Practice Nurse Incentive Program - January 2012

Medicare Australia and the Commonwealth Government have released the guidelines for the new Practice Nurse Incentive Program (PNIP). This new incentive aims to simplify financing arrangements of the current Practice Incentive Program (PIP) practice nurse incentive and six of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) practice nurse item numbers and redirecting them into a single payment. Under the new payment structure, eligible practices will receive payments of up to:

>> $12,500 per year for an enrolled nurse or Aboriginal Health Worker
>> $25,000 per year for a registered nurse
>> $25,000 per year for an eligible allied health professional (only available to practices in urban areas of
      workforce shortage - check with Medicare)

Payments for this incentive are calculated based on a practice's Standardised Whole Patient Equivalent (SWPE) and contracted hours of the employed nurse / Aboriginal Health Worker / eligible allied health professional.

The program also offers top up payments to ensure practices are in no way disadvantage by the removal of the current practice nurse incentive and six MBS item numbers and a one off $5000 incentive payment to eligible non-accredited practices to become accredited. The program will commence on the 1st January 2012 wth applications for the program open form the 1st of October 2011. For more information on the PNIP including program information, guidelines and to find out what your practice may be eligible for, see the links below:

Summary of Key Information for Practice - Developed by Shire GPs
Comprehensive information on Practice Nurse Incentive Program - Medicare Australia
Program Guidelines - Department of Health & Ageing

If you have any further questions or would like more information, please contact the Practice Support Team on 4220 7600 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it