Medicare Benefits Schedule - Note IN.0.3

All sites (including hospitals) and bases for mobile equipment at or from which diagnostic imaging procedures are performed need to be registered with Services Australia in order for Medicare benefits to be payable for diagnostic imaging procedures provided at the site, or in the case of procedures reported remotely, for procedures reported for the site. 

Registered sites and bases for mobile equipment are allocated a Location Specific Practice Number (LSPN). The LSPN is a unique identifier comprising a six digit numeric and is required on all accounts, receipts and Medicare assignment of benefits forms for diagnostic imaging services before patients can receive Medicare benefits.  In addition, benefits are not payable unless there is equipment of appropriate type listed on the register for the practice. 

Sites or bases for mobile equipment need only register once.  To maintain registration, sites are required to advise of any changes to their primary information within 28 days of the change occurring.  Primary information is: 

-          proprietor details;

-          ACN (for companies);

-          business name and ABN;

-          address of practice site or base for mobile equipment;

-          type of equipment located at the site;

-          information about any health care provider not employed at, or contracted to provide services for the site or base, who has an interest in any of the equipment listed on the register. 

Suspension or Cancellation

Registration will be suspended if a proprietor fails to respond to notices from Services Australia about registration details.  The suspension will be lifted as soon as the notices are responded to and Medicare benefits will be backdated for the period of suspension. 

Registration will be cancelled after a continuous period of three months suspension.  Cancellation under these circumstances is taken to have commenced from the date of suspension. 

The proprietor may, at any time, request cancellation of the registration of a practice site or base for mobile equipment. Otherwise, registration may be cancelled by Service Australia if the registration was obtained improperly (false information supplied) or if the proprietor fails to notify Services Australia of changes to primary information.  A decision to cancel a registration will only be made following due consideration of a submission by the site or base.  The proprietor may apply to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for a review of this decision.  If registration is cancelled involuntarily, the proprietor may not apply to re-register the site or base for a period of 12 months unless permitted to do so. 

Proprietors of unregistered practices (including where the registration is under suspension or has been cancelled)  need to either advise patients in writing or display a notice that no Medicare benefits will be payable for the diagnostic imaging services. 

From 1 July 2010 practices applying for an LSPN will also need to apply for and be accredited under the Diagnostic Imaging Accreditation Scheme (DIAS) in order to be eligible to provide diagnostic imaging services under Medicare.  Information about DIAS is available here: Diagnostic Imaging Accreditation Scheme (the DIAS).

For full details about LSPNs including how to register a practice site are available at Services Australia' website at https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/search/LSPN.

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