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Funding and MBS: what's available

A plain-English overview of the funding that can support virtual care.

What this is: an overview of the main funding routes that can support virtual care in aged care.

Who it's for: executives, practice managers, and finance and commercial leads.

Funding for virtual care in aged care comes from a few different places, and they work differently. This is an orientation, not financial advice. Always confirm current details against the official sources linked below, and check eligibility for your specific situation.

MBS Patient End Support (PES) items

From 1 March 2026, 32 new MBS Patient End Support (PES) items were introduced. It's worth understanding exactly what these do, because the scope is specific.

What PES is: funding for a GP, prescribed medical practitioner or nurse practitioner to be physically present with a patient, providing face-to-face support during a video consultation with a private specialist or consultant physician. The primary provider can help with physical assessment, explain advice in plain language, and hand over information with the patient present.

Where it applies: nationally, including in residential aged care facilities. The factsheet gives a direct aged care example, a primary provider supporting a resident from a CALD background through a specialist video consultation, helping them understand the clinical details.

The key conditions:

  • The specialist or consultant physician must also bill a valid MBS video consultation item.
  • It must be a video consultation, not audio only.
  • The support must be a face-to-face professional attendance with the patient.

What PES is not: it isn't general GP telehealth funding, it doesn't apply to audio-only consults, and it isn't a standalone nurse workflow. It funds one specific pattern, a supported specialist video consultation with a clinician at the patient's side. That pattern happens to fit assisted virtual care well, but it's narrower than "funding for telehealth".

The GP in Aged Care Incentive (GPACI)

The GP in Aged Care Incentive supports regular GP attendances and care planning for residents, encouraging continuity of primary care in residential aged care. Virtual care can support the workflows this incentive rewards, for example by making regular GP rounds more efficient and better documented. Rural loadings apply in regional and remote areas (MMM regions), increasing the payment in less-serviced locations.

PHN funding and partnerships

Primary Health Networks (PHNs) are a major route to virtual care funding in aged care. PHNs fund equipment, software licences, training and enablement, often as part of regional programs aimed at improving access and reducing avoidable hospitalisations. Arrangements vary by region, so the local PHN is the place to start for what's available in your area.

Telehealth MBS items more broadly

Beyond PES, a range of MBS telehealth items support video and phone consultations in aged care, with specific rules about eligibility, provider type and location. These change over time, so confirm current items and requirements on MBS Online before relying on them.

Where to confirm the detail

Funding rules change, and eligibility depends on your situation. Always confirm against the source:

Need help?

This is general information, not financial or billing advice. Confirm current items, eligibility and requirements with the official sources before claiming.

Visionflex acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and pays respect to Elders past, present and emerging.