From today there will be no more Medicare patient cheques.
Patients now need to register their bank details so they don’t miss out on their Medicare benefit.
Whether you claim on the spot at the practice, online, over the phone or at a service centre, their Medicare benefit will be paid directly into your bank account once the account details are registered.
The change does not include Pay Doctor Via Claimant (PDVC) cheques; these will continue.
PBS refunds
From today also, Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) patient refund cheques and EFTPOS refunds at service centres are stopping.
Similar to Medicare, all PBS refund payments are now made via EFT directly into a nominated bank account. To make sure you don’t miss out, register your bank details to avoid delays in receiving payment.
The PBS Patient Refund Claim Form (PB132) has been updated to capture bank account details.
Any claims submitted after 1 July 2016 using the old PBS Patient Refund Claim Form will be rejected. A new claim using the updated form with a completed bank details section will need to be submitted.