Doctors, Allied Health, Staff

MyMedicare

What is MyMedicare

MyMedicare is a new voluntary patient registration model. It aims to strengthen the relationship between patients and their primary care providers such as GPs, Nurses etc at the Medical Centre they have been attending.

Why should I register?

Registration in MyMedicare will provide a formal signal to your GP and the Practice where GP is providing services and the Nursing and Admin staff, that you see them as your regular care team and will help them provide better coordinated and continuous healthcare. Details will appear on your My Health Record, unless you choose not to display this, so other health professionals you may see – for example at public hospitals – will know who to talk to about your regular care.

Registration in MyMedicare will initially provide the most benefits to people who need access to longer telehealth consultations with their GP, for example older Australians, people who seek mental health care from their GP and people with chronic and complex health conditions.

Who should register for MyMedicare?

Evidence shows that seeing the same GP and health care professionals regularly improves health outcomes. Government is encouraging all Australiana to register with MyMedicare.

Why are there patient eligibility requirements?

These are designed to ensure patients have an existing relationship before registering in MyMedicare. This relationship is important in delivering high-value ongoing care to patients. These requirements will also reduce the risk of other providers attempting to register patients that don’t attend their practice. Most patients will need to have 2 face-to-face visits with the same practice in the previous 24 months to be eligible to register. This has been mentioned by the Government as an appropriate threshold for most patients to show they attend a regular provider to access their care.

How do I register for MyMedicare?

MyMedicare is voluntary. The system is based on a dual consent process where both the providers and the patient need to consent. Patient registration can be completed in 3 ways:

• Patients can commence the registration process in their Medicare online services (Medicare Online Account or the Express Plus Medicare mobile application) and the practice admin staff can then accept or decline the registration in MyMedicare system.
• Practice admin staff can commence the patient registration process in MyMedicare and patients can then complete the registration and provide consent in their Medicare online services.
• Patients can fill out a registration form at the practice and practice admin staff will then complete the registration in MyMedicare system with the patient’s consent captured on the form.

(Some of the information as of 14/09/23)

Information provided by the Government – https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/mymedicare