Medicare provider number legislation
Section 19AB of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (the Act)
Section 19AB of the Act applies to overseas trained doctors (OTDs) and foreign graduates of accredited medical schools (FGAMS) who gained their first medical registration or became permanent Australian residents or citizens on or after 1 January 1997. Section 19AB restricts their access to Medicare provider numbers and requires them to work in a district of workforce shortage (DWS) for their medical specialty in order to access Medicare benefits arrangements.
These restrictions apply for a minimum period of 10 years (referred to as the 10 year moratorium requirement) from the date of their first Australian medical registration.
District of Workforce Shortage factsheet
Map locator (shows current DWS areas for GPs)
OTDs or FGAMS with permanent resident or Australian citizen status are also subject to the requirements of section 19AA of the Act. If your residency status changes you must notify DHS as soon as possible, as this will affect your access to the Medicare benefits arrangements.
Section 19AB factsheet
Section 19AA fact sheet
These restrictions apply for a minimum period of 10 years (referred to as the 10 year moratorium requirement) from the date of their first Australian medical registration.
What is a district of workforce shortage (DWS)?
A DWS is an area where the general population’s need for medical services is deemed to be unmet. An area is a DWS if it has less access to medical services than the national average.District of Workforce Shortage factsheet
Map locator (shows current DWS areas for GPs)
Section 19AB(3) Exemptions
OTDs may obtain an exemption under section 19AB of the Act if they choose to practise within a DWS for their specialty. If an OTD holds a valid section 19AB exemption for a particular location, they are able to access the Medicare benefits arrangements for the professional services they provide at that location.OTDs or FGAMS with permanent resident or Australian citizen status are also subject to the requirements of section 19AA of the Act. If your residency status changes you must notify DHS as soon as possible, as this will affect your access to the Medicare benefits arrangements.
Section 19AB factsheet
Section 19AA fact sheet
Class section 19AB(3) exemptions
The Department of Health and the Department of Human Services have introduced several 19AB class exemptions. These class exemptions cover groups of doctors, allowing them to be granted Medicare provider numbers more quickly.The attached sheet provides an explanation of these class exemptions and identifies each class that has been made under 19AB.
Health and DHS are exploring opportunities for additional class exemptions. The fact sheet will be updated as new class exemptions are introduced.
Section 19AA of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (the Act)
Section 19AA of the Act was introduced to recognise and support general practice as a vocational speciality, as well as to provide a framework for achieving long term improvements in the quality of doctors working in Australia. As section 19AA of the Act is a quality assurance measure there is no exemption from the requirement to obtain vocational recognition to be eligible to access the Medicare benefits arrangements.
Section 19AA of the Act places a requirement on all doctors who were registered in Australia after 1 November 1996 and are permanent residents or Australian citizens to obtain (or be working towards obtaining) vocational recognition as a GP, specialist or consultant physician in order to access Medicare rebates. A doctor is considered to be vocationally recognised once they have obtained a Fellowship qualification that is recognised in Australia. Doctors who are subject to section 19AA of the Act may otherwise obtain Medicare access if they are working towards obtaining a Fellowship qualification on one of the approved workforce or training programs that are included in Schedule 5, Part 2 of the Health Insurance Regulations 1975 (the Regulations), also known as a section 3GA program.
Section 19AA of the Act places a requirement on all doctors who were registered in Australia after 1 November 1996 and are permanent residents or Australian citizens to obtain (or be working towards obtaining) vocational recognition as a GP, specialist or consultant physician in order to access Medicare rebates. A doctor is considered to be vocationally recognised once they have obtained a Fellowship qualification that is recognised in Australia. Doctors who are subject to section 19AA of the Act may otherwise obtain Medicare access if they are working towards obtaining a Fellowship qualification on one of the approved workforce or training programs that are included in Schedule 5, Part 2 of the Health Insurance Regulations 1975 (the Regulations), also known as a section 3GA program.
Section 3GA programs
Section 3GA of the Act allows medical practitioners undertaking placements on approved workforce or training programs to provide professional services that attract Medicare benefits.
Several of these programs have been established to assist doctors in obtaining vocational recognition as a GP; the key programs being the Australian General Practice Training Program (AGPTP), the Rural Locum Relief Program (RLRP) and the Approved Medical Deputising Service (AMDS) Program.
Section 19AA fact sheet
Several of these programs have been established to assist doctors in obtaining vocational recognition as a GP; the key programs being the Australian General Practice Training Program (AGPTP), the Rural Locum Relief Program (RLRP) and the Approved Medical Deputising Service (AMDS) Program.
Section 19AA fact sheet
The Registrar Fact Sheet explains the Medicare provider number application process for GP Registrars who are participating on the AGPT Program.
Scaling
For OTDs and FGAMS, scaling is a non-cash incentive which can reduce individual practitioners’ 10 year moratorium restriction period.
Time reductions apply to doctors who choose to live and work in regional and remote areas, and are scaled as per the Australian Standard Geographical Classification – Remoteness Area (ASGC-RA) table below:
Further information regarding scaling is available at the related links below.
Map locator
Scaling Fact Sheet
The Australian Department of Health collects personal information about you for the purposes of determining eligibility for and administering exemptions under section 19AB of the Health Insurance Act 1973. The Department of Health can be contacted by telephone on (02) 6289 1555 or freecall 1800 020 103 or by using the online enquiries form at www.health.gov.au.
If you do not provide some of the personal information requested, the Department may not be able to determine your eligibility for an exemption.
The Department is unlikely to disclose your personal information to overseas recipients.
Time reductions apply to doctors who choose to live and work in regional and remote areas, and are scaled as per the Australian Standard Geographical Classification – Remoteness Area (ASGC-RA) table below:
ASGC-RA (2006) Classification | ASGC-RA (2006) 1 Major Cities | ASGC-RA (2006) 2 Inner Regional | ASGC-RA (2006) 3 Outer Regional | ASGC-RA (2006) 4 Remote | ASGC-RA (2006) 5 Very Remote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Period of restriction | 10 years | 9 years | 7 years | 6 years | 5 years |
Further information regarding scaling is available at the related links below.
Related links
Scaling informationMap locator
Scaling Fact Sheet
Privacy and your personal information
Australian Privacy Principle 5 NotificationThe Australian Department of Health collects personal information about you for the purposes of determining eligibility for and administering exemptions under section 19AB of the Health Insurance Act 1973. The Department of Health can be contacted by telephone on (02) 6289 1555 or freecall 1800 020 103 or by using the online enquiries form at www.health.gov.au.
If you do not provide some of the personal information requested, the Department may not be able to determine your eligibility for an exemption.
The Department will disclose information to the Department of Human Services (DHS) - Medicare to enable Medicare benefits to be available for your services if you are determined to be eligible.
The Department has an APP privacy policy which you can read at http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/privacy-policy. You can obtain a copy of the APP privacy policy by contacting the Department using the contact details set out above. The APP privacy policy contains information about:
- how you may access the personal information the Department holds about you and how you can seek correction of it; and
- how you may complain about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles
The Department is unlikely to disclose your personal information to overseas recipients.