Medicare card number collection for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and Medicare Safety Net 101-06100000

The purpose for collecting Medicare card numbers is to improve the integrity of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). With later development of an online capability, pharmacies will be able to validate the PBS concession entitlement of their customers at the point of sale through Medicare Australia. Centrelink's role is to assist with the validation of the customer's entitlement to PBS concessions.

The request to Centrelink from Medicare for Medicare card number information will only occur when Medicare are unable to match their Medicare /Centrelink records. Centrelink's process of requesting Medicare card numbers from its customers for Medicare is almost completely automated.

When a request is received from Medicare, Centrelink performs a check to see if a valid Medicare card number is currently recorded for Identity Confirmation purposes. If a valid number is recorded, a passive consent letter is sent to the customer asking them to contact only if they do not wish their Medicare number to be released to Medicare. If a response is not received from the customer within 14 days, passive consent is recorded and the card number is sent to Medicare.

Where a customer:

• has no Medicare card number recorded for Identity Confirmation
• has an invalid Medicare card number recorded, or
• a previous request for a Medicare card number has been made
• a check is performed to see if the customer lives in a remote area

Where:

• the customer does not live in a remote area, and
• either an invalid Medicare card number or no Medicare card number has been recorded
• an automatically generated letter requesting the customer to complete and return their Medicare card number is issued. These requests may include a request for the Medicare card number(s) for the customer's dependant(s).

Where a customer lives in a remote area, an online document will be recorded on the Centrelink computer system that will allow the agent/remote service team(s) to follow up with the customer.

Although a customer can have multiple Medicare cards, any Medicare card number can be supplied by the customer for this purpose.

Customers can choose to supply their Medicare card number even though no request has been made by Centrelink.

The emphasis on customers to provide their Medicare card number is completely voluntary. Customers can decline to supply their Medicare card number, and can decline permission for their Medicare card number to be sent to Medicare. Where a customer declines to provide their Medicare card number, or does not provide their consent to their Medicare card number being sent to Medicare, there is no adverse effect on their Centrelink entitlements, that is, no cancellations, suspensions or other penalties. However, the customer may receive a less efficient experience at the pharmacy when attempting to purchase PBS medicines.

Centrelink sends a nightly batch to Medicare with concession information. Data sent to Medicare is generated by the Concession Entitlement IT Cluster.

Note: an individual's Medicare number can also be used for establishing a link with the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).