Medicare is the central component in the Australian healthcare system. With Halaxy, Medicare Online claims processing is fully integrated, allowing practitioners to digitally submit claims to Medicare straight from an invoice.
To enable online claims processing in Halaxy, you must have a registered Medicare Location ID. When registered, you'll be able to quickly process:
To register a Medicare Location ID, these are the three basic steps to follow:
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Request a Medicare Location ID.
This ID allows Medicare to identify your practice location as a Halaxy software user, so they can enable online rebates processing for that location. This ID is generated by Halaxy and comes in the format CLK#####.
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Submit required registration forms to Medicare.
This agreement requests Medicare to link your provider number and your location's designated bank account (to receive practitioner rebates) to the Medicare Location ID.
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Complete the activation request with Halaxy.
This informs Halaxy that you've submitted your registration form to Medicare. Halaxy activates your Medicare Location ID, then Medicare completes the registration.
After your Medicare Location ID is activated, you can begin processing Medicare patient rebates, bulk billing or DVA claims Halaxy for your registered location.
For ECLIPSE, there are additional steps to set up your practice for lodging ECLIPSE claims. See our compete guide: Set up ECLIPSE online claiming
Note
Medicare Location ID may also be referred to in Medicare forms as the term Minor ID. These both refer to the same CLK identification number.
Tip
Once you're all set up, you can also set up automated rebates processing for an entirely hands-off approach.
Follow these instructions for how to set up a Medicare Location ID to process online claims for your practice locations.
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Step 1: Request a Medicare Location ID
Click Personal > Locations.
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Under the practice location you wish to register, click Request a Location ID. (Note: If you don't see this link, there may be no users in your group with an eligible profession. Contact Halaxy if you need to change your listed profession.)
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In the Assign or Request a Medicare Location ID pop-up, configure the following settings:
Assign existing Location ID: If the practice location already has an existing Location ID, you can choose to assign that ID instead of requesting a new one. After selecting this, choose the existing ID to assign to this location. (Caution: Medicare requires each physical practice location to have its own unique Location ID.)
Request a new Location ID: If the practice does not have a Location ID yet.
Click Submit.
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Step 2: Submit the required registration form to Medicare
After clicking Submit, another pop-up appears with your Medicare Location ID displayed in the format CLK#####.
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Click Download Form to download the Online Claiming Provider Agreement (HW027). Complete this form and submit to Medicare at any of the contact details listed in the form. (You can click Save in the meantime and come back to this pop-up later by going to Personal > Locations and clicking your Medicare Location ID.)
Caution
Do NOT tick the Form has been submitted to Medicare checkbox if you have not yet submitted the form.
Note
If your practice has multiple practitioners, the submission of this form depends on how your practice is set up. If practitioner rebates are to be deposited to only one bank account, it's recommended for only one practitioner to submit this form and assign them to be the payee provider. See related article: Add a Medicare payee provider number
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Step 3: Complete the activation request with Halaxy
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After submitting the required form to Medicare, tick the checkbox next to Form has been submitted to Medicare. Do NOT tick this if you have not yet submitted the form.
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Click Save. In the last pop-up, click Done. Your request has now been submitted to Halaxy, who will activate your Medicare Location ID within the Halaxy platform. During processing, your Medicare Location ID will display a Pending status. This will change to Activated once it is ready for use.
Once Medicare completes your registration, verify your Medicare Location ID.
When your Medicare Location ID is both activated and verified, you can begin processing Medicare patient rebates andbulk billing or DVA claims for this location.
For in-patient claims with private health funds, follow our setup guide for ECLIPSE claims.
Note
Medicare does not send a notification that your registration is complete. Allow Medicare 5 to 6 business days to process your registration. To follow up your activation, call Medicare at 132 150 and prepare to give your provider number, bank account details and Medicare Location ID.
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If you are processing claims at multiple practice locations:
You must still follow the three-step setup process above.
For the registration form step, complete and submit HW027 for your first location, and also the Provider Registration for Electronic Funds Transfer Payments Form (HW029) for any additional locations. This form requests to link one provider number to multiple Medicare Location IDs.
Note
The HW029 form allows you to register up to three locations. If you have more than three locations, you may submit the form multiple times.
Depending on how your practice operates, there are two ways to set up online claims processing for multiple practitioners at a single location.
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Register only one provider number for all practitioners
This is recommended if the registering practitioner is the practice owner or any practitioner who will be with the practice location indefinitely/permanently. This is because their provider number will be linked to the Medicare Location ID and the bank account to receive bulk bill and DVA rebates.
To do this, follow the steps below:
One practitioner follows the three-step setup process.
After Medicare completes the registration, all practitioners at that location must add the registering practitioner's provider number in Halaxy as their payee provider number for Medicare.
Once these are completed, practitioners can begin processing claims from any invoice on Halaxy.
This way, you won't have to require each practitioner to register their provider number and Location ID with Medicare. Related article: Add a Medicare payee provider number
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Register every practitioner provider number
This is recommended if you practice prefers to link multiple provider number to the Medicare Location ID. If any practitioner leaves the practice, all other practitioners can still process claims online as they are individually registered to the Medicare Location ID.
To do this, follow the steps below:
One practitioner follows the three-step setup process.
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For the registration form step, there are two options:
The registering practitioner can fill out and submit the Bank Account Details for Online Claiming Form (HW052), which can register up to six provider numbers for one location, or
Each practitioner in the practice location completes the Online Claiming Provider Agreement (HW027).
Once the registration has been completed by Medicare, all registered practitioners can begin processing claims on Halaxy.
Note
Even if multiple practitioners are registered for online claims processing at one location, all practitioner rebates will be deposited to the bank account registered in the submitted form.
Here are some helpful tips for filling out the registration form.
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Page 1 and Page 2
Your name: Enter your full name that is registered with AHPRA.
Medicare provider number: This should be 8 characters long, made up of digits and letters. If your provider number is 7 digits long, add a 0 at the start.
Registration (RA) number: Write N/A or leave blank.
PKI registration number: Write N/A or leave this field blank.
Terms and conditions: Read these on page 1 and 2, and contact Medicare on 132 150 if you have any questions.
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Page 3
Minor ID (Medicare Location ID): The unique identifier generated by Halaxy that Medicare uses to identify your practice location from the software.
Practice name: If you operate as a sole practitioner in your own name, use your own name.
Practice address: This is your practice location address, not your home address (unless your practice is located in your home).
Practice contact name: You can enter your name, the practice owner's name, or the main reception staff.
Account number: This can include up to 9 digits. If your account number is 6 digits long, write it with 3 space free. Medicare only deposits to transaction/debit accounts; it does not deposit to credit cards.
Account name: The practice location's account - there's no need to set up a separate account for this purpose.
Checkbox: Tick only Medicare bulk bill/Department of Veterans' Affairs claims. Do not tick Australian Childhood Immunisation Register claims.
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Extra tips
To avoid confusion, when writing down numbers, write the number zero with a line strike through it and the number 1 as it appears in computer print.
You do not need to link your account or provider number through PRODA. Halaxy can do this on your behalf as part of the registration process.
You do not need to obtain and install a PKI Site Certificate. Leave the PKI registration number field blank or write N/A.
You can post, fax or email the form to Medicare at the contact details shown on page 1.
You can contact Medicare at any time for help in completing the form at 132 150.
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