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Melbourne General Practice Network

Medicare Update: Compliance Audits Initiative - May 2011

The Increased Medicare Compliance Audits Initiative. See the Information Sheet

In the 2008–09 Federal Budget, the Australian Government announced plans to enhance the Medicare Benefits Schedule audit process carried out by Medicare Australia. This initiative, known as the Increased Medicare Compliance Audits (IMCA), this initative came into effect on April 9th 2011.
Key features of the Act include the following:

  • The Act allows Medicare Australia to issue a notice to health professionals, or a person in charge of the health professional’s records, requiring them to produce documents to substantiate claims made under the Medicare program.
  • The Act also allows health professionals to seek a review of a decision to recover funds where a Medicare claim has not been substantiated.

For further information see http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/provider/business/audits/compliance_audits.jsp

Medicare have announced there will not be a new Medicare Benefits Schedule release on 1 May 2011. Instead, it will be released on 1 July 2011.
MGPN will continue to provide MGPN practices with updates and education and training on new MBS item numbers, in addition to information on the Medicare Compliance Audit initiative.