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

Payments under the PIP IHI

Between 2022 and 2025 payments under the IHI transitioned from a focus on patient registration to an outcome based focus. This period saw a reduction in the patient registration payment each year until the payment ceased with the introduction of lifetime registration on 2 January 2025.Patient registration payments were only paid for the patients over 15 years of age at the date of consent.

The final patient registration payments were made in the February 2024 quarterly payment. Only patients with a consent date on or before 31 October 2024 and not previously registered for 2024 were eligible.

Table 1: this table describes the payments under the incentive for 2024 and 2025 onwards.

Payment type	1 January 2024	1 January 2025
Practice Sign-on payment	$1000	$1000 (once only, paid in the quarter after approval)
Patient Registration	$100	$0
Tier 1 Outcome	$100	$100
Tier 2 Outcome	$200	$300

Patient registration FAQs

In the following table 'I' and ‘you’ refers to the caller making the enquiry.

Table 2

Question

Answer

Why was the registration payment phased out?

The incentive payments transitioned from a focus on registration payment to a stronger focus on provision of health services. Whilst the registration amount ceased, the Tier 2 payment amount 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.

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, you can register them at your practice.

Select Yes to continue the registration process in HPOS.

How can I find out which patients’ registration is going to be withdrawn because they are turning or have just turned 15 years?

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.

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.

The record limit applies to internal and external users and cannot be overridden.

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

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.

Services Australia sends letters to all practices listing their patients who have turned 15 and need to update their consent to remain registered. These letters are sent through HPOS to the primary authorised contact person.

To receive the letters, the practice must have 'online' selected for general correspondence and the primary authorised contact person must have their RA linked to the practice profile.

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 must 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 years?

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.

Letters

Services Australia has endorsed the letter or electronic message for use. It is the latest version. Do not use locally produced letters or electronic message.

Practice Incentives Program (PIP)

Letter Z3027 is issued automatically from the PIP Online system.

Z3027 - Practice Incentives Program - Indigenous Health Incentive Keeping your patients registered

Services Australia website

Apply for the Practice Incentives Program > Indigenous Health incentive > Indigenous Health Incentive guidelines

Practice incentives

Forms

Practice Incentives Program Indigenous Health Incentive practice application form (IP026)

Practice Incentives Program Indigenous Health Incentive patient registration and consent form (IP017)

Practice Incentives Program Indigenous Health Incentive patient withdrawal of consent form (IP029)

External websites

Better access initiative - Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

Practice Incentives Program - Indigenous Health Incentive - Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

Policy for signing patient consent forms for IHI

Table 3

Item	Policy
1	The attending doctor cannot sign forms 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. 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 can 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.

Policy for registration warning messages

Table 4

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’s record is not found, see Table 2 > Step 11 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 Table 2 > Step 11 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 Table 4 > Step 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 Table 4 > Step 3 on the Process page If the Medicare card number cannot be located the registration cannot be processed. See Table 2 > Step 11 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 Registration forms cannot be processed if Medicare has recorded the patient as deceased. Registration forms for deceased patients should be rejected. Upload the form to the practice profile and add a profile comment that includes the patient could not be registered because the Medicare system shows them as deceased. Do not return the form to the practice.

Operational Information