What is 1800MEDICARE and when should I use it?
1800MEDICARE (1800 633 422) is Australia's federally-funded health helpline, launched on 1 January 2026 as the new national name for the service previously known as healthdirect. Registered nurses provide free advice 24 hours a day, by phone, app, or web. For urgent issues outside business hours (6pm to 8am weeknights and all weekend), the nurse can transfer you to a free after-hours GP. No Medicare card is required.
Use 1800MEDICARE when you are unsure whether your symptoms need a doctor, want a free GP after hours without booking, or do not have a regular GP. For situations where you want to book a specific time, see a daytime GP, or skip the nurse triage step, a privately bookable telehealth GP — bulk billed for eligible Medicare cardholders via NewDoc — is the alternative pathway.
- Phone: 1800 633 422
- Free, 24/7 nurse advice
- After-hours GPs: 6pm–8am + weekends
- No Medicare card required
- Replaces healthdirect (1800 022 222)
What 1800MEDICARE is
1800MEDICARE is the federally-funded national health helpline, launched on 1 January 2026. The nurse advice line operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is free to anyone in Australia — no Medicare card is required. The same service is available by phone on 1800 633 422, through the 1800MEDICARE app, and via healthdirect.gov.au.
1800MEDICARE is the new national name for the federally-funded service previously known as healthdirect (1800 022 222), with an expanded after-hours GP component. Victoria's NURSE-ON-CALL (1300 60 60 24) is the same service under a state-specific brand.
How the call works
Calls are answered by a registered nurse. The nurse takes a structured history — symptoms, duration, relevant medical context, and red-flag features — and recommends the most appropriate next step. Outcomes include:
- Self-care advice — practical guidance you can apply at home, with safety-net instructions for when to seek further help
- Free after-hours GP — for urgent issues outside business hours, the nurse transfers you directly to a federally-funded telehealth GP (see below)
- Urgent care clinic — referral to a Medicare urgent care clinic for hands-on assessment when telehealth is not appropriate
- Emergency department — recommendation to attend an emergency department, or a direct call to 000 if the nurse identifies a time-critical concern
When 1800MEDICARE provides a free GP
The after-hours GP component is available from 6pm to 8am on weeknights and continuously across all weekend hours. During those windows, if the nurse triage determines you need a doctor, you are transferred directly to a federally-funded telehealth GP, by video or phone, conducted from your home. The consultation is free; there is no out-of-pocket cost and no separate Medicare claim.
Within their scope, the after-hours GPs can issue eScripts and treat non-emergency illnesses or injuries. The GP service is staffed by salaried doctors contracted through providers including Aspen Medical and Amplar Health (Medibank); they are not billing Medicare per consultation, which is why no co-payment applies and there is no MBS rebate to claim.
During business hours (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm), the 1800MEDICARE nurse line still operates, but there is no equivalent free GP transfer. For daytime GP needs, the options are your regular GP, a walk-in clinic, or a privately bookable telehealth GP.
1800MEDICARE vs. a privately bookable telehealth GP
Both options are valid; they suit different situations. The choice depends on whether you want triage advice or a direct GP appointment, what time of day you need help, and whether you want to choose your appointment slot.
1800MEDICARE fits well when:
- You are unsure whether your symptoms need a doctor at all
- You do not have a Medicare card (the service is free to anyone)
- You need free after-hours GP care and do not need to choose a specific time
- You want guidance from a registered nurse before deciding the level of care
A privately bookable telehealth GP — for example, NewDoc bulk billed telehealth — fits well when:
- You want to book a specific appointment time rather than queue
- You need a GP during business hours, when 1800MEDICARE's free GP service is not running
- You already know what you need — a repeat script, a medical certificate, or a specialist referral — and want to skip the nurse triage step
- You want to book a follow-up with the same GP for continuity, including chronic conditions and mental health care
NewDoc bulk bills eligible Medicare cardholders for telehealth GP consultations across all hours, with eScripts, medical certificates, and referrals included at no extra cost. For patients without Medicare eligibility, a private fee applies (currently $69.95).
When 1800MEDICARE is not the right call
1800MEDICARE is not appropriate for medical emergencies. Call 000 directly for chest pain, severe difficulty breathing, suspected stroke, severe bleeding, severe burns, loss of consciousness, suspected poisoning, or a serious head injury.
For ongoing care — chronic conditions, scheduled mental health follow-ups, regular medication reviews — your regular GP remains the right contact when they are open. 1800MEDICARE is built for moments when you are unsure where to turn or your usual GP is not available.
For mental health support, the dedicated lines remain the right first call: Lifeline (13 11 14) for crisis support, Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636) for general mental health, and Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) for those aged 5 to 25. Your GP can also help via a Mental Health Treatment Plan for ongoing support with Medicare-rebated psychology sessions.
Last reviewed 4 May 2026. Editorial policy