AMA Pushes for Medicare Changes, Workforce Action and Safer Prescribing Reforms
18 Jun 2026
A key win for the AMA was securing changes to the upcoming AoB reforms. Following advocacy with the Federal Government, a 12-month transition period will be introduced, allowing verbal assignment of benefit for bulk-billed patients to continue while practices adapt to the new system. The Government has also agreed to bring forward enduring assignment of benefit arrangements for eligible patients from 1 July 2026.
The AMA also joined other health organisations in urging health ministers and regulators to reconsider proposed pharmacy prescribing changes. The group argued that the current proposals go beyond the available evidence and may not adequately address the complexity of patient care.
Workforce planning remained another major focus. The AMA pointed to findings from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s Whole of Medical Workforce Compendium report, which forecasts significant shortages of specialist doctors and registrars in the years ahead. The organisation is continuing to call for an independent health workforce planning agency to help guide future workforce decisions.
The AMA’s Public Health Committee also discussed growing concerns about antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which is linked to more than 5,000 deaths and around $700 million in annual costs across Australia. The committee called for stronger efforts to improve antibiotic stewardship and support access to new antibiotics.
The update also highlighted ongoing discussions around primary care reform, with the AMA continuing to advocate for better funding of general practice to support preventive, multidisciplinary and comprehensive patient care.
AMA Pushes for Medicare Changes, Workforce Action and Safer Prescribing Reforms
Source: Australian Medical Association (AMA)