FAQ for General Practices: Medicare Assignment of Benefit (AoB) Changes from 1 July 2026

Introduction 
The Assignment of Benefit (AoB) requirements changed on 1 July 2026.  

While the Australian Government has introduced temporary measures to ease implementation, practices must still meet documentation and record-keeping requirements. 

What is an Assignment of Benefit (AoB)? 
An Assignment of Benefit is the process by which a patient authorises Medicare to pay their Medicare benefit directly to the provider when they are bulk billed. 

Key Changes Effective 1 July 2026 

12-Month Transition Period - the Australian Government has introduced a 12-month transition period to support implementation.   

Verbal Consent Restored Temporarily from 1 July 2026 to approximately 30 June 2027, verbal consent can be used for AoB across all bulk-billed services and settings, including: 

• Face-to-face consultations 
• Telehealth 
• Home visits 

Introduction of Enduring AoB  

Allowing certain eligible patients to make a one-time agreement that covers future bulk-billed GP services, rather than having to provide consent for every individual service 

The new Enduring AoB model commenced on 1 July 2026 for: 

• MyMedicare-registered patients 
• Residential aged care residents 
• Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO) and 
• Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) patients 

Can patients provide verbal consent? 
Yes. During the transition period, verbal consent is valid for face-to-face, telehealth, home visits and aged care services. 

Does verbal consent remove documentation requirements? 
No. Practices must still create and retain AoB records for two years. 

Documentation Requirements Remain Regardless of whether consent is obtained verbally, electronically or on paper, practices remain responsible for: 

• Recording the required AoB information 
• Retaining records for two years 
• Ensuring processes are compliant with Medicare requirements 

What information must be recorded? 
The 7-point dataset:  

• Patient name 
• Date consent obtained  
• Assignment type (how the patient provided consent to assign their Medicare benefit to the practice) 
• Assignor indicator (identifies whether the Medicare benefit was assigned by the patient themselves or by another authorised person acting on the patient's behalf) 
• Practitioner details 
• Date of service  
• Basic service description. 

Continued Focus on Digital Solutions  

Despite the temporary verbal consent arrangements, practices are encouraged to continue implementing digital consent pathways. This includes pre-consent and post-consent workflows through systems such as HotDoc, which can improve compliance, reduce administrative burden, and support audit requirements. 

Key Messages 

✅ Verbal consent is allowed temporarily. 

✅ Documentation remains mandatory. 

✅ Records must be retained for two years. 

✅ Enduring AoB is available for eligible patient groups. 

✅ Practices should continue investing in digital consent workflows. 

✅ The transition period should be used to prepare for the likely return to mandatory written/electronic consent requirements after June 2027 

Practical Steps to Prepare 
✅Educate staff 
✅ Review forms 
✅Confirm PMS readiness 
✅Review billing workflows 
✅Establish record retention processes 

Support 

Should you require any support, please contact your Contracts and Capacity Building Coordinator or email practicesupport@adelaidephn.com.au we will be happy to assist you.