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New compliance letters to target bulk billing incentive items
A crackdown on bulk billing incentive items is part of what medicolegal experts dub an ‘increasing compliance program’.
Bulk billing incentives are under the spotlight.
Hundreds of GPs have been sent a ‘Review and Act Now’ letter around Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) claiming activity for bulk bill incentive items 10990, 10991 and 10992.
The letter asks recipients to review potential claiming errors for patients who were not concession card holders or not under the age of 16, but who had been billed one of the three items.
The review covers January to December last year.
A Department of Health spokesperson said the letters were sent to 425 healthcare providers, who were mostly GPs.
MDA National professional services executive manager Dr Sara Bird told newsGP the letters are part of a wider compliance program being rolled out by the Department of Health (DoH).
‘It’s well worth GPs being aware of this. The department’s compliance activities are certainly increasing around Medicare. What they’re often looking at is where more than one item number is billed at the same time,’ she said.
‘It’s important that you’re aware of what the item numbers are that you’re billing, reviewing them on a regular basis, and making sure you and your practice staff are aware of what the criteria are.
‘My view is that if you’re going to bill an item number, you should make sure you’ve read the MBS descriptor. Ultimately, it’s the individual doctor who is responsible, if it’s billed under your provider number.
‘If you’re looking through the list of items claimed under your name at the end of each week and you see an item number you’re not familiar with, read what it is and make sure the criteria have been met.’
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