Medicare Benefits Schedule - Note AN.0.4

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Category 1 - PROFESSIONAL ATTENDANCES

AN.0.4

Provider Numbers

To ensure that benefits are paid only for services provided by optometrists registered with the Optometry Board of Australia, each optometrist providing services for which a Medicare benefit is payable requires an individual provider number. 

Provider numbers will be issued only to registered optometrists. Corporations, other business entities and individuals who are not registered optometrists will not be issued with provider numbers. 

Provider numbers are allocated to enable claims for Medicare benefits to be processed. The number may be up to eight characters. The second last character identifies the practice location, the last being a check character. 

Optometrists can obtain a provider number from the Department of Human Services. A separate provider number is issued for each location at which an optometrist practises and has current registration. Provider numbers for additional practice locations may also be obtained from the Department of Human Services following confirmation of registration. Optometrists cannot use another optometrist's provider number. 

Locum Tenens

An optometrist who has signed an Undertaking and is to provide services at a practice location as a locum for more than two weeks or will return to the practice on a regular basis for short periods should apply for a provider number for that location. 

If the locum is to provide services at a practice for less than two weeks, the locum can use their own provider number or can obtain an additional provider number for that location. 

Normally, Medicare benefits are payable for services rendered by an optometrist only when the optometrist has completed an Undertaking.  However, benefits may be claimed for services provided by an optometrist who has not signed the Undertaking if the optometrist has provided them on behalf of an optometrist who has signed the Undertaking.  

To ensure benefits are payable when a locum practises in these circumstances, the locum optometrist should:

· Check that they will be providing optometry services on behalf of a participating optometrist i.e. their employer has a current Undertaking.

· Complete the Schedule which is available on the Department of Human Services' website http://www.humanservices.gov.au/, before commencing the locum arrangement of the name and address of the participating optometrist on whose behalf they will be providing services. 

Locums can direct Medicare payments to a third party, for example the principal of the practice, by either arranging a pay group link and/or by nominating the principal as the payee provider on bulk-bill stationery.


Legend

  • Assist - Addition/Deletion of (Assist.)
  • Amend - Amended Description
  • Anaes - Anaesthetic Values Amended
  • Emsn - EMSN Change
  • Fee - Fee Amended
  • Renum - Item Number Change (renumbered)
  • New - New Item
  • NewMin - New Item (previous Ministerial Determination)
  • Qfe - QFE Change