A voluntary acknowledgement of incorrect payments (VA) form should be used to correct claiming errors identified through:
- a Department of Health, Disability and Ageing compliance activity
- where you have identified a broader pattern of incorrect claiming over an extended period.
If we contact you about your claiming, prescribing, requesting, or any other matter relating to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) or Practice Incentives Program (PIP), you should use the VA form to disclose any incorrect payments identified as part of your review.
Requests to adjust or delete ad hoc self-identified claiming errors relating to an individual claim, or a small number of claims, should be lodged directly with Services Australia.
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.
Services Australia – Medicare adjustments
Information on how to make claim adjustments can be found on the Services Australia website:
- Adjust a bulk-billed claim – search “QC 74213”
- Adjust a Simplified Billing or ECLIPSE claim – search “QC 20596”
- Adjust a patient claim – search “QC 80051”
- Medicare Easyclaim enquiry form – search “QC 34641”
For health professional resources and support, search for “QC 20” on the Services Australia website.
If you require further assistance, contact the Services Australia Provider Enquiry Line on 132 150.
Contacts
Medicare provider enquiry line
Voluntary compliance contact