Assignment of Benefits (AoB) Changes – What Practices Need to Know
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has released updated guidance on changes to the Assignment of Medicare Benefits (AoB) process for bulk billing, effective from 1 July 2026. These reforms aim to strengthen Medicare compliance and modernise how patient consent is obtained and recorded.
Key changes for practices
- Consent must be obtained before a claim is submitted but can occur either before or after the service (pre or post assignment).
- An AoB agreement is required for each service or same day encounter (episodic consent), replacing the use of ongoing or blanket consent arrangements.
- There is no mandated form or template; however, agreements must include a prescribed minimum dataset.
- Consent must be provided by the patient or responsible person, be identifiable and auditable, and practices must retain evidence of the agreement.
- If the service provided differs from what was originally agreed, a new AoB agreement may be required.
Important transition update
Following sector feedback, a 12 month transition period will apply from 1 July 2026. During this time:
- Verbal consent will continue to be accepted temporarily
- Compliance activity will focus on education and support
- Practices are encouraged to implement updated processes and digital consent solutions
Looking ahead
An ‘enduring’ Assignment of Benefits model is also being introduced for some patient groups, including MyMedicare-registered patients and aged care residents. This will enable consent to apply across multiple services over time.
