Practice Incentives Program (PIP) – Rurality Loading
All practices whose main location is situated outside capital cities and other major metropolitan areas are be paid a rural loading.
The rurality of each practice is determined using the Rural, Remote and Metropolitan Areas (RRMA) classification which was developed in 1994 by the Department of Primary Industries and Energy, and the then Department of Human Services and Health.
A practice's rural payment is calculated by multiplying the practice's incentive payments by a percentage loading. This loading is then added to the practice's payment. The rural payment is higher for practices in more remote areas, in recognition of the difficulties of providing care, often with little professional support, in small country towns or isolated communities.
The following table indicates the rural payment for each RRMA category.
Rural loading for each RRMA
| RRMA number and category | Rural loading |
|---|---|
| 1. Capital city | 0% |
| 2. Other metropolitan centre | 0% |
| 3. Large rural centre | 15% |
| 4. Small rural centre | 20% |
| 5. Other rural area | 40% |
| 6. Remote centre | 25% |
| 7. Other remote area | 50% |
Last updated: 19 March, 2010
