GP Visits in Residential Aged Care (RACF): The Consent Guide
The Unique Challenges of RACF Consent
Conducting GP rounds in a Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF) is already a complex task. With the 1 July 2026 changes, the administrative load increases significantly. Every bedside consult, medication review, or multidisciplinary care plan must have a signed Assignment of Benefit. Furthermore, RACFs have strict rules regarding who can sign and which MBS items can be claimed.
Excluding Facility Staff: The Assignor Rule
A critical rule often overlooked is that RACF staff, facility managers, and coordinators cannot sign Medicare consent forms on behalf of residents. Medicare guidelines explicitly exclude anyone employed by the facility, or associated with the medical practice, from acting as the assignor. Consent must be signed by:
- The resident themselves (if they have cognitive capacity).
- An eligible representative (e.g., family member, enduring power of attorney, or public guardian).
MBS Exclusions in Aged Care
When billing in a RACF, certain items are strictly prohibited. For example, GPs cannot claim Item 721 (GP Management Plan) or Item 723 (Team Care Arrangement) for residents in residential aged care. These are replaced by specific aged care case conference and care planning items. GPConsent's built-in MBS validation engine automatically blocks these items for RACF settings, preventing compliance slip-ups before claims are submitted.
Pro Tip for Ward Rounds: Use GPConsent's "Rounds" feature to set up your patient list in advance, select the appropriate aged-care MBS items, and send a unified signing link to the facility. The nurse or coordinator can assist residents to sign on a tablet at the bedside, or route the links to representatives for remote signing.