New Medicare campaign highlights affordable healthcare options across Australia
10 Nov 2026
The campaign aims to make it easier for Australians to find affordable medical care and understand which services are available when they need them.
1800MEDICARE
1800MEDICARE offers free, round-the-clock access to registered nurses for advice on non-emergency health concerns. People can access the service by using its website or app. It offers health advice and helps callers find suitable care.
The service is available across Australia, and callers do not need a Medicare card to use it.
Expanded bulk billing
More general practices are offering bulk-billed appointments following changes to Medicare incentives and the introduction of the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program.
These changes aim to reduce out-of-pocket costs for Medicare-eligible patients. Around 97% of Australians now live within a 20-minute drive of a bulk-billing practice.
Medicare Urgent Care Clinics
Medicare Urgent Care Clinics provide bulk-billed treatment for urgent but non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries.
There are 137 clinics across Australia. They operate seven days a week with extended opening hours, and patients do not need an appointment or referral.
Since the first clinics opened, they have recorded 4 million patient visits. Around four in five Australians now live within a 20-minute drive of a clinic.
The campaign will run nationally across television, social media, digital platforms, print, outdoor advertising and search channels. It will also include tailored materials for First Nations peoples and multicultural communities.
New Medicare campaign highlights affordable healthcare options across Australia
Source: Australian Government Department of Health - Disability and Ageing