Health Insurance (Medicare Benefits Payable in Respect of Professional Services – Commonwealth Medicare Urgent Care Clinics Program – Victorian State Urgent Care Clinics) Direction (No. 1) 2026

 AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, DISABILITY AND AGEING

HEALTH INSURANCE ACT 1973

Health Insurance (Medicare Benefits Payable in Respect of Professional Services – Commonwealth Medicare Urgent Care Clinics Program – Victorian State Urgent Care Clinics) Direction (No. 1) 2026

I, Nigel Murray, Assistant Secretary, MBS Policy and Specialist Programs Branch, Medicare Benefits and Digital Health Division, Health Resourcing Group, delegate for the Minister for Health and Ageing, acting under subsection 19(2) of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (the Act), hereby:

1.      REPEAL the Health Insurance (Medicare Benefits Payable in Respect of Professional Services – Commonwealth Medicare Urgent Care Clinic Program – Victorian State Urgent Care Clinics) Direction (No. 2) 2025; and
2.      DIRECT that Medicare Benefits shall be payable in respect of:

1.      A professional service (as defined in section 3 of the Act) which has been agreed to be provided:
   1.        between the Commonwealth (represented by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing , ABN: 83 605 426 759) and the State of Victoria (represented by the Victorian Department of Health, ABN: 74 410 330 756) by a Victorian Urgent Care Clinic that has been assessed as meeting the requirements of the Commonwealth Medicare Urgent Care Clinics Program; and
   2.      for which items specified in Schedules A and B of this Direction and of the general medical services table (means the table prescribed under subsection 4(1) of the Act), the diagnostic imaging services table (means the table prescribed under section 4AA of the Act) or the pathology service table (means the table prescribed under section 4A of the Act) relates; and
2.      Where the professional service is provided to:

1.        an eligible person (as defined in section 3 of the Act);
2.      a patient who is not receiving the service as part of an episode of hospital treatment (as defined in section 121-5 of the Private Health Insurance Act 2007); and
3.   a patient who also is not receiving a service which attracts a payment through Schedule L of the 2026-2031 National Health Reform Agreement for a service rendered to a public patient; and

1.      The professional services referred to in paragraph (2)(a) must be provided:
   1.        if the service is specified in Schedule A:
      1.    at a practice location specified in Schedule C or D of this Direction; and
      2.     by a general practitioner, prescribed medical practitioner or participating nurse practitioner who is registered to provide services with Services Australia under the Commonwealth Medicare Urgent Care Clinics Program mentioned in paragraph (2)(a).
   2.      if the service is specified in Schedule B:
   1.    at a practice location specified in Schedule D of this Direction; and
   2.     by a prescribed medical practitioner who is registered to provide services with Services Australia under the Commonwealth Medicare Urgent Care Clinics Program mentioned in paragraph (2)(a).

1.      DECLARE that this Direction commences on 1 July 2026 and ceases to have effect at the end of 30 June 2027 unless earlier revoked.

Note, a number of expressions used in this direction are defined in the below instruments:

• Health Insurance Act 1973: the meaning of general practitioner, participating nurse practitioner and professional service; and
• Health Insurance (General Medical Services Table) Regulations 2021: the meaning of prescribed medical practitioner.

Dated   24 June 2026

Nigel Murray

Assistant Secretary 

MBS Policy and Specialist Programs Branch

Medicare Benefits and Digital Health Division

Health Resourcing Group

Department of Health, Disability and Ageing  

SCHEDULE A

MEDICARE BENEFITS SCHEDULE ITEMS AS AGREED under the COmmonwealth Medicare Urgent care clinics program

For services listed in the below tables, all provisions of the Act and regulations made under the Act, and the National Health Act 1953 and regulations made under the National Health Act 1953, relating to medical services, professional services or items apply.

General Medical Services Table

*Note: Claims under any item in Group A7 in the General Medical Services Table may only be exempt from subsection 19(2) of the Act when the services are claimed by a Prescribed Medical Practitioner operating under the Medicare Urgent Care Clinics Program.

Diagnostic Imaging Services Table

Pathology Services Table

SCHEDULE B

MEDICARE BENEFITS SCHEDULE ITEMS where a clinic is located in MMM 2-7 locations

For services listed in the below tables, all provisions of the Act and regulations made under the Act, and the National Health Act 1953 and regulations made under the National Health Act 1953, relating to medical services, professional services or items apply.

General Medical Services Table

*Note: Claims under any item in Group A7 in the General Medical Services Table may only be exempt from subsection 19(2) of the Act when the services are claimed by a Prescribed Medical Practitioner operating under the Medicare Urgent Care Clinic Program.

SCHEDULE C

Approved MMM 1 PRACTICE LOCATIONS As agreed under the Priority Primary Care Centre agreement between the commonwealth and the STATE OF VICTORIA

Approved primary care locations:

SCHEDULE D

Approved MMM 2-7 PRACTICE LOCATIONS As agreed under the Priority Primary Care Centre agreement between the commonwealth and the STATE OF Victoria

Approved primary care locations: