By Sue Salthouse, Former AFDO External Representative to Medicare's Consumer Consultation Group.

Background

At present, more than 90 percent of medical practices use an electronic claiming system to lodge their claims for services which they give to patients.

The electronic systems are therefore in place at a large number of practices to enable them to process the PATIENT’s Medicare Claim at the same time as you pay the doctor at his/her surgery. Thus the Medicare Rebate can be credited direct to YOUR BANK ACCOUNT at the same time.

However, only 18.5 per cent of patient claims are being lodged with Medicare Australia electronically from the doctors’ surgeries.
Medicare Australia would like to increase this percentage, and believes it is to the advantage of many patients to do so.
All the medical practice has to do is install the secure software to enable on-the-spot claiming.

All the patient has to do is register their bank account details with Medicare Australia. You will then be able to access this service from whichever medical practice you are at IF it has SWITCHED ON the Patient Claiming software.

You can ask at the reception desk if the medical practice you are attending for any procedure has already ‘switched over’ to be able to offer electronic claiming to their patients. Electronic Claiming may be possible from the surgeries of GPs, Specialists, and Allied Health Professionals.

Don’t worry if you prefer to send in a paper-based claim by post, OR if you prefer to visit a Medicare Shopfront to put in your claim and get cash (don’t forget there is a $150 per cash payment maximum trial underway at the moment). These two claim options will not change.
For further information contact:

For more information contact Kirstin Gosciniak at Medicare Australia on
02 6124 7056 or email kirstin.gosciniak@medicareaustralia.gov.au