Skip to navigation Skip to content

Letters for Practice Incentives Program (PIP) and Workforce Incentive Program (WIP) - Practice Stream 012-22080436

This document outlines how to prepare and send letters to practices.

On this page:

Complete a standard letter template (SLT)

Request a free text letter (FTL)

Prepare and send a letter

Prepare a duplicate WIP Practice Stream approval letter

Complete a standard letter template (SLT)

Table 1

Step	Action
1	Check for previous rejection Go to the Associated Document screen and check for previous rejections of the same form. If the form has been rejected twice already, or the practice has resubmitted the forms without addressing the original letter, call the practice to discuss: the reasons the forms have been rejected the additional information needed to finalise the update that a follow-up letter will be sent Work items can be held for up to 5 days if the practice indicates the information will be submitted immediately. PaNDA, HPOS mail centre and the external mailbox must be checked daily. If the documents are not received within 5 days of the phone call, go to Step 2. Was a phone call needed? Yes, document the call in a profile comment, then go to Step 2 No, go to Step 2
2	Add a comment to profile and pend a PaNDA item Based on the phone call, did the practice indicate that the information required will be submitted immediately? Yes, pend the PaNDA work items and add a processing note. Check PaNDA, HPOS mail centre and the external mailbox daily to see if the information is submitted. If the documents are: received within 5 days of the phone call, stop here, associate the work items and process the documents not received within 5 days of the phone call, go to Step 3 No, go to Step 3
3	Access the SLT Go to Medicare Provider and Third Party and open the correct SLT. The Operational Blueprint file for the work type details which letter to use: The template opens in a Word document Select Enable Content to the security warning The letter template macro shows
4	Macro pop-up to enable letters If the macro does not automatically pop up, enable letters. Select Enable Content. A Microsoft Word macro shows. Confirm letter fields completed: Select OK - a trusted document warning shows Select No - the letter shows in print preview Select Cancel to close the macro box On the top right-hand side of the screen, select Viewing dropdown. Change selection from Viewing to Allow Editing At the top of the screen, select the: Add ins tab, then Create New Letter This reopens the macro box to let the Service Officer key the data for the letter
5	Complete the letter options On the Address/Ref tab, key the below details: Letter Date - this field is auto-populated Title, first name, surname - the Resources page contains details on determining the addresses Address details - the Resources page contains details on determining the postal address Practice ID - key the Practice ID number Practice name: Abbreviate the practice name if it is longer than 75 characters. The Resources page has common abbreviated words If the abbreviation needed is not listed, escalate to Local Peer Support for advice PaNDA ID - key work item ID from PaNDA. If the letter has not been updated for the PaNDA ID - key P00000 in the Logon ID field Date form received - key PaNDA date of lodgement Note: some SLTs have extra tabs to select and complete for different options. This will vary the letter content. To complete the required fields in the extra tabs: Select the Letter Request and/or Information tab(s) Complete the letter request details Select the Options tabs. A list of standard rejection reasons will show Find and select the right rejection reason The information in each tab will differ for each letter type. All available options in a template letter can be viewed by closing the macro window. Staff can review the option text to search for the correct option. To complete the letter, select Add-Ins from the menu and Create New Letter. See Table 2 if the right reason is not available.
6	Proofread and quality check the letter Service Officers must proofread the letter to check for any errors. Are changes to the letter needed? Yes, go to Step 7 No, go to Step 8
7	Amend the letter To amend the letter, select: Close Print Preview Add-Ins tab Create New Letter The dialogue box shows. Change or complete fields as required. If Service Officers select: Reset, all fields clear to the default value Cancel, the dialogue box disappears and they can view all available text options
8	Save the letter as a PDF To save the letter as a PDF, Service Officers must: Select File Select Save As Select Browse Go to the secure staff folder located in the Incentives shared drive Rename the file name as required to allow clear identification of the document Go to Save as type field and select PDF from the dropdown list Select Save Note: do not save customer information to desktops or personal H drives.
9	Quality checking For more information or to determine if the letter needs to be quality checked, see Preparing, quality and peer to peer checking of Medicare external mail. Does the letter need to be quality checked? Yes, see Preparing, quality and peer to peer checking of Medicare external mail No, go to Step 10
10	Prepare letter to be sent Letters must be merged with the associated PaNDA work item before returning to the customer. See Table 3.

Request a free text letter (FTL)

Table 2

Step	Action
1	Add a processing note Is the FTL for an existing PaNDA work item? Yes, add a processing note with a summary of why a FTL is needed: Processing notes must be clear, concise and easily understood by others Staff do not need to provide the free text wording Go to Step 3 No, create a PaNDA work item. Go to Step 2
2	Create a PaNDA work item There will be occasions where there is no open PaNDA item to escalate and/or no associated document. For HPOS applications with no forms: Take a screen shot of the PIP Eligibility Check screen Save the screenshot as a PDF Create a new PaNDA work item for the screen shot Add a processing note with summary of why the FTL is needed: Processing notes must be clear, concise and easily understood by others Staff do not need to provide the free text wording Go to Step 3 If the original work item is completed in PaNDA: Save the document from the original work item as a new PDF Upload the PDF as a new PaNDA work item Record the original PaNDA work item ID in a processing note Add a processing note with a summary of why the FTL is needed Go to Step 3
3	Record FTL work type FTL requests are identified by an escalation code added to the Fax No field of the PaNDA work item. To add the FTL identification code in PaNDA: Remove fax number Add FTL (escalation code). See Managing PaNDA work items for the Practice Incentives Program (PIP) and Workforce Incentive Program (WIP) - Practice Stream for a list of escalation codes Select Save
4	Assign work item to Program Management for action In PaNDA: Un-assign Re-categorise to: Work Type Program - Incentives Work Type - Program Management - FTL (INC_NO_Policy) Note: do not pend the work item. Leave the status as open.
5	Completed Free Text Letters Program Management will: upload the completed letter to the PaNDA work item re-categorise the work item to the original work type, and reassign the work item to the requesting Service Officer Incentive Programs Delivery: Returned free text letters will be identified in the Service Officer ‘worklist’ in PaNDA Check the letter. Program Management may choose a different response to that requested by the Service Officer. If this occurs, a processing note or email will be provided, outlining the reason. Is the letter correct? Yes, save the letter to the nominated staff folder: Select File Select Save as Select Browse Go to the secure staff folder located on the Incentives shared drive Rename the File name as the Practice ID_Letter Select PDF from the Save as type dropdown menu Select Save See Table 3 No, return the letter for correction. If a FTL is incorrect on the second return, raise to a Program Officer to discuss with Program Management: Add a processing note to explain issue Go to Step 1 to re-raise the FTL request

Prepare and send a letter

Table 3

Step	Action
1	Merge documents Letters and the associated forms/documents must be uploaded to PIP and /or WIP - Online systems as a single document. The individual PDFs must be merged before uploading. If the practice has submitted a form with the Services Australia protection in place, it cannot be merged. It must be uploaded as a separate document. Marge all other documents. Do not return: fax transmission pages with letters. These must be removed from the document before sending 'pip-no-reply' notification emails with the letter See Managing PaNDA work items for the Practice Incentives Program (PIP) and Workforce Incentive Program (WIP) - Practice Stream to merge the letter and associated forms/documents.
2	Check the practice communication preference Incentives letters are sent as an HPOS mail attachment or by post, depending on the communication preference set by the practice. To check the communication preference: Log on to PIP Online or WIP - Practice Stream Online Key the practice ID in the Search field Select the practice ID hyperlink Select Practice Details Select Contact Details Go to Update online subscriptions Check which option is selected for General Correspondence Has the practice selected Access online as their communication preference for General Correspondence? Yes, go to Step 3 No, print the letter and send manually via post. Then go to Step 6
3	Log in to HPOS message centre Log on to HPOS: Select the PIP and WIP Practice Stream mailbox The Mail Centre screen shows Select Compose new email.
4	Compose mail and attach a letter Select Practice Enter the Practice ID into the To box The practice name shows (check the details are correct) Enter the following into the Subject field: 'PIP/WIP - Practice Stream Practice <Prac ID>: Action required' Copy and paste the following into the Text field: 'You need to read the attached letter and take any requested action before the date indicated on the letter' Attach the letter in the Attachments field: Select the Choose file button to navigate to the letter in the nominated folder. Select the letter and select Add File (a maximum of 5 attachments can be added) To remove an attachment, select Remove (next to the attachment) Select Send Take note of the HPOS reference number Note: for HPOS applications not yet approved, there is no Practice ID. Return the letter to the RA number of the person lodging the application. The Resources page has more details about composing emails.
5	File the message Move the sent message to the Filed folder in the HPOS mail centre: From the Move to dropdown, select Filed Select Move The email will be filed away from the inbox
6	Finalise the work item Upload the merged document to PIP and/or WIP - Practice Stream online Key the form number for Document Type. If there is no form, key 'letter' or 'email' If the form is being rejected, key Rejected at the beginning of the description If the letter was sent via HPOS mail, add ‘sent via HPOS’ and the message reference number in the document description field If the letter was sent via post mail, add ‘sent via post’ in the description field Delete all customer documents from the letter folder Finalise the work item as Complete, Request rejected in PaNDA

Prepare a duplicate WIP Practice Stream approval letter

Table 4: this table describes the process to issue a new WIP Practice Stream approval letter when the system-generated approval letter has the incorrect practice ID

Step	Action
1	Access the standard letter template Go to Medicare Provider and Third Party, PIP/WIP Practice Stream Applications and open the Z2179 standard letter template: The template opens in a Word document Select Enable Content to the security warning The letter template macro shows.
2	Macro pop-up to enable letters If the macro does not automatically pop up, enable letters. Select Enable Content. A Microsoft Word macro shows. Confirm letter fields completed: Select OK - a trusted document warning shows Select No - the letter shows in print preview Select Cancel to close the macro box On the top right-hand side of the screen, select the Viewing dropdown. Change selection from Viewing to Allow Editing At the top of the screen, select the: Add ins tab, then Create New Letter This reopens the macro box to let the Service Officer key the data for the letter
3	Complete the letter options On the Address/Ref tab, key the below details: Letter Date - this field auto-populates Title, first name, surname - the Resources page contains details on determining the addresses Address details - the Resources page contains details on determining the postal address Practice name: Abbreviate the practice name if it is longer than 75 characters. The Resources page has common abbreviated words If the abbreviation needed is not listed, escalate to Local Peer Support for advice Practice ID - key the Practice ID number form the practice profile Date application approved - this is found on the Practice Summary screen Payments - select the payments the practice is approved for Select OK
4	Save the letter as a PDF To save the letter as a PDF, Service Officers must: Select File Select Save As Select Browse Go to the secure staff folder located in the Incentives shared drive Rename the file name as required to allow clear identification of the document Go to Save as type field and select PDF from the dropdown list Select Save Note: do not save customer information to desktops or personal H drives.
5	Prepare letter to be sent Check the practice's General Correspondence communication preference on the Contact Details screen. If the practice has selected: Post, print and send the letter. Go to Step 6 Online, see Table 3 > Step 3-6. Then go to Step 6
6	Finalise the work item Upload the letter to WIP - Practice Stream online Key 'WIPPS approval letter' for Document Type If the letter was sent via HPOS mail, add 'sent via HPOS' and the message reference number in the document description field If the letter was sent via post mail, add 'sent via post' in the description field In the document description field, key 'Corrected approval letter' Add a comment on the practice profile: Open Comments screen For Area, select other For Reason, select other In the Comments field, key: 'New approval letter sent DD/MM/YYYY with the correct Practice ID. Original letter did not show correct practice ID' Delete all customer documents from the letter folder Finalise the work item as Complete, Request rejected in PaNDA