Indigenous Health Incentive (IHI) patient registration and withdrawal for Practice Incentives Program (PIP) 012-10070040

Payment type

1 January 2023

1 January 2024

1 January 2025

Patient Registration

$150

$100

$0

Tier 1 Outcome

$100

$100

$100

Tier 2 Outcome

$150

$200

$300

Question

Answer

When does the lifetime patient registration take effect?

The lifetime patient registration will take effect on 1 January 2025. However, from 1 November 2023, practices can begin getting consent for lifetime registration as part of all patient registrations and re-registrations for patients aged 15 years and above. Lifetime registration will be automatically applied from 1 January 2025.

Use the updated PIP Indigenous Health Incentive patient registration and consent forms (published in October 2023).

Why does my 15-year-old registered patient need to provide consent?

The Indigenous Health Incentive program requires each patient to provide their consent for their personal information to be used. The program specifies that a young person has the capacity to provide their own consent at 15 years.

Patients under 15 years, who are registered under a parent’s or guardian’s consent, will be registered until they turn 15. They will then need to provide their own consent to continue to participate in the program.

The practice will need to withdraw the young patient’s current registration and re-register them under their own consent.

Can a parent or guardian reconsent for a patient who has turned 15?

Under the IHI a parent or guardian can give consent where the patient is not capable of providing their own consent. This applies regardless of patient age.

Where you have determined that the patient does not have the capacity to provide their own consent a new registration must be completed by the parent or guardian once the patient turns 15.

This will ensure Services Australia recognise the patient’s inability to consent and does not automatically withdraw the patient at 16 years.

Can my patient still withdraw their consent?

Yes, a patient can still withdraw their consent at any time. They need to complete the PIP IHI patient withdrawal of consent (IP029) form. This form is available on our website.

They can also re-register again later if they still meet the eligibility requirements.

Why is the registration payment amount being reduced?

The incentive payments are transitioning from a focus on registration payment to a stronger focus on provision of health services. Whilst the registration amount is being reduced, the Tier 2 payment amount is being increased.

With the incentive moving to lifetime patient registration, it is expected the number of patient registrations the practice needs to enter will significantly reduce annually.

Do I need to re-register my patients in 2025 for lifetime registration?

From 1 November 2024, patients registered by a practice will receive lifetime registration.

Use the updated PIP Indigenous Health Incentive patient registration and consent forms (published in October 2023). This ensures lifetime registration is provided to patients.

Are patients under 15 years eligible for lifetime registration?

Patients are ineligible for lifetime registration until they reach 15 years.

When they turn 15, their current registration must be withdrawn, and re-registration processed under their own consent.

The practice can re-register your 15-year-old patient, under parent or guardian consent, where you have determined that they do not have the capacity to consent on their own behalf.

Re-registration under both circumstances is essential to make sure we do not automatically withdraw the patient at 16 years.

Use the updated PIP Indigenous Health Incentive patient registration and consent forms (published in October 2023). This ensures lifetime registration is provided to patients.

Will patients be automatically withdrawn from the IHI when they turn 15?

Patients must provide their own consent to participate in IHI when they are 15 or older.

To minimise the risk of gaps in registration and assessment periods, patient registrations will remain current until the patient is 16 years. At this time the patient’s registration will be automatically withdrawn.

They can re-register later if they still meet the eligibility requirements.

To ensure the patient is not automatically withdrawn from IHI when they turn 16, the practice must withdraw their current registration, and re-register them under their own consent.

The practice can re-register a 15-year-old patient, under parent or guardian consent, where you have determined that they do not have the capacity to consent on their own behalf.

Re-registration under both circumstances is essential to make sure we do not automatically withdraw the patient at 16 years.

Use the updated PIP Indigenous Health Incentive patient registration and consent forms (published in October 2023). This ensures lifetime registration is provided to patients.

I got an HPOS message saying my patient is already registered at another practice. Can I register them at my practice?

Patients should only be registered at the practice nominated as their usual care provider. If the patient has said they wish your practice to be their usual care provider, they can register them at their practice.

Select Yes to continue the registration process in HPOS.

How can I get a list of all patients registered at my practice?

A Patient List search function is available in the PIP online system and provides an easy way to search a patient’s registration.

Search criteria 1 will search for all registered patients under a specific Medicare number.

Search criteria 2 will list patients by registration status, name, specific date of birth, date of birth range or any combination of these.

The Patient List screen has a maximum number of records that can show when searching. If the number of patients registered at the practice exceeds this maximum, a full list of patients is not available.

If this happens narrow thesearch criteria to access patients in smaller groupings.

The Patient List screen allows practices to check or confirm patient registration for the incentive. It is not intended to replace practice record keeping.

How can I find out which patients’ registration is going to be withdrawn because they are turning or have just turned 15?

On the PIP online system, practices can download a list of 15 – 16 year old patients by using a date of birth range on the IHI Patient List screen

There is a limit in the number of records that can show. If the patient list search results exceed the limit narrow the search to smaller date range.

Who can provide consent for patients under 15 years?

A parent or guardian must provide consent for patients under 15 years.

What is Lifetime registration?

Currently patients are required to be registered every year. Registration is for the full calendar year, starting on 1 January and ending on 31 December of that year.

Under lifetime registration, the patient only needs to be registered once and their registration will have no end date.

Under both registration types a patient can choose to withdraw their registration at any time.

The date of consent will determine the start date of a lifetime registration.

If the date of consent is in November or December 2024, the patient will be registered for 2024. Their lifetime registration will start on 1 January 2025.

If the date of consent is on or after 1 January 2025 the lifetime registration start date will be the same as the date of consent. For example, if the date of consent is 15 February 2025 then the registration start date will be 15 February 2025.

When does the lifetime patient registration take effect?

The lifetime patient registration will take effect on 1 January 2025.

From 1 November 2023, the consent provided by patients being registered includes consent for lifetime registration.

All active 2024 patient registrations are allocated a lifetime registration automatically. This will be managed by Services Australia between 1 November 2024 and 31 January 2025. Practices do not need to re-register these patients.

For new patients, practices can start processing lifetime registrations from 1 November 2024.

To see if a patient is registered under a lifetime registration - log into PIP online system and search for the patient. Their registration record will not have an end date.

The steps on how to do this are available on the Health Professional Education page under the Incentive Programs tile. From Service Australia's website, search ‘Health Professional Education’ the links to the relevant page are there.

Patients will be transitioned to a lifetime registration between 1 November 2024 and 31 January 2025.

Do I need to re-register my patients in 2025 for lifetime registration?

No, no need to re-register patients who have a current PIP Indigenous Health Incentive 2024 registration.

Between 1 November 2024 and 31 January 2025, Services Australia will automatically transition all current 2024 patients to a lifetime registration.

They will need to register new patients, or previously registered patients whose registration expired or was withdrawn.

Do I need to re-register my patients in 2025 for lifetime registration?

No, no need to re-register patients who have a current PIP Indigenous Health Incentive 2024 registration.

Between 1 November 2024 and 31 January 2025, Services Australia will automatically transition all current 2024 patients to a lifetime registration.

They will need to register new patients, or previously registered patients whose registration expired or was withdrawn.

How can I tell if my patient has lifetime registration?

To see if a patient is registered under a lifetime registration log into PIP online system and search for the patient. Their most recent registration record will have a start date of 1 January 2025 or later and will not have an end date.

The steps on how to do this are available on the Health Professional Education page under the Incentive Programs tile. Go to Services Australia's website and search ‘Health Professional Education’ the links to the relevant page are there.

I registered my patient, but they haven’t been given lifetime registration

When you register a patient with a date of consent before 1 November 2024 then they will be given a 2024 registration. The practice may receive a registration payment.

Between 1 November 2024 and 31 January 2025, Services Australia will automatically transition all current 2024 patients to a lifetime registration.

Payment is not guaranteed as another practice may have previously been paid for this patient’s registration.

Why does my 15-year-old registered patient need to provide consent?

The Indigenous Health Incentive requires each patient to provide their own consent for their personal information to be used. The incentive specifies that a young person has the capacity to provide their own consent at 15 years of age.

Patients under 15, who are registered under a parent’s consent, are required to provide their own consent to continue participating in the incentive once they turn 15 years of age. Consent can be provided by a guardian where the patient is not capable of providing their own consent.

The practice will need to get and update the current registration with either the patient or guardian’s consent.

If the consent is not updated by the time the patient turns 16, their registration will be automatically withdrawn.

The practice can register the patient again at any time if the patient meets the eligibility requirements.

Can a parent or guardian reconsent for a patient who has turned 15?

Under the IHI a guardian can give consent where the patient is not capable of providing their own consent. This applies regardless of patient age.

Can my patient still withdraw their consent?

Yes, a patient can still withdraw their consent at any time as per the current arrangements. They will need to complete the PIP IHI patient withdrawal of consent (IP029) form. This form is available on Services Australia's website.

They can also re-register again if they still meet the eligibility requirements.

Why is the registration payment amount being reduced?

The incentive payments are transitioning from a focus on registration payment to a stronger focus on provision of health services. Whilst the registration amount is being reduced the Tier 2 payment amount is being increased.

With the incentive moving to lifetime patient registration, it is expected the number of patient registrations the practice needs to enter will significantly reduce annually.

Are patients under 15 years eligible for lifetime registration?

Yes, patients under 15 years of age are eligible for lifetime registration. However, once they turn 15 years of age the consent of a parent is not acceptable for them to continue under lifetime registration.

The practice needs to get and update the 15-year-old’s registration with either:

• their own consent, or
• the consent of a guardian, where you have determined that they do not have the capacity to consent on their own behalf

Updating consent is essential so the agency does not automatically withdraw the patient when they turn 16 years of age.

If the practice has registered for HPOS communication, when PIP IHI registered patients turn 15, they receive a letter to update their registration.

If unsure of their practice's communication preferences, explain how they can check themselves or offer to check while they are on the phone.

Note: they need need to verify they are an owner or authorised contact person before checking the system.

Will patients be automatically withdrawn from the IHI when they turn 15?

Patients must provide their own consent to participate in the IHI when they are 15 or older. To minimise the risk of gaps in registration and assessment periods, patient registrations will remain current until the patient is 16. At this time the patient’s registration will be automatically withdrawn.

If the patient is withdrawn from the IHI they can also re-register at any time if they still meet the eligibility requirements.

To ensure the patient is not automatically withdrawn from the IHI when they turn 16, the practice must get and update the young person’s current registration with:

• their own consent, or
• the consent of a guardian, where you have determined that they do not have the capacity to consent on their own behalf

Updating consent ensures Services Australia do not automatically withdraw the patient at 16 years of age.

Use the current PIP Indigenous Health Incentive patient registration and consent forms that is available on thr agency's website.

I am aware that my patient is already registered at another practice. Can I register them at my practice?

Patients should only be registered at the practice nominated as their usual care provider. If the patient has indicated they wish your practice to be their usual care provider, the practice can register them at their practice.

How can I get a list of all patients registered at my practice?

A Patient List search function is available in the PIP online system.

Search criteria 1 will search for all registered patients under a specific Medicare number.

Search criteria 2 will list patients by Registration Status, name, specific date of birth, date of birth range or any combination of these.

The Patient List screen has a maximum number of records that can be returned when searching. If the number of patients registered at the practice exceeds this maximum, a full list of patients is not available. If this happens narrow the search criteria to access patients in smaller groupings. For example, using a date of birth range such as 01/01/1960 to 31/12/1965.

The listing will only show registration records for 2024 and Lifetime registration. Expired registration records for previous years will not show.

The Patient List screen allows practices to check or confirm patient registration for the incentive. It is not intended to replace practice record keeping.

How can I find out which patients’ registration needs their consent updated because they are turning or have just turned 15?

On the PIP online system, practices can display and download a list of 15 -year-old patients by using a date of birth range on the IHI Patient List screen.

There is a limit on the number of records that can be returned. If the patient list search results exceed the limit, narrow the search to smaller date ranges.

If the practice has registered for HPOS communication, when PIP IHI registered patients turn 15, they receive a letter to update their registration.

If unsure of their practice's communication preferences, explain how they can check themselves or offer to check while they are on the phone.

Note: they need need to verify they are an owner or authorised contact person before checking the system

How can I find out which patients’ registration is going to be withdrawn because they are turning 16?

On the PIP online system, practices can display and download a list of 16-year-old patients by using a date of birth range on the IHI Patient List screen.

There is a limit on the number of records that can be returned. If the patient list search results exceed the limit, narrow the search to smaller date ranges.

Who can provide consent for patients under 15 years?

A parent or guardian must provide consent for patients under 15 years to be registered for the IHI.

I registered a patient after 1 November 2024 but did not receive a patient registration payment?

The final patient registration payments are payable for a 2024 registration only. Where a patient is being registered for Lifetime registration there is no longer a payment.

Patients registered with a consent date after 1 November 2024 are receiving lifetime registration and are not eligible to patient registration payments.

Row

Patient

Date of Consent (DoC)

Date of Processing

Registration created

Patient Registration Payment for 2024

Note

1

New

01/01/2024 - 31/10/2024

01/01/2024 - 31/01/2025

2024

Yes

Lifetime created overnight from 1/11/2024

(row 5)

2

New

01/11/2024 - 31/12/2024

01/11/2024 - 31/01/2025

2024 and

Lifetime

(Start date = 01/01/2025)

No

3

New

01/11/2024 - 31/12/2024

>= 01/02/2025

Lifetime

(Start date = 01/01/2025)

No

4

New

>= 01/01/2025

>= 01/01/2025

Lifetime

(Start date = DoC)

No

5

Existing 2024 registration

N/A

01/11/2024 - 31/01/2025

Automated - Lifetime given to all current 2024 registrations

(Start date = 01/01/2025)

No

Services Australia overnight batch process

Patient consent date on form

Date of form lodgement/processing

Patient consent date for processing

Between 1 January and 31 December of the previous year

Before 31 January of the current year

Use the actual patient consent date on the form.

Forms can be processed up to 31 January of the following year.

Between 1 January and 31 October of the previous year

After 31 January of the current year

The form must be rejected as the patient consent date is before the current registration period.

1 November and 31 December of the previous year

After 31 January and before 31 December of the current year

Use 1 January of the processing year as the patient consent date. Place a processing note on the form stating: Consent date of 01/01/YY used as per Operational Blueprint consent date workaround'.

Item

Policy

1

Forms cannot be signed by the attending doctor

Do not accept a patient consent signed by the attending doctor on behalf of the patient.

Return the form to the practice. See: Letters and electronic messaging, Practice Incentives Program (PIP) letters

2

Patients without the ability or capacity to sign

Some examples of when a patient may not be able to sign:

• They are in an aged care facility and have dementia. The patient is not able to sign. It is acceptable for a person in authority to sign on behalf of the patient. This might be a manager or a nursing manager
• They have a physical disability that prevents them from signing. A relative may sign on their behalf

A person in authority at an aged care facility is the same person who is able to sign Medicare claims on behalf of the patient.

3

Patients under 15 years

For patients under 15 years, the patient’s parent or guardian must sign the consent form.

4

Patients 15 years or over

Where the patient is 15 years or over, either:

• a parent or guardian can sign the consent form, or
• the patient can sign. They do not have to have their own Medicare card

5

Patients under the care of a parent or guardian

Where a patient is 15 or older and someone other than the patient has signed the declaration, it is assumed the patient does not have the capacity to sign the form. The form is acceptable.

Item

Description

1

Check CDMS

1246 - the search did not show a unique record:

• Check the search criteria details against the details on the form. Change if needed
• If the search is still unsuccessful, search for the patient in the CDMS to confirm the patient’s details

If the CDMS search is unsuccessful, and the patient record is not found, see Step 11 in Table 1 on the Process page to return an incomplete form.

1267 - the patient’s Medicare record cannot be accessed due to:

• the patient having 2 open Medicare card numbers
• a return mail flag has been set (from any program)
• there is a flag for suspicious activity or fraud

CDMS is not always clear as to why the access to the record has been ‘blocked’. Check CDMS to see if it is because of a return mail flag or 2 open Medicare card numbers. The patient must update and/or confirm their personal details with Medicare. See see Step 11 in Table 1 on the Process page to return an incomplete form.

2589 - The patient details have been amended. The patient might have entered the incorrect card issued number (this is the last number on the card).

• Check 1: if the patient is registered in a previous registration period, check if the correct card issue number is recorded against the previous registration
• If the correct card issue number is recorded under the patient’s previous registration, then this can be used to process the new registration. See Step 4 in Table 3 on the Process page
• Check 2: if the Ref No on the Medicare card number is zero or cannot be located on a previous registration, check CDMS to find the active card.
• If the correct card issue number can be located in CDMS, and it can be determined that the card issue number is the reason for the warning message, the registration can be processed. See Step 4 in Table 3 on the Process page

If the Medicare card number cannot be located the registration cannot be processed. See see Step 11 in Table 1 on the Process page to return an incomplete form.

2

Issue a letter

If a registration shows one of the below, the patient enrolment cannot be processed.

Warning messages

• 2586 - The patient is associated on more than one Medicare card
• 2588 - The patient cannot be found
• 2599 - Medicare number invalid
• 2607 - The locality and or postcode do not match
• 2583 - Consumer flagged as deceased. See Item 3 below

Return the form to the practice. Use the PIP IHI - patient/s not registered (Z1874) letter.

3

Patient deceased

2583 - Consumer flagged as deceased

The practice may be entitled to the IHI patient registration payment if:

• The practice advises the patient is deceased
• Check that the patient consent is signed and dated before to the patient's date of death recorded in CDMS. Send a request for a manual payment via the Incentive Escalation Database
• Medicare card has a date of death after the patient consent date
• The patient registration cannot be processed in PIP Online. Send a request for a manual payment via the Incentive Escalation Database

Record a processing note in PaNDA stating: ‘CDMS recorded date of patient death after patient consent date. Manual payment request raised’.

Medicare card has a date of death before the patient consent date

The patient registration cannot be processed. Return the form to the practice. Send the PIP IHI - patient/s not registered (Z1874) letter.