MyMedicare
Frequently Asked Questions – For patients
Basics and benefits
What is MyMedicare?
MyMedicare is a voluntary patient registration model that aims to formalise the relationship between patients, their general practice, general practitioner (GP) and primary care teams. The Australian Government has introduced MyMedicare as part of an ongoing commitment to strengthening Medicare for all Australians.
Seeing your GP regularly and formalising the relationship you have with your GP and practice through MyMedicare can lead to better health outcomes.
Registering with MyMedicare will tell your general practice that you see them as your regular care team and this will help them to provide you with better care. You’ll be able to access longer telephone telehealth consultations with any GP at your registered practice and they will receive funding from the Australian Government to deliver the care you need.
MyMedicare is open to Australians with a Medicare card or a Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Veteran Card and is voluntary.
Why register for MyMedicare?
By registering as a patient of your chosen general practice and selecting a preferred GP, additional funding will be made available by the government to assist your primary care team deliver the care you need.
This funding will enable your general practice or GP to provide you with longer funded telehealth consultations and bulk billed longer telehealth consultations at the new higher rate for children under 16 and Commonwealth concession card holders.
Other benefits for patients include:
• for people living in a residential aged care home, more regular visits from their GP and better care planning, from August 2024
• for people with chronic disease who visit hospital frequently, connections to more appropriate care in general practice, from mid-2024.
Further registration benefits for patients will continue to be added over time as part of the Australian Government’s commitment to strengthening Medicare. If you choose not to register in MyMedicare, you will continue to be able to access the same care from your healthcare providers as you currently do.
Who will benefit from longer funded telehealth appointments?
Telehealth appointments improve access to healthcare. They are a convenient way for all patients to schedule appointments with their GP while reducing travel time, travel expenses and waiting times.
Longer funded telehealth consultations may be particularly beneficial for:
• people seeking treatment for mental health concerns
• people with disability or reduced mobility
• older Australians
• people in rural or remote Australia who are not located close to their GP.
Does MyMedicare provide health insurance?
No. MyMedicare is a voluntary registration system for patients to formalise their relationship with their regular general practice and preferred GP.
Registering in MyMedicare does not provide access to private health insurance benefits.
Is MyMedicare the same as My Health Record?
No. MyMedicare is a registration system that records your details and the details of your regular general practice and primary care team. MyMedicare can not hold any of your clinical health information. Your clinical information will continue to be available in your My Health Record, if you have one.
My Health Record provides patients and their healthcare providers with access to vital health information at the point of care, including in an emergency. This can include shared health summaries, current medicines and prescriptions, immunisation history, hospital discharge information and Medicare, DVA and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme history.
As part of your MyMedicare registration, your chosen practice and GP will appear on your My Health Record to ensure all health professionals you see – for example, at a public hospital – will know who to talk to about your regular care. If you do not wish for your MyMedicare registration to appear on your My Health Record, you can choose this option in your My Health Record.
Is MyMedicare the new Medicare smartphone app?
No. You can still access the same Express Plus Medicare mobile app through the Apple or Google Play store on your smartphone device.
Eligibility and registration
Who is eligible for MyMedicare?
MyMedicare is a free and voluntary registration system open to Australians with a Medicare card or a DVA Veteran Card who regularly attend a registered practice.
You’re eligible to register if you’ve had 2 or more face-to-face appointments at your regular practice in the past 24 months or one face-to-face visit for practices in remote locations.
People who are facing hardship will be exempt from all eligibility requirements. This includes people experiencing domestic and family violence and homelessness.
Parents/guardians and children can be registered at the same practice, if either is eligible and registered. A parent/guardian must register a child under 14 years and provide consent on their behalf and this registration will need to be completed at the practice. Young people aged 14 to 17 years can register and provide consent without a parent/guardian.
How do I register for MyMedicare?
From 1 October 2023, patients can register with their regular general practice and select their preferred GP in MyMedicare.
Patients can register with:
• an accredited general practice;
• an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service;
• an Aboriginal Medical Service; and
• a nurse practitioner-led practice with a GP.
• Other non-traditional practice (who meet the healthcare provider registration and eligibility criteria).
Your chosen practice must be registered in MyMedicare before you can commence your own patient registration.
There are a number of ways you can register with your chosen practice in MyMedicare:
• Start the registration process in your Medicare Online Account or Express Plus Medicare mobile app. Practice staff will then accept the registration in the MyMedicare system.
• Your practice may start the registration in MyMedicare or you can ask them to do this. This will trigger a registration in your Medicare Online Account or Express Plus Medicare mobile app, which you can then complete.
• Fill out a registration form at your practice. By signing the form, you are giving your consent to participate in MyMedicare with that practice. Practice staff will then complete the registration in the MyMedicare system.
A registration in MyMedicare is only successful when both the patient and practice have provided consent to formalise their relationship through one of the processes noted above.
Can I register with my DVA Veteran Card?
If you hold both a DVA Veteran Card and a Medicare card, you can register with either. Patients can only register with one practice at any one time. Your registration will apply to any relevant Medicare and/or DVA-funded service, regardless of which card has been used to register.
If you choose to register in MyMedicare with a DVA Veteran Card, you will need to complete a registration form in your chosen practice. Registration via Medicare online services can only be completed using a Medicare card.
I am, or my family member is, a resident in an aged care home. Should I/they register in MyMedicare?
If you live in a Residential Aged Care Home, you’ll be able to register for MyMedicare by completing a registration form provided by your GP or online through the Medicare Online Account. You won’t need to physically attend a practice for the purpose of completing your registration.
Residents of Residential Aged Care Homes will benefit from registering in MyMedicare, with new incentives being introduced in 2024 to support more regular proactive visits and care planning from GPs and practices.
Can I register someone else in MyMedicare?
If a person is incapable of providing consent to register in MyMedicare, a responsible person can provide consent and register on their behalf. This can be the parent or guardian of a minor, a person who holds power of attorney or a guardianship order, or the next of kin.
If you believe someone in your care will benefit from registering in MyMedicare, talk to their GP or, for people in residential aged care homes, their residential aged care provider.
Do I have to register in MyMedicare?
No, registration in MyMedicare is voluntary for patients, GPs and practices. Your regular practice may be registered for MyMedicare, however it is up to you to decide if you want to register as their patient.
A registration in MyMedicare is only confirmed when both the patient and practice have provided consent to formalise their relationship through one of the registration processes outlined under How do I register for MyMedicare?
Is there a cost to register in MyMedicare?
No, it is free to register in MyMedicare.
When can I register in MyMedicare?
If you meet the eligibility criteria, you can register in MyMedicare from 1 October 2023. Your regular practice must be registered in MyMedicare to accept your registration.
What if my regular practice is not registered with MyMedicare?
If your regular practice is not registered in MyMedicare, we recommend you talk with your GP or practice about whether the benefits provided through registration will support your health care needs.
Do I register with my preferred GP or general practice?
You will register with your regular practice. From there, you can select your preferred GP.
Using MyMedicare
Can I change my GP/practice?
Yes, you can change or update your preferred GP or regular practice. Once you have registered with your regular general practice and preferred GP in MyMedicare, you are able to change or update your registration:
If you would like to change your preferred GP at your registered practice, practice staff can link you to your newly preferred GP with your consent.
If your preferred GP moves to a new practice, you can change your registration details to follow them, as long as the practice is registered with MyMedicare. You will not need to meet minimum visit eligibility requirements at the new practice as your existing relationship with your GP will be recognised.
If you would like to move to a different practice, you can register once you meet the minimum visit eligibility requirements. Your new practice must also be registered in MyMedicare.
Does MyMedicare restrict me to only seeing my preferred GP?
No. Registering with MyMedicare does not restrict your access to other MBS or DVA equivalent services from other healthcare providers including other GPs and practices. You will only be able to access benefits provided through MyMedicare at your registered practice.
Data safety and privacy
How is my personal data protected in MyMedicare?
The personal information you provide when registering in MyMedicare can be kept secure and your privacy will be maintained.
The MyMedicare Privacy Notice explains how Australian Government agencies will manage personal information consistent with the Privacy Act and how information about MyMedicare program participants will be collected, used and disclosed. Read the MyMedicare Privacy Notice at health.gov.au/mymedicare-privacy.
Is my medical information safe in MyMedicare?
The personal information you provide when registering in MyMedicare can be kept secure and your privacy will be maintained.
MyMedicare is only a registration system that records your details and the details of your regular general practice and primary care team. It does not store any of your clinical health information.
Talk to your regular general practice or GP about registering in MyMedicare, or find out more at health.gov.au/mymedicare
