
- From 1 July 2026, patients registered with MyMedicare, residents of aged care homes, and patients of ACCHOs and AMSs will be able to make an enduring assignment of benefit for ongoing GP bulk billed services, either directly or through a person acting on their behalf. Specifically:
- a patient registered with MyMedicare will be able to make one enduring agreement to receive services from all general practitioners at their MyMedicare practice, if offered.
- a patient of an ACCHO or AMS will be able to make an enduring agreement with the ACCHO or AMS, and they will be able to have multiple agreements with multiple ACCHS or AMS.
- a patient living in a residential aged care home will be able to make multiple enduring agreements with different practitioners.
- Compliance will not commence until regulatory changes are complete and will begin with prevention and education.
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has now published details on its website. Please refer to the 'Status' section where up-to-date information will be published.
These regulatory amendments are being progressed as a priority. The Department is regularly updating its frequently asked questions (FAQs) which clarify the AoB changes, including what the changes mean practically. These will be updated to reflect the enduring agreements and how these can be established.
The Department will use the 12-month transition period to explore other regulatory and legislative options to further reduce the administrative burden on both GP practices and patients while ensuring the integrity of Medicare is maintained.
The Department recognises the substantial efforts by those who are working towards implementation.
Healthy North Coast will continue to share information as it becomes available. For any queries, please reach out to your Regional Manager.
