In tonight’s 2023 Federal Budget, Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced MyMedicare, a new voluntary scheme to create a stronger relationship between patients and their primary care teams. Patients can enrol with a general practice registered with MyMedicare, to get better continuity of care and easier access to telehealth consultations.
MyMedicare will provide practices with more comprehensive information about their regular patients while giving patients and their care team access to additional funding packages, tailored to their health needs.
Implementing MyMedicare is expected to cost $19.7 million over 4 years.
MyMedicare will also support longer GP telehealth consultations with reduced administration for practices ($5.9m); provide new funding packages for general practices to provide comprehensive care to patients who are frequent hospital users ($98.9m); and for Australians in residential aged care ($112.0m).
There was also $951.2 million announced for digital health. The Australian Digital Health Agency will upgrade and modernise My Health Record, making it easier for patients and providers to use and support the secure, safe and efficient sharing of information. This will improve health outcomes for patients and reduce duplication in the system.
A further $29.8 million investment is also being made to reduce fraud. This Budget includes immediate actions to reduce Medicare fraud – including a taskforce within the Department of Health and Aged Care to oversee longer-term improvements to Medicare integrity.
