About Medicare Urgent Care Clinics

Medicare Urgent Care Clinics (UCCs) are bulk billed, open extended business hours, and you don’t need an appointment or referral.

About the clinics

Medicare UCCs are staffed by highly trained medical professionals and provide free (bulk billed) urgent health care.

Medicare UCCs provide culturally safe, equitable and accessible care to all people, including vulnerable and young people. Being a bulk billed service, Medicare UCCs offer another option for patients who may not be able to afford urgent care.

You do not need an appointment or referral. You can walk in and wait to be seen. They are open for extended hours.

Medicare UCCs will be established in existing GP clinics, community health centres and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services across Australia by the end of 2023.

Why they are important

Medicare UCCs help reduce pressure on our hospitals and emergency departments, allowing them to focus on higher urgency and life-threatening conditions. Medicare UCCs complement existing state run emergency diversion initiatives.

Who we work with

In the 2023-24 May Budget, the Australian Government announced $358.5 million over five years from 2022-23 to establish 58 Medicare UCCs. This builds on the 2022-23 October Budget measure.

We are working in partnership with state and territory governments, Primary Health Networks, and the health sector to ensure Medicare UCCs:

  • are integrated with other local health services
  • meet the needs of local communities.

All Medicare Urgent Care Clinics will be established by the end of 2023.

Privacy

Find out how we manage the personal information collected about you when you visit a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic.

Contact

If you have questions about the Medicare UCC program, contact the Medicare UCC team through our online enquiry form.

If you are a practice manager or health professional and have questions about provider numbers or connecting your UCC with Medicare, visit the Services Australia website.

Date last updated:

Help us improve health.gov.au

If you would like a response please use the enquiries form instead.