From 1 July 2026, new requirements will apply to the way healthcare providers obtain and record Assignment of Benefit (AoB) agreements for Medicare bulk-billed services.
Assignment of Benefit is the process by which a patient agrees to assign their Medicare benefit directly to the practitioner when a service is bulk billed. Under the updated arrangements, a verbal agreement alone will no longer be sufficient. Patients (or their authorised representative) will need to take an action to indicate their acceptance before a Medicare claim is submitted. The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has described these changes as part of the modernisation of Medicare claiming processes.
For chiropractors, the impact of these changes will depend on whether their practice bulk bills Medicare services. Practitioners who do not bulk bill Medicare services are unlikely to be affected. Those who bulk bill eligible services should familiarise themselves with the new requirements and review their current claiming processes to ensure they remain compliant from 1 July 2026.
For ACA members
ACA members received direct communication about the changes via email on Tuesday, 16 June. Additionally, members can access detailed implementation information, profession-specific FAQs, software considerations and practical compliance information through the member section of the ACA website.
Other Information Sources for Medicare Changes
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and Services Australia have published a range of information to support healthcare providers, including frequently asked questions, guidance on Assignment of Benefit requirements, and information on electronic and simplified billing arrangements. Practitioners should also contact their practice management software provider, Medicare claiming provider, or terminal provider for information specific to their systems and workflows.
Practitioners can access additional information from:
- The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s Assignment of Benefit resources and FAQs.
- Services Australia guidance on Medicare Assignment of Benefit requirements.
- Medicare claiming providers such as HICAPS and Tyro Health.
- Their clinical software provider provides information on software-specific processes and updates.