Assignment of Benefit changes – 1 July 2026
From 1 July 2026, changes to Assignment of Benefit (AoB) processes will commence for Medicare bulk billed services.
The federal AMA has been part of multiple meetings with the department about these changes, which will impact on how doctors and practices manage the assignment of benefit from patients.
New arrangements will allow practices to move from largely paper-based arrangements to electronic options and the department has published FAQs and implementation material for both bulk billing and simplified billing to support the transition.
The department has reassured the AMA in recent meetings that it recognises many practices will need time to adjust to the new arrangements. It has emphasised that it will take an educative approach to support practices to comply with AoB requirements as they transition to the new arrangements.
The department acknowledges that for some practices this will be a significant change to transition to and has emphasised that bulk billed claims can continue to be lodged through the normal claiming channels.
The AMA has supported modernisation of AoB requirements, which are a long-standing legal requirement. We have encouraged the department to make the requirements simple, workable, and to avoid unnecessary administrative burden.
The AMA will continue to work with the department and will share further guidance, including practical information for doctors, administrative staff, and patients, as more material becomes available.
