From 1 November 2025, significant changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule came into effect: 

• Expanded Bulk Billing Incentives: Bulk billing incentives now apply to all patients with a Medicare card. The previous restriction to concession card holders and children under 16 has been removed. 

• Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (BBPIP): This new voluntary program provides participating practices with a quarterly 12.5% incentive payment on MBS benefits from eligible services. The payment is split equally between the GP and the practice. 

• Better Access Redesign: Medicare benefits for Mental Health Treatment Plans (MHTPs) now require patients to be registered at a MyMedicare practice or see their usual medical practitioner. GPs are now to use standard time-tiered consultation items for mental health services, as specific MBS items for MHTP reviews and mental health consultations have been removed. 

• Updated Terminology: The MBS now refers to Aboriginal Health Practitioners and Health Workers as “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care professionals“, and their services are described as “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing services“. These terminology changes do not affect billing. 

AHCSA acknowledges the complexities arising from the mandated 50/50 BBPIP payment split for our Member Services, and supports that an equity distribution should have been implemented over an equality split. Prior to the changes being implemented, NACCHO strongly advocated for an exemption under Section 19(2) of the Health Insurance Act 1973, however the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing did not support this exemption. Consequently, while the BBPIP will provide additional funding on top of existing MBS revenue for ACCHOs and will not result in a reduction to billing revenue, its implementation will require careful local planning, including contract negotiations and potential variations for services who seek to alter the 50/50 spilt with GPs. Unfortunately, the unsuccessful exemption request means that services will have to undertake individual negotiations with staff rather than a whole of sector solution being available to address this change.   

AHCSA is actively developing resources to support Member Services in implementing the BBPIP and will maintain ongoing advocacy efforts. We strongly encourage Member Services to contact AHCSA with any questions or concerns.