The Workforce Incentive Program (WIP) Doctor Stream replaced the General Practice Rural Incentives Program (GPRIP) in early 2020.
How the Doctor Stream works
The Workforce Incentive Program (WIP) Doctor Stream makes direct payments to doctors who deliver eligible services in eligible locations.
It uses 2 systems to assess and pay these financial incentives:
- Central Payment System (CPS) – for doctors who bill the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) for eligible services.
- Flexible Payment System (FPS) – for doctors who provide eligible services and/or undertake training that is not reflected in the MBS.
Some doctors may provide services under both payment systems.
We base payments on activity levels within eligible locations and how long a doctor has been part of the program.
Eligible doctors
The WIP encourages doctors to work in rural, regional or remote areas that may have difficulty attracting and retaining staff. Locations are determined using the Modified Monash Model (MMM 2019) geographical classification system. You can use the Health Workforce Locator to check the classification of any location in Australia.
To be eligible for the Doctor Stream, you must:
- provide a minimum amount of eligible primary care services in MM 3 to 7 locations, and/or undertake eligible general practice (GP) training under an approved training pathway
- meet the required number of active quarters for payment
- have an eligible current Medicare provider number
- have provided current bank account details to Services Australia specifically for the Doctor Stream.
See the WIP guidelines for full details of eligibility requirements.
Eligible primary care services
Eligible primary care services are clinical services from the following sections of the MBS:
- Category 1: Professional attendances.
- Category 2: Diagnostic procedures and investigations.
- Category 3: Therapeutic procedures.
- Category 7: Cleft lip and cleft palate services.
Telehealth services within these categories are generally included.
Eligible services are based on the doctor’s physical practice location or outreach location, not the patient location.
Incentive payments
You can receive up to $60,000 per year, depending on how long you have been with the program and how many services you provide in eligible locations.
See Doctor Stream incentive payment amounts.
Active quarters
The program calculates payments according to your number of active quarters. Your quarter becomes active if you meet the minimum quarterly activity threshold:
- CPS – $6,000 of eligible primary care services billed under the MBS.
- FPS – 21 sessions, each lasting 3 hours or more.
The maximum quarterly activity thresholds are $30,000 for the CPS and 104 sessions for the FPS.
Resources
Workforce Incentive Program guidelines
