What a voluntary acknowledgement is
A voluntary acknowledgement lets us know if you have incorrectly claimed a payment under the:
- Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS)
- Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
- Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS)
- Practice Incentives Program (PIP).
Why make a voluntary acknowledgement
Making a voluntary acknowledgement of an incorrect payment helps ensure Medicare remains sustainable by only paying legitimate claims.
You must repay the incorrect payment amount.
A penalty may apply to any amount owing (the debt accrued). However, no penalty will apply to voluntary acknowledgements.
Who can make a voluntary acknowledgement
Health practitioners, health services and anyone who manages their finances can make a voluntary acknowledgement of an incorrect Medicare payment.
When to make a voluntary acknowledgement
You should send us a voluntary acknowledgment form as soon as you realise you have made an incorrect claim.
How to make a voluntary acknowledgement
To make a voluntary acknowledgment for incorrect payments fill out the appropriate form for:
Include any information with your form that you think will help us identify the claim or incorrect payment.
What happens once you have sent your form
Once we have reviewed your form, we will contact you to confirm how much you owe and your payment options.
Compensation scheme and private health insurer payments
If you realise you received an incorrect payment from a private health insurer or compensation scheme, contact either:
- the private health insurer directly
- Services Australia’s Veterans’ Affairs processing enquiry line, if the patient was covered by a Department of Veterans’ Affairs scheme.
Contacts
Medicare provider enquiry line
Voluntary compliance contact