New Year Medicare Changes: Cheaper Medicines, 1800MEDICARE and Mental Health Support
The Albanese Government has introduced a suite of major Medicare changes from 1 January 2026, promising cheaper medicines, free 24/7 health advice through 1800MEDICARE, and a new national mental health support gateway. The reforms are designed to strengthen the Medicare system, reduce pressure on overcrowded emergency departments and make it easier for Australians to get help when and where they need it.
Cheaper medicines for millions of patients
From the start of 2026, general patients pay no more than $25 per PBS script, the lowest level in more than 20 years. The government estimates this more than 20 per cent cut to the PBS co‑payment will save Australians over $200 million a year, on top of earlier reductions that have already delivered more than $1.9 billion in savings since 2023.
Pensioners and concession cardholders continue to pay $7.70 per PBS script, with that price frozen until 2030. These changes build on previous measures, including the shift to 60‑day prescriptions for many chronic conditions, a lower PBS Safety Net threshold for concessional patients and a freeze on PBS co‑payments for all Australians so costs no longer automatically rise with inflation.
1800MEDICARE: free 24/7 health advice and urgent telehealth
The new 1800MEDICARE service gives people anywhere in Australia round‑the‑clock access to registered nurses by phone on 1800 633 422, via a new app, or online at medicare.gov.au/1800. Callers with non‑emergency concerns can speak to a nurse who will listen to their symptoms, assess how urgent the situation is and advise whether to manage at home, see a GP, attend a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, talk to a pharmacist or go to hospital.
Importantly, 1800MEDICARE is free, available nationwide and does not require a Medicare card, which opens the service to people who are not yet enrolled in Medicare or are on temporary visas. The line is also backed by GPs: after hours, between 6 pm and 8 am on weeknights and all weekend, triage nurses can connect patients who need more urgent care to a free GP telehealth consultation by phone or video, including for emergency repeats of regular medications or treatment for minor illness and injury.
In a recent TV interview, Health Minister Mark Butler said tens of thousands of Australians have already used 1800MEDICARE in its first days, and that around two‑thirds of callers who thought they would need to go to hospital ultimately did not need an emergency department visit after receiving advice or telehealth care. The government expects the service could prevent about 250,000 unnecessary hospital emergency presentations every year, including up to 130,000 free urgent GP telehealth consultations annually by the end of the decade.
Medicare Mental Health Check In goes national
Alongside changes to medicines and urgent care, the government has launched Medicare Mental Health Check In as an online, free entry point for people experiencing mild mental health challenges. Run by St Vincent’s Health Australia, the service will initially provide evidence‑based resources to help people understand and manage symptoms, with plans to expand the program from 30 March to include low‑intensity cognitive behavioural therapy delivered by trained professionals via phone or video.
The government expects the Mental Health Check In to support more than 150,000 people each year once fully established. The program is designed to offer early help without the need for a diagnosis or referral, easing some of the stigma and logistical barriers that can stop people seeking support.
What this means for communities across Australia
Together, cheaper PBS scripts, 1800MEDICARE and the Medicare Mental Health Check In reshape how Australians can access care, particularly outside standard business hours and away from hospital emergency departments. For multicultural communities and people in regional and remote areas, a free national phone and digital service backed by nurses and GPs provides a single, trusted gateway into the health system, regardless of a person’s Medicare status.
The government argues that these changes reflect a broader commitment to “looking out for each other” and putting Medicare at the centre of national efforts to relieve cost‑of‑living pressures and improve health access. For viewers and communities, the key numbers to remember are: $25 maximum for general PBS scripts, $7.70 for concession patients, the 1800MEDICARE number (1800 633 422), and the new online mental health check‑in pathway that can be accessed from home.
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