General practice in aged care incentive

On 1 August 2024, the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive (GP ACI) replaced the Aged Care Access Incentive (ACAI) as a new way to incentivise primary care delivered to patients living in residential aged care homes (RACH). Eligible general practitioners (referred to as Responsible Providers) and practices registered in MyMedicare and the MyMedicare General Practice in Aged Care Incentive can now receive incentive amounts for providing regular visits and care planning to their registered patients living in residential aged care homes. The incentive supports GPs and practices to deliver more proactive, planned and continuous care for people living in aged care homes, and is an important part of the Australian Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Quality and Safety in Aged Care and Strengthening Medicare.

For further support

Quarterly assessment periods
The assessment quarters for GP ACI follow the financial year quarters:

1 July to 30 September 1 January to 31 March

1 October to 31 December 1 April to 30 June

The assessment start date for a patient will be the start date of the assessment quarter in which the patient was registered in GP ACI. Example: for a patient registered on 10 November, the assessment start date is 1 October and the October to December quarter will be Q1 for that patient.

12-month care period
The 12 month care period is based on each patient’s assessment start date.

1 July to 30 June 1 January to 31 December

1 October to 30 September 1 April to 31 March

In this same example the patient’s 12-month care period is 1 October to 30 September.
The servicing requirements for the incentive for each patient are:
- Two eligible care planning items delivered by the Responsible Provider over the 12-month care period
- 8 eligible regular services over the 12-month care period comprising of at least two per quarter, each in a separate calendar month.
- At least one of the regular services per quarter is provided by the Responsible Provider. A second service is provided by the Responsible Provider or another member of the patient’s care team at the practice.
- Practices located in MMM 4-7 can provide up to four regular services (out of the eight required) per 12-month care period via telehealth where they are unable to provide a face-to-face service. Telehealth services under any other circumstances do not qualify for the quarterly requirements.
- Eligibility for telehealth is based on the location of the practice as recorded in the Organisation Register.
For the list of eligible services and MBS items for GP ACI see: MYMEDINFO13-Eligible MBS/DVA service items for the MyMedicare General Practice in Aged Care Incentive
Responsible Provider
$300 per patient per year. Paid in quarterly payments based on meeting servicing requirements.
= $75 per patient per quarter

Practice
$130 per patient per year. Paid in quarterly payments based on meeting servicing requirements.
= $32.50 per patient per quarter

Loadings are applicable for practices located in MMM 3-7 regions.

The MMM region applied to the incentive payment will be determined by the location of the practice registered in MyMedicare.
Partial payments will not be made. For example, if the resident has passed away, and servicing requirements have not been met for the quarter, the relevant quarterly payments will not be made.

MMM region Loading Payment to the GP Payment to the practice

1-2 0 $300 $130

3 20% $360 $156

4 30% $390 $169

5 30% $390 $169

6 50% $450 $195

7 50% $450 $195
The forecasting tool in Health Professionals Online Services (HPOS) allows practices and providers to track whether the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive (GP ACI) requirements have been met for each patient.

If performed prior to the end of each quarter, this allows practices to highlight and schedule any outstanding patient regular visits and/or care planning services to ensure the incentive servicing requirements are met.

For step-by-step instructions on running and viewing the forecast, please see Murray PHN’s Quick Guide: MyMedicare Quick Guide_Forecast payment eligibility.pdf

Also refer to the Services Australia resources located at: MyMedicare – Health Professional Education Resources (servicesaustralia.gov.au).

For Practices
1. a. Forecast eligibility for MyMedicare Incentives for an Organisation site/Practice
2. b. Search for and view eligibility assessments for MyMedicare Incentives for an Organisation site/Provider
For Providers
1. a. Forecast eligibility for MyMedicare Incentives as a Provider
2. b. Search for and view eligibility assessments for MyMedicare Incentives as a Provider
MyMedicare incentive payments are paid quarterly and correspondence regarding payments (or failed payments, eligibility issues) is sent to practices and providers via their HPOS mailbox.

Resources are available to assist practices and providers in accessing and viewing GP ACI payments and related correspondence:
- An e-learning module on how to access detailed payment information in HPOS.
- Two infographics (one for practices and one for providers) to provide a quick summary of searching for and viewing payment information.
- An infographic regarding MyMedicare Incentive failed payment notifications
  It is important that practices and providers keep their banking details (recorded for the MyMedicare program and its incentives) up to date to receive payment promptly.
For residents of aged care homes to receive services under the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive, they will first need to be registered with their chosen practice in MyMedicare.

If your practice is considering the practicalities of how to obtain consent for MyMedicare registration for patients living in an aged care home, options include:
- Option 1 – Practice initiated online registration (where your patients have an Medicare Online Account or Express Plus Medicare Mobile app). This allows your practice to start patient registration through HPOS, which can then be finalised by the patient or appropriate carer/family member. For more on how to complete these steps, go to Services Australia e-learning package: Managing patient registrations (pages 15-18).
- Option 2 – Practice initiated registration forms. If you need to pre-complete a large number of patient registrations forms, consider a mail merge process. This allows your practice to partially complete a MyMedicare registration form with details from your practice software for patients, carers or guardians to then sign to consent to MyMedicare registration with your practice.
- Option 3 – Patient initiated registration. Patients can register themselves, or their family or carer can also support them in completing a MyMedicare registration form or registering online through Medicare Online Account or the Express Plus Medicare Mobile app. Once registered in MyMedicare, you can add the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive indicator to your patients’ MyMedicare profile (see page 27 of Managing patient registrations).
Important: MyMedicare registration is voluntary for patients and practices. Patients are not automatically linked to your practice, nor can they be added without their initiation and/or consent. Registration for MyMedicare should only be completed in HPOS for patients who have initiated the registration process and/or completed and signed the Registration Form.

Resources for preparation of bulk MyMedicare registration forms:
- Mail merge process -details of how to create an excel sheet list of practice patients living in Residential Aged Care from practice software and instructions for using the list to create MyMedicare Registration Forms for all patients.
- MyMedicare Registration Form – a word document for download (to be used for mail merge process)
- Sample cover letter to the RACH to include with MyMedicare Registration forms
To access incentive amounts, practices, responsible providers, and patients all need to registered in MyMedicare and the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive.
- Step 1: Practices and providers first need to be registered in MyMedicare. Follow the step by step guide: How to register for MyMedicare
- Step 2: Adding banking details for the MyMedicare Program for your practice in the Organisation Register – slide 11
- Step3: Adding the MyMedicare GP ACI program for your organisation – slide 10
- Step 4: Adding banking details for Responsible Providers
- Step 5: Once your patients are registered in MyMedicare you can add the GP ACI indicator and responsible provider for each patient Managing patient registration in MyMedcare and GP ACI – slides 27-28
The Department of Health and Aged Care has a range of resources including program guidelines, fact sheets, frequently asked questions and information kits to support the implementation of the My Medicare General Practice in Aged Care Incentive.

General Practice in Aged Care Incentive | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

Some key resources for general practice include:
- General Practice in Aged Care Incentive Guidelines Dec 2024
- fact sheet
- frequently asked questions for GPs and practices
- frequently asked questions for aged care residents and carers
- General Practice in Aged Care Incentive GP and practice information kit
- Template for contribution to a care plan: General Practice in Aged Care Incentive care planning template
- Individual patient front sheet template: patient-front-sheet-template.docx
- Patient monitoring and tracking template: patient-monitoring-and-tracking-tool.xlsx
- Patient Information booklet: General Practice in Aged Care Incentive patient journeys
Services Australia has a range of resources including eLearning modules, simulations, and infographics to support the MyMedicare and GP ACI registration process and to check eligibility for incentive payments:

MyMedicare – Health Professional Education Resources

Some key resources for general practice include:
- Module on managing registration (page 24- withdrawing a patient, page 27- 28 adding or amending the GP ACI indicator and responsible provider for a patient) MYMEDM02-Managing patient registrations
- Infographic on steps required to add the GPACI indicator for the practice (Steps 1 & 2) MYMEDINFO7-Steps required to add the MyMedicare General Practice in Aged Care Incentive
- Module on accessing and viewing eligibility and payments MYMEDM03-MyMedicare – General Practice in Aged Care Incentive
Best practice resources:
Our GP Aged Care Connect service supports the MyMedicare General Practice in Aged Care Incentive program. Working with general practices and local RACH providers, we can help to connect permanent residents of residential aged care homes with a GP and GP practice in MyMedicare, where they do not currently have one. To learn more, go to GP Aged Care Connect – Murray PHN

If your general practice has capacity to take on new patients in residential aged care homes, please contact our GP Aged Care Connect service by:
- Calling 03 5448 0300
- or emailing gpagedcareconnect@murrayphn.org.au

Issue	Contact
MyMedicare or GP ACI Registration	Visit Services Australia website or for information on processes for health professionals call 132 150 and select option 2. You can also email mymedicare@health.gov.au or contact the Australian Association of Practice Management (AAPM) via: nationaloffice@aapm.org.au
Additional support for practices and GPs	Contact our team via gpsupport@murrayphn.org.au

1 July to 30 September	1 January to 31 March
1 October to 31 December	1 April to 30 June

1 July to 30 June	1 January to 31 December
1 October to 30 September	1 April to 31 March

MMM region	Loading	Payment to the GP	Payment to the practice
1-2	0	$300	$130
3	20%	$360	$156
4	30%	$390	$169
5	30%	$390	$169
6	50%	$450	$195
7	50%	$450	$195