This article covers using PracSuite's AoB features for online bulk bill claims submitted through Tyro Health Online, capturing AoB via PracSuite, via Tyro Online, or a combination of both. If your practice does not Medicare bulk bill, this article does not apply to you.
Both methods are post-assignment only, meaning AoB is captured after the service has been provided, not before.
If you haven't yet decided how your practice will handle the new AoB requirements, or want to understand your options across other billing methods (Tyro EFTPOS, HICAPS Easyclaim, or patient claims instead of bulk billing), start with our Medicare Bulk Billing Assignment of Benefits FAQs article instead.
Importantly, the Department has confirmed a 12-month transition period from 1 July 2026, during which verbal consent continues to be accepted for all bulk billed patients. You are not required to move to signed AoB immediately, and can continue relying on verbal consent while your practice transitions to signed AoB, which is considered best practice at this time and will become mandatory from July 2027.
The features below are available now, and cover both sending methods in detail.
Choosing how you obtain AoB
PracSuite supports collecting AoB directly via PracSuite, as well as directly via Tyro Health Online. Both methods result in a compliant, signed AoB, but they work differently and suit different situations.
PracSuite sending
AoB is captured before you proceed with the claim, you only move into the claiming process once it's been completed.
Send via SMS or email for the patient to complete on their own device, or scan a QR code on an iPad or tablet in the practice and hand the device to the patient to complete, useful for patients who might struggle with the SMS/email approach on their own.
PracSuite updates automatically once the patient completes the AoB, so you can move straight into claiming.
Records are stored directly in PracSuite. A compliance report for reviewing AoB records in bulk is planned for a future release.
Tyro Online sending
In the THO bulk bill claiming popup, you can choose for Tyro to send an SMS to the patient to approve AoB. You cannot customise the content of this SMS.
The patient must tap the link and complete it on their own device, there's no QR code or in-practice tablet option.
The patient has 48 hours to approve. Once approved, the claim is submitted automatically. If the 48 hours passes without a response, the claim attempt expires.
There's no notification when the patient completes the AoB, you'll need to check the Tyro page manually to see its status.
If the patient approves, the claim is paid and the invoice is marked as paid in PracSuite automatically. If they don't approve, the claim stays outstanding. Use the Tyro Health Online report (Reports > Integrations > Tyro Health Online) to keep track of claims in this state.
If you want AoB confirmed before you start claiming, or need an option for patients who can't easily complete it on their own phone, PracSuite sending is the better fit. If you're comfortable submitting and checking back later rather than being notified, Tyro Online sending avoids the SMS cost and takes the follow-up off your plate, provided you're keeping an eye on the report for outstanding claims.
Enabling AoB Features
Go to Settings > Integrations > Tyro Health Online to choose your method:
Disabled — No AoB prompts appear. Relies on verbal consent during the transition period.
Via PracSuite — Staff capture the patient's signature using QR code, email, SMS or paper upload before submitting the claim.
Via Tyro Online — Tyro sends the patient an SMS and submits the claim automatically once approved. Requests expire after 48 hours if unanswered.
Both — Staff can choose either method at the point of claiming.
AoB via PracSuite
After selecting the Tyro Health Online Bulk Bill button on the invoice screen, PracSuite will prompt you to obtain AoB if one isn't already on file. You can send the request to the patient using:
QR code — the patient scans and signs on their own device
Email — a signing link is emailed to the patient
SMS — a signing link is texted to the patient
Paper upload — for a signed paper form, upload a scan or photo to attach it to the claim
Once the patient approves, their signature is recorded, and the claim can proceed.
After selecting Proceed to Claim, the Tyro bulk bill screen will appear as normal for you to review the claim details. The last section of the page will show the Assignment of Benefit details. It will be set to External, reflecting that the AoB process has been completed in PracSuite.
Select Submit Claim to finalise the process.
What the patient sees
When sending the AoB link to the patient to complete by SMS or email, they will be asked to confirm their date of birth before proceeding to the AoB
This is a security feature because the AoB page lists the patient's name, date of birth and Medicare number.
After confirming their date of birth, the patient or assignor will need to respond to the questions and select the complete button.
AoB via Tyro Online
After selecting the Tyro Health Online Bulk Bill button on the invoice screen, you can hand the AoB request to Tyro instead. Tyro sends the patient an SMS asking them to approve the assignment, and submits the claim automatically once they do. The request expires after 48 hours if the patient doesn't respond.
Select the Send Via Tyro option.
You have the opportunity to select whether the patient or someone else is assigning the benefit. If you have family members or contacts on the patient file with a mobile number, you will be able to select these individuals to pass their mobile number through to Tyro.
Select Proceed to Claim to continue.
The Tyro bulk bill screen will appear as normal for you to review the claim details. The last section of the page will show the Assignment of benefit details, including the selected mobile number passed through from PracSuite.
Select Submit Claim to send the SMS and queue the claim.
At this point, you can select Close to return to PracSuite.
The Tyro Health Online page for the invoice will display the status of the SMS request.
What the patient sees
After clicking the link in the SMS sent by Tyro, the patient will see the following:
Frequently Asked Questions
Does one invoice need multiple AoB forms if it covers several item dates?
No. One AoB form covers all items on an invoice, including items across different dates, as long as they're all provided by the same practitioner and part of the same claim. If items are split across separate claims, each claim needs its own AoB, even if it's for the same invoice and practitioner.
Do I need a new AoB if I'm resubmitting a declined claim?
Yes. If a claim is declined and needs to be corrected and resubmitted, a new AoB is required before the resubmission can go ahead. PracSuite will prompt you to obtain a fresh AoB at that point, so you don't need to track this manually.
What happens if the patient declines to assign their Medicare benefit?
If the patient doesn't agree to assign their benefit, you'll need to collect the Medicare rate directly from the patient upfront, then they can claim it back themselves through the Medicare app. Alternatively, you can submit a patient claim via Tyro Health Online on their behalf after accepting full payment from the patient.
What happens if the Tyro SMS expires without a response?
The claim attempt expires. You'll need to start again, either by sending a new Tyro Online request, switching to PracSuite sending, or billing the patient privately if they're not responding.
Can I switch between PracSuite and Tyro sending at any time?
If your settings are set to Both, you can choose which method to use each time you start a bulk bill claim.
How long do I need to keep AoB records?
The new regulations require AoB records to be kept for two years.
Does this apply to pre-booked or recurring appointments?
Both AoB sending methods, PracSuite and Tyro Online, only support post-assignment, meaning the AoB is obtained after the service has been provided.
Does PracSuite support pre-service or enduring AoB agreements?
Not at this time. Pre-service assignment (agreed before the appointment) and enduring agreements (for MyMedicare, aged care, and ACCHO/AMS patients) aren't supported in this release.