Medicare Benefits Schedule Optimisation Program
Unlocking your potential to strengthen community-controlled health services
About the program
The Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Optimisation Program is funded by the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) and delivered by NACCHO to support Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) across Australia.
The program helps ACCHOs strengthen their understanding and use of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). By building staff knowledge and improving internal processes, services can ensure they are accurately claiming for the care they already provide.
Through this program, ACCHOs can unlock their potential to strengthen financial sustainability, support their workforce, and continue delivering high-quality, culturally safe care to their communities.
Why MBS Optimisation matters
MBS Optimisation helps services unlock their potential by strengthening how MBS works within everyday clinical and administrative processes.
This includes strengthening the systems that support everyday clinical and administrative work, such as:
- Clear and consistent clinical documentation
- Effective patient registration and front desk processes
- Accurate MBS billing and claiming practices
- Strong practice management systems
- Staff understanding of eligible services and item numbers
When these systems work well together, services can ensure the care already being delivered is properly captured and supported through MBS funding.
Stronger financial sustainability means ACCHOs can continue investing in workforce, programs and community services.
MBS Optimisation is everyone’s business
It requires a whole-of-service approach, where every role within the organisation contributes to effective MBS processes.
This includes:
- Board members
- Senior leadership and management
- Clinicians and health practitioners
- Practice managers
- Reception and administrative staff
From patient registration to clinical documentation and billing, each step plays a role in ensuring services are supported through MBS.
Together, we can master MBS and strengthen the sector.
In a nutshell
MBS Optimisation supports:
- Workforce confidence
- Strong patient journeys
- Long-term sustainability of community-controlled health services
Contact your local jurisdiction coordinator
Each state and territory has a dedicated Jurisdiction Coordinator who works directly with ACCHOs to provide support.
We help services by:
- sharing updates on MBS policy changes
- answering MBS-related questions
- providing training and information sessions
- supporting improvements in clinic workflows
- connecting services with national resources
Access the MBS Hub
This hub has been developed as a central access point for all ACCHOs to strengthen capability and confidence in the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Optimisation. It brings together structured learning, practical tools, and ongoing education in one place to support consistent, accurate, and sustainable MBS practice across services.
MBS courses
The MBS online learning program provides structured training designed to build both foundational and advanced knowledge of MBS billing, claiming, and Medicare processes in an ACCHO context. The courses are accredited by three CPD providers, supporting ongoing professional development for eligible participants.
Learning Outcomes
ACCHOs Orientation
- ACCHOs Orientation
- Build a foundational knowledge base of ACCHOs in the primary health care sector and their differences from General Practice.
- Develop an in-depth knowledge of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) and its role in advocating for and supporting ACCHOs.
- Understand the distribution and allocation of Medicare and Government health expenditure across different services for First Nations peoples
- Identify the individual roles of health professionals to provide a culturally appropriate service delivery model.
- Recognise the importance of partnerships and collaborations in enhancing the effectiveness and reach of ACCHOs.
- ACCHOs Orientation
- Medicare in ACCHOs
- Build a foundational knowledge base of Medicare and its associated elements, including HPOS & Incentives.
- Identify the suitable Medicare Benefit Schedule item numbers for integration into Aboriginal Holistic Care.
- Provide an explanation of the intended purpose of specific MBS item numbers, outlining the required elements for each.
- Implement a strategic approach to enhance overall MBS billings within the business.
- Practice Incentive Payments in ACCHOs
- Understand and identify the appropriate Practice Incentive Payments for integration into Aboriginal Holistic Care.
- Identify revenue-generating opportunities through billing and associated tasks, implementing direct improvements to enhance the financial viability of your ACCHO.
- Gain proficiency to systematically plan, execute, analyse, and adapt improvements through the PDSA cycle, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
- ACCHOs National Key Performance Indicators
- Build foundational knowledge of the national Key Performance Indicators used to measure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander outcomes.
- Identify the current indicators used to track progress towards achieving the goals of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan Implementation Plan.
- Utilise your understanding of inputting precise data into the designated software sections to guarantee accurate extraction for national reporting purposes.
Medicare in ACCHOs
- Build a foundational knowledge base of Medicare and its associated elements, including HPOS & Incentives.
- Identify the suitable Medicare Benefit Schedule item numbers for integration into Aboriginal Holistic Care.
- Provide an explanation of the intended purpose of specific MBS item numbers, outlining the required elements for each.
- Implement a strategic approach to enhance overall MBS billings within the business.
Practice Incentive Payments in ACCHOs
- Understand and identify the appropriate Practice Incentive Payments for integration into Aboriginal Holistic Care.
- Identify revenue-generating opportunities through billing and associated tasks, implementing direct improvements to enhance the financial viability of your ACCHO.
- Gain proficiency to systematically plan, execute, analyse, and adapt improvements through the PDSA cycle, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
ACCHOs National Key Performance Indicators
- Build foundational knowledge of the national Key Performance Indicators used to measure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander outcomes.
- Identify the current indicators used to track progress towards achieving the goals of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan Implementation Plan.
- Utilise your understanding of inputting precise data into the designated software sections to guarantee accurate extraction for national reporting purposes.
- Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)
- Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM)
- National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Workers in Health Practice (NAATSIWHIP)
ACCHO locations
NACCHO oversees a network of 148 members, each running Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) across urban, regional, and remote Australia. These ACCHOs range from large facilities with multiple healthcare professionals providing comprehensive services to smaller centres focused on preventive care and health education, primarily delivered by Aboriginal Health Workers and nurses.
Contact
For any inquiries or further information about the MBS team, please send them to: mbs@naccho.org.au
