Topics

Medicare

Medicare is Australia’s universal health insurance scheme. It guarantees all Australians (and some overseas visitors) access to a wide range of health and hospital services at low or no cost. Find out what we’re doing to improve Medicare for all Australians.

About Medicare

What Medicare is, how it works, who’s eligible and who manages it.

What's covered

What Medicare does and doesn’t cover, and other support programs. 

Safety nets

Safety nets provide extra support to people with high medical costs.

Compliance

How we protect our health payment system from incorrect billing.

View all Medicare information

As a health practitioner you must meet certain requirements to bill for Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items under Medicare or prescribe subsidised medicines. Pathology and diagnostic imaging services must also meet accreditation standards to access Medicare.

Information for health practitioners

Health Products Portal

The Health Products Portal helps us work with the medicines and technology sector more efficiently. Industry can make, track, pay for, and manage submissions to list products and services on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) or Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) Schedule.

Learn more about the portal

News

News

Australians benefit from freeze to maximum cost of PBS medicines

The new Understanding Medicare: Provider Handbook is here

Minister for Health and Aged Care, speech – 4 November 2024

Read Minister Butler's speech at the Stronger Medicare Awards.
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Resources

Resources

MBS Review Advisory Committee communique – March 2025

Meeting minutes
This communique is published following each meeting of the MBS Review Advisory Committee (MRAC). It summarises the meeting outcomes, progress on current reviews and advice about upcoming reviews.
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