This bill did not become law and is no longer proceeding.
Health, care & disability
Bulk-billed MedicareAustralia's public health insurance scheme, which pays for many doctor, hospital and other health services mentioned in this bill. and child dental claims would usually have to be lodged within 1 year instead of 2 years, while late claims could still be accepted in special cases.
The Philip ReviewThe independent review that found gaps in Medicare integrity and is the main policy basis for this bill's compliance changes. exposed fragmented MedicareAustralia's public health insurance scheme, which pays for many doctor, hospital and other health services mentioned in this bill. investigative powers and a two-year claiming window that left more room for incorrect and fraudulent health claims. This bill tightens claim deadlines, expands and standardises fraud investigators' powers, and streamlines pharmacy and medicine approval processes.
MedicareAustralia's public health insurance scheme, which pays for many doctor, hospital and other health services mentioned in this bill., the PBSThe subsidy program that helps people afford prescription medicines and is one of the schemes this bill's fraud and compliance powers cover. and the child dental scheme were already handling tens of billions of dollars in claims, but the Philip ReviewThe independent review that found gaps in Medicare integrity and is the main policy basis for this bill's compliance changes. found their fraud-investigation powers were fragmented and that the two-year bulk-billing claiming window left more room for incorrect or fraudulent claims, while medicine shortages also exposed limits in how quickly substitutes could be approved. The government first introduced a response bill in November 2024, it lapsed when Parliament ended in July 2025, and it was reintroduced in August 2025 to tighten claim deadlines, standardise integrity powers and speed pharmacy and therapeutic goods decisions.
The main criticism was that the bill mostly makes technical integrity and supply measures without fixing bigger health-system problems, especially the deeper causes of medicine shortages and weak transparency about supply risks. That concern was raised most clearly by independent MP Monique Ryan, while the Coalition backed the bill but said it should still be scrutinised to avoid unintended problems for healthcare professionals.
Hon Ged Kearney MP introduced this bill. Speeches supporting it came from Labor, , Liberal Party, Nationals.
Did it become law?
No
The bill did not complete passage through Parliament.
Final passage
Did not pass
2 recorded votes before the bill stopped proceeding
Time before failure
235 days
From introduction to the final recorded step before the bill stopped proceeding
Meaning
Bulk-billed MedicareAustralia's public health insurance scheme, which pays for many doctor, hospital and other health services mentioned in this bill. and child dental claims would usually have to be lodged within 1 year instead of 2 years, while late claims could still be accepted in special cases.
MedicareAustralia's public health insurance scheme, which pays for many doctor, hospital and other health services mentioned in this bill. and Pharmaceutical Benefits SchemeThe subsidy program that helps people afford prescription medicines and is one of the schemes this bill's fraud and compliance powers cover. investigators would get stronger and more consistent powers to pursue suspected fraud, including serious Criminal CodeThe federal criminal law the bill relies on for serious fraud offences such as identity fraud, forgery and money laundering. offences such as identity fraud, forgery and money laundering.
Pharmacists seeking ministerial approval for a new or relocated pharmacy would face a faster single decision process, and repeat requests for the same site could be blocked for 12 months after a refusal.
The federal government would be able to approve substitute medicines, biological products and medical devices before a shortage fully hits, helping Australia respond earlier to supply problems.
State and territory officers would be able to demand information and documents when investigating possible breaches of therapeutic goods law, giving vaping and medicines enforcement a stronger on-the-ground reach.
This will improve payment integrity and reduce the number of incorrect and fraudulently made claims. The Minister (for Medicare claims) and the Chief Executive Medicare (for dental claims) will continue to have discretion to allow claims to be made after 1 year. This is likely to have minimal impact on patients and practitioners as most claims are already made within 1 year.Health Legislation Amendment (Improved Medicare Integrity and Other Measures) explanatory memorandum
The Bill amends the definition of ‘relevant offence’ in the Human Services Medicare Act to enable a single, consistent suite of investigative powers in relation to Medicare fraud offences. The amended definition incorporates a greater number of criminal offences – including additional offences in the Criminal Code such as money laundering, forgery and identity fraud offences, all of which are relevant to Medicare fraud.Health Legislation Amendment (Improved Medicare Integrity and Other Measures) explanatory memorandum
These amendments reduce the timeframe in which the Minister may exercise this power by replacing the current two stage process (which can take up to three months for each stage), with a single stage process of up to four months. This will reduce the significant administrative burden on staff resources and provide the community with more timely access to pharmaceutical benefits in circumstances where the Minister approves a request to exercise the discretionary power.Health Legislation Amendment (Improved Medicare Integrity and Other Measures) explanatory memorandum
This measure expands an existing mechanism in the Therapeutic Goods Act to help deal with critical shortages of medicines, biologicals and medical devices that are approved for supply in Australia, by allowing the secretary of the department to approve the importation or supply of substitutable unapproved products from overseas if the Secretary is satisfied that the approved medicine, biological or medical device may, in the reasonably foreseeable future, become unavailable or be in short supply.Minister's second reading speech
enabling certain state and territory officers to issue notices requiring persons to give specified information, or to produce specified documents, that are relevant to a contravention or possible contravention of the Therapeutic Goods Act;Health Legislation Amendment (Improved Medicare Integrity and Other Measures) explanatory memorandum
Context
MedicareAustralia's public health insurance scheme, which pays for many doctor, hospital and other health services mentioned in this bill., the PBSThe subsidy program that helps people afford prescription medicines and is one of the schemes this bill's fraud and compliance powers cover. and the child dental scheme were already handling tens of billions of dollars in claims, but the Philip ReviewThe independent review that found gaps in Medicare integrity and is the main policy basis for this bill's compliance changes. found their fraud-investigation powers were fragmented and that the two-year bulk-billing claiming window left more room for incorrect or fraudulent claims, while medicine shortages also exposed limits in how quickly substitutes could be approved. The government first introduced a response bill in November 2024, it lapsed when Parliament ended in July 2025, and it was reintroduced in August 2025 to tighten claim deadlines, standardise integrity powers and speed pharmacy and therapeutic goods decisions.
Government commissions the Philip ReviewThe independent review that found gaps in Medicare integrity and is the main policy basis for this bill's compliance changes. into MedicareAustralia's public health insurance scheme, which pays for many doctor, hospital and other health services mentioned in this bill. integrity
The review was commissioned in response to concerns about MedicareAustralia's public health insurance scheme, which pays for many doctor, hospital and other health services mentioned in this bill. compliance and later became the main policy source for stronger fraud and investigation powers.
Hansard ↗Health benefit payments reach at least $65.1 billion
The scale of MedicareAustralia's public health insurance scheme, which pays for many doctor, hospital and other health services mentioned in this bill., pharmaceutical and related payments sharpened the case for closing compliance gaps and protecting public money.
Hansard ↗Government introduces the first MedicareAustralia's public health insurance scheme, which pays for many doctor, hospital and other health services mentioned in this bill. integrity bill
The bill was presented as part of the response to the Philip ReviewThe independent review that found gaps in Medicare integrity and is the main policy basis for this bill's compliance changes. and included tighter claims rules, stronger investigative powers and therapeutic goods changes.
Hansard ↗House passes the bill with government amendments
The House agreed to the bill at third reading after considering amendments, sending the package on in Parliament.
Parliamentary timeline ↗The bill lapses at the end of Parliament
The package did not complete the Senate before Parliament ended, so the government had to start the process again in the new term.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Government reintroduces the bill in the new Parliament
Ministers said the reintroduced bill would continue the unfinished Philip ReviewThe independent review that found gaps in Medicare integrity and is the main policy basis for this bill's compliance changes. response and strengthen MedicareAustralia's public health insurance scheme, which pays for many doctor, hospital and other health services mentioned in this bill. integrity, therapeutic goods enforcement and related health administration.
Hansard ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.
Consideration in detail debate
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
Considered by scrutiny committee (05/02/2025): Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills; Scrutiny Digest 2 of 2025
Considered by scrutiny committee
APH bill page notesReferred to Committee (06/02/2025): Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee; Committee report (03/04/2025)
Referred to committee
APH bill page notesThe bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Key criticism
The main criticism was that the bill mostly makes technical integrity and supply measures without fixing bigger health-system problems, especially the deeper causes of medicine shortages and weak transparency about supply risks. That concern was raised most clearly by independent MP Monique Ryan, while the Coalition backed the bill but said it should still be scrutinised to avoid unintended problems for healthcare professionals.
No party represented in the debate opposed the bill, but some support was clearly conditional.
Too limited on medicine shortages
Critics said the shortage provisions were only a small step because they let government act earlier on substitute products but do not tackle the broader causes of shortages, such as fragile supply chains, limited transparency, stockpiling and domestic manufacturing capacity.
Risk of unintended effects on practitioners
Coalition speakers said the bill's stronger compliance and investigative framework should be examined carefully so it does not create unintended administrative or professional harm for doctors and other health practitioners while pursuing MedicareAustralia's public health insurance scheme, which pays for many doctor, hospital and other health services mentioned in this bill. integrity.
Further sources
Votes
Amendments grouped by chamber. Where APH reports aggregate counts, the package card summarizes the matching public amendment sheets by source theme.
House
Defeated 9 to 52. Support came from Greens. Opposition came from Labor, Nationals, and Centre Alliance. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
It was defeated 9-52, so the House did not adopt the call to expand MedicareAustralia's public health insurance scheme, which pays for many doctor, hospital and other health services mentioned in this bill. to dental care.
Defeated 46 to 74. Support came from Liberal Party and Nationals. Opposition came from Labor and Centre Alliance. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
It was defeated 46-74, and the bill then passed its second-reading stage in the House.
Government amendments would change the bill text by adding new commencement rules and a power for Chief Executive Medicare to require people to give relevant material by notice.
Passed on the voices
The chamber agreed to this amendment package without a counted vote. APH records the agreed count by amendment, while the source documents are grouped into amendment sheets.
These are amendment votes, not the final passage vote on the bill itself.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Ms Kearney supports the bill and says it will strengthen MedicareAustralia's public health insurance scheme, which pays for many doctor, hospital and other health services mentioned in this bill., improve compliance and investigative powers, and streamline pharmacy approvals.
Read in Hansard ↗Webster says the coalition supports strengthening the administration of MedicareAustralia's public health insurance scheme, which pays for many doctor, hospital and other health services mentioned in this bill. and other health benefits schemes, but wants the bill examined by a Senate inquiry to make sure it does not create unintended harm for health professionals.
Read in Hansard ↗Ryan says the bill only makes a limited improvement to managing medicine shortages and does not address the deeper supply-chain and transparency problems, so she wants much more government action on stockpiles, reporting, domestic manufacturing and access.
Read in Hansard ↗Ware uses the bill to attack Labor's MedicareAustralia's public health insurance scheme, which pays for many doctor, hospital and other health services mentioned in this bill. and women's health record, saying bulk-billing, access to clinics and GP availability have all worsened in her electorate.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
3 speakers · 3 support
“It's also important to note that what this is about is strengthening the integrity of Medicare and making sure that wherever you are, you will get access to doctors. You will get access to healthcare professionals. It's so important that this bill passes the House in a hasty manner.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The Philip review made a couple of recommendations in terms of making sure that we have more integrity in the Medicare system, and I commend this legislation to the House.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“This bill will support the integrity and sustainability of Medicare by addressing a range of issues to enable the department to conduct more efficient, timely and effective compliance activities. The bill will improve payment integrity by reducing the time for making bulk-billed claims. The bill will allow investigative powers to be used consistently and effectively across all health schemes, including Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and will improve the processes relating to pharmacy approvals. The bill also makes several sensible amendments to the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 to enhance the Department of Health and Aged Care's capacity to manage and alleviate the consequences of therapeutic goods shortages and support compliance and enforcement activities undertaken in relation to unlawful therapeutic goods and unlawful vaping goods. These amendments are consistent with this government's unwavering commitment to public health and mitigate the public health risks associated with therapeutic goods and vaping goods by supporting strong and effective regulation under the Therapeutic Goods Act.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
3 speakers · 2 support · 1 unclear
“Given the widespread implications of this bill, the coalition is seeking further scrutiny of its effect and implications through a Senate inquiry. While we support measures to strengthen the effective administration of Australia's important health benefits schemes, including the Medicare Benefits Schedule, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and the Child Dental Benefits Schedule, we want to make sure that there are no unidentified negative consequences created by this bill for Australia's healthcare professionals.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“This entire legislation is essentially an omnibus of health measures following legislative changes in the course of this parliament. The provisions relate to the effective administration of health benefit schemes—in particular, the power to detect, respond to, investigate, disclose and deter misconduct, fraud and noncompliance. It is intended that this bill will amend a number of acts, including the Health Insurance Act, the National Health Act, the Human Services (Medicare) Act, the Dental Benefits Act, the Therapeutic Goods Act and the Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Act.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Given the widespread implications of this bill, the coalition will seek further scrutiny of its effect and implications through a Senate inquiry. While we support measures to strengthen the effective administration of Australia's important health benefits schemes, we want to ensure there are no unintended negative consequences created by this bill for Australia's hardworking healthcare professionals.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
1 speaker · 1 support
“"House, whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading:”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
1 speaker · 1 mixed
“The legislation in front of the House addresses one part of one aspect of an issue, but it doesn't get to the underlying problem, which is the persisting deficits in the supply chain for many medications in this country; the lack of transparency around those shortages for consumers, doctors and pharmacists; and the inconvenience, the expense and the harm which result from those shortages.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
1 speaker · 1 support
“The measures in this bill will further the government's efforts to strengthen Medicare and will assist in the implementation of our world-leading tobacco and vaping reforms.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Second reading agreed to
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
House · Consideration in detail: amendments considered
Amendment packages agreed
The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.
House · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Senate · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Senate · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Senate · Lapsed at end of Parliament
Lapsed at end of Parliament
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills
Considered by scrutiny committee
Considered by scrutiny committee (5 Feb 2025): Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills; Scrutiny Digest 2 of 2025
APH bill page notesSenate Community Affairs Legislation Committee; Committee report (03/04/2025)
Referred to committee
Referred to Committee (6 Feb 2025): Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee; Committee report (3 Apr 2025)
APH bill page notes
