Medicare Benefits Schedule - Note GN.2.4

To be eligible to provide medical service which will attract Medicare benefits, or to provide services for or on behalf of another practitioner, practitioners must meet one of the following criteria:

(a) be a recognised specialist, consultant physician or general practitioner; or

(b) be in an approved placement under section 3GA of the Health Insurance Act 1973; or

(c) be a temporary resident doctor with an exemption under section 19AB of the Health Insurance Act 1973, and working in accord with that exemption. 

Any practitioner who does not satisfy the requirements outlined above may still practice medicine but their services will not be eligible for Medicare benefits. 

NOTE: New Zealand citizens entering Australia do so under a special temporary entry visa and are regarded as temporary resident doctors. 

NOTE:  It is an offence under Section 19CC of the Health Insurance Act 1973 to provide a service without first informing a patient where a Medicare benefit is not payable for that service (i.e. the service is not listed in the MBS). 

Non-medical practitioners

To be eligible to provide services which will attract Medicare benefits under MBS items 10950-10977 and MBS items 80000-88000 and 82100-82140 and 82200-82215, allied health professionals, dentists, and dental specialists, participating midwives and participating nurse practitioners must be

(a) registered according to State or Territory law or, absent such law, be members of a professional association with uniform national registration requirements; and

(b) registered with the Department of Human Services to provide these services. 

• Previous - Note GN.1.3
• Next - Note GN.2.5