Compliance Program 2013–15
Foreword—from the Minister
My department is now moving into its third year of providing a range of services that meet the needs
of the Australian community for social, health, welfare and child support services.
Recent changes to our service delivery model have shaped the way people engage with us and
provided more streamlined services to make it easier for people to obtain payments and services. We
aim to support people to meet their obligations when receiving social, health or welfare payments, or
fulfil their obligations in making child support payments. We also assist health professionals to meet
their obligations when claiming Medicare benefits or incentives, through ongoing education and
stakeholder collaboration. Similarly, we assist businesses to meet their obligations under a variety of
programs.
The majority of people who deal with us are honest and want to do the right thing and the department
works hard to support them in meeting their obligations
In the coming financial years there are six main areas of focus for compliance activities. These efforts
will further improve and protect the billions of dollars the department delivers to the Australian
community to ensure we provide the right payment to the right person at the right time. The areas of
focus are:

using prevention and early intervention strategies

contacting people in a variety of ways

developing, testing and implementing new interventions

reducing outstanding debt to government

increasing fraud detection

building our capability to detect new and emerging risks.
We will continue to identify key risks associated with Medicare claiming and adopt a range of
approaches including targeted education, audits and reviews. We work very closely with a wide range
of stakeholders to ensure they are well informed on all aspects of our compliance approach.
We will intervene quickly to correct payments when honest mistakes occur. We will continue to work
with people who find themselves in debt, providing a range of support including financial assistance
and counselling. We have also increased our efforts in detecting and taking action against those who
intentionally engage in fraud.
Apart from its utility as a strategic document, the Compliance Program supports the public, health
professionals, businesses, community groups, the media and other government agencies to
understand the department’s efforts in protecting the integrity of Australia’s welfare, health payment
and services systems.
The department appreciates the great trust and responsibility it has been given to protect the integrity
of the services delivered to the Australian community.
Introducing the Department of Human Services
The Department of Human Services (the department) delivers Medicare, Centrelink and Child
Support payments and services.
The department provides policy advice on service delivery matters to government to ensure effective,
innovative and efficient implementation of government services. The priority is to give people access
to welfare, health and other payments and services in ways that suits their circumstances.
About this document
This document outlines the key departmental compliance activities for 2013–15. Compliance activity
is necessary to ensure that government outcomes are achieved. It plays an important role in
addressing the department-wide strategic risk—‘Failure to manage the integrity of government
outlays’.
It supports the department’s staff, the public, health professionals, businesses, community groups,
the media and other government agencies to understand the importance of protecting the integrity of
Australia’s welfare, health payment and services systems.
The range of people we support is diverse. We make payments to individuals that fall into a variety of
groups such as students, working age people, families, older Australians, people with disability and
veterans. We also make payments to:

health professionals and allied health professionals—including, for example, doctors, dentists and
optometrists, pathology authorities, radiology practices, pharmacies and pharmacists

businesses—including, health insurance funds, users of the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation
Scheme and contracted third-party organisations.
As well, we take the lead role in assisting people affected by emergencies and natural disasters.

Our compliance priorities—what the priority areas of compliance will be over the next two years.

Our compliance approach—outlines the department’s strategic focus on early intervention and
prevention to help people get their correct entitlements through to using the full force of the law to
prosecute fraud.

Our compliance model—explains how the department uses a mix of compliance activities in
response to all levels of non-compliance.

Managing compliance—details how the department minimises debt, detects incorrect payments,
recovers outstanding debts and addresses fraud.

Our targeted compliance strategies—sets out how our compliance activities apply to either
individuals or to specific groups, for example, families, older Australians, working age people,
health professionals and businesses.
This document provides an overview of the department’s compliance strategies and activities. Any
specific compliance action undertaken is tailored to particular cases.
Our compliance priorities

Using prevention and early intervention strategies—by providing information and education
resources and by moving interventions closer to the point at which an error occurs.

Contacting people in a variety of ways—for example, we may use a range of targeted
communication channels to contact people who we identify as needing to update their
circumstances or who may have been overpaid and at risk of incurring a debt or health
professionals whose claiming pattern is significantly different to that of their peers.

Developing, testing and implementing new interventions—to address risk associated with
non-compliance, the department is working to increase its use of early intervention outbound calls
and electronic messaging to educate and encourage people to meet their compliance
requirements and reporting obligations.

Reducing debt—reducing outstanding debt to government through a range of strategies which
include enhancing our departmental and cross-agency performance in both minimising
overpayments and recovering debts as quickly as possible.

Increasing fraud detection—by working with others to ensure identity fraud, undeclared assets
and income and unusual patterns of online activity are identified and by analysing data to identify
high billing or unusual claiming patterns.

Building our capability to detect new and emerging risks—for example, by preventing and
disrupting organised crime and systemic fraud before it becomes established in Australia’s
welfare and health support systems.
Our compliance approach
The majority of people the department deals with are honest and want to comply with legislative and
program requirements. We aim to support people to meet their obligations when receiving a social,
health or welfare payment or to fulfil their obligations in making a child support payment.
Our compliance approach protects the billions of dollars the department delivers to make sure we
provide the right payment to the right person at the right time. This approach helps protect the
integrity of our health, welfare and child support payment systems and our compliance approach
responds to the needs of different groups of people who access our payments and services.
Compliance strategies take account of a range of payments, services and health related benefits
provided by the department, as well as the circumstances of individuals and health providers.
Payment integrity means ensuring payments are being managed correctly and that appropriate
checks exist to minimise the likelihood of errors. This has the strong support of government and the
Australian people.
We are focused on early intervention and prevention to help people get their correct entitlements and
we assist health professionals to meet their obligations and responsibilities. We work with people to
resolve any issues, if they have not complied with reporting requirements because of genuine
mistakes. Where there is deliberate fraud, offenders may be prosecuted.
The department continues to monitor and evaluate our approach to help shape future
compliance activities.
For separated parents accessing child support services, the compliance approach differs. The
approach aims to reduce the rate of growth of child support debt by increasing the number of
finalised debts. Although more parents now pay their child support in full and on time, strong
detection and enforcement measures are still needed for parents who deliberately choose not to
meet their child support obligations.
Our compliance model
The department’s compliance model recognises that most people want to provide correct and up-todate information. A mix of compliance activities helps people to receive accurate payments and
encourages them to meet their obligations.
Changes to the department’s service delivery model have shaped the way people engage with us
and have provided more streamlined services to make it easier for them to access payments or
services. Improved communication helps better understand how best to meet people’s needs and
prevent inaccuracies. The aim of the compliance model is to make it easy for people to do the right
thing through education and other assistance.
Our main priority remains to work with people to help them comply with their payment requirements
and other obligations. This means educating people about what they need to tell us and how to avoid
debts. To achieve this we provide information through various communication channels including
letters, our website, mobile device apps, and via the media.
Another key element of our compliance model is to quickly identify and contact people who need to
update their circumstances or may have received overpayments. We also review people’s
entitlements and audit health professionals to ensure they are entitled to the amount they are
receiving.
The department’s fraud control processes are designed to focus intelligence and investigation activity
on the most serious cases of non-compliance rather than on those people making honest mistakes.
Where there is suspected fraudulent activity we use a mix of sophisticated fraud investigation
techniques, including advanced data analytics, profiling and working with law enforcement or
regulatory agencies. This includes detecting organised and systemic fraud, identity fraud, undeclared
assets and income, unusual patterns of online activity and high billing or unusual claiming patterns.
Where fraud is identified we recover overpayments and refer serious matters for prosecution.
The following diagram shows the strategies we use to respond from low through to high levels of
compliance.
Managing compliance
Understanding our risks and learning from experience
Continually assessing, controlling and monitoring compliance risks are central to managing
compliance. The department’s priorities are to assess identified risks using the best available
evidence, including information from data analysis, reviews and audits. To understand emerging risks
we keep up to date with the latest developments and trends in the welfare and health fields. We also
consult with a wide range of stakeholders, such as community advisory groups, so that we can better
understand factors that affect compliance.
A key area of focus for the department is managing the risk associated with customers electing to
manage their own business through self service channels. In response, we are identifying and
implementing compliance strategies that complement the transition to online self service
environments.
Through risk assessment processes, intelligence gathering and post-case analysis, the department is
able to see emerging patterns that allow us to learn from experience and use this knowledge to
develop compliance responses.
Focusing on prevention and early intervention
The department continues its compliance transformation to a risk-based model that focuses on early
intervention and prevention. Significant progress has been made in this transformation by
establishing a risk-based business model and implementing a number of early intervention activities.
This has led to new compliance interventions which educate, inform and assist people accessing
payments and services. The department continues to use the latest technologies and self service
applications to educate individuals, health professionals and businesses about their payments and
obligations with less direct intervention from the department.
Most people do the right thing and meet their obligations. We aim to prevent payment inaccuracy,
rather than simply detect overpayments or non-compliance after the event.
The department continues to educate people about their reporting obligations and increase the
number of early and direct contacts we have with them.
We contact individuals early in several ways. We phone people who we have identified as having a
change in circumstances, like starting a new job or people who are falling behind in their child support
payments. This early contact helps us to update our records, reduce debts, and reinforce the need for
people to meet their reporting obligations. We send targeted feedback letters to health professionals
about service levels and bulk billing incentive items. Early intervention activities continue to help
parents fulfil their child support obligations to financially support their children and minimise
unnecessary reliance on welfare support.
Checking information to minimise debt and overpayments
We check information to ensure there are no discrepancies in the details people give us. If there is a
discrepancy, we contact people to help them comply. As a result, we may stop payments, change the
amount of payment and/or recover a debt.
Data-matching
We cross reference millions of records with data held by Australian Government departments and
agencies, state and territory governments, financial institutions such as banks, and employment
service providers. This is called data-matching.
Using data-matching we check:

income from employment, business, and investments

departures and arrivals to/from Australia

property and other assets

superannuation details

enrolment details with public and private education institutions

identity and relationship status.
Important: the department does not match personal health information records, or Pharmaceutical
Benefits Scheme and Medical Benefits Schedule data. Data-matching is carried out in line with the
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner guidelines and relevant legislation.
Data analytics
The department uses advanced data analytical techniques to find underlying patterns of incorrect
payment and fraud. This involves sophisticated statistical and behavioural analysis and modelling to
uncover patterns in data and identify those most at risk. We use data analytics to more effectively
target our compliance and fraud control activities.
The department undertakes data analytics across the health programs to detect new and emerging
risks. This includes geospatial analysis of claims data and prediction of growth within programs to
identify unusual areas of growth that may be due to non-compliant or opportunistic billing. Data
analytics has expanded beyond analysing Medicare providers to include pharmacies and consumers.
Future work in data analytics includes creating models which define the characteristics of high-risk
entities. These characteristics help build risk profiles on individuals, health professionals and
companies. The results of compliance activities from projects and tip-offs are used to refine existing
systems and develop new detection techniques.
Public tip-offs
Reviewing people’s payments resulting from tip-offs builds confidence in the integrity of the income
support system. People can report suspected fraud via the Australian Government Services Fraud
Tip-off Line on 131 524, or via the department’s website at humanservices.gov.au/fraud
Information from the public about people who may have incorrectly or fraudulently claimed or
received a payment or benefit is used to review entitlements and, if appropriate, carry out
investigations.
Contacts from health professionals or the public about potential fraud relating to health care
programs are individually assessed to determine whether an investigation is required. Allegations that
indicate problems with patient safety are referred to the relevant authorities.
Privacy legislation and secrecy provisions prevent the department from disclosing information about
customers to the person providing the tip-off. This includes any review or investigation that may occur
as a result of a tip-off. Although the department is unable to report the results of these reviews or
investigations, this should not be taken as inactivity.
The department matches data with state, territory and Australian Government agencies and
also business entities to identify non-compliance. New data-sharing arrangements are being
developed all the time. The department also continues to use information from the
Australian Government Services Fraud Tip-off Line.
Identifying, investigating and prosecuting fraud
Fraud is intentional non-compliance that results in a person receiving payments to which they are not
entitled. Mistakes or inadvertent oversights are not considered to be fraud. A small number of people
try to fraudulently exploit the system. If a person deliberately makes false or misleading statements or
intentionally fails to report their circumstances to gain a financial advantage, the department takes
action. This may include criminal prosecution.
Cash economy
Cash economy is defined as ‘income producing activity that is not part of the regulated economy’.
Because people are tempted not to declare this extra income, the cash economy is a risk to payment
accuracy.
Declare your cash earnings or risk prosecution
Mandy was receiving unemployment benefits. However, we found out that she was running a
successful cleaning business and she was not reporting her income. When the Commonwealth
Director of Public Prosecutions prosecuted Mandy, she pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six
months jail and ordered to repay $26 000.
We support a whole-of-government approach to addressing risks associated with the cash economy.
As a member of the Joint Agency Cash Economy Strategic Working Group—with representatives
from the Australian Taxation Office, the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace
Relations and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship—we keep up to date with the latest
developments and investigation techniques.
While we monitor many industries, cash payments in the transport, fruit picking and harvesting
industries are of special interest.
Organised and systemic fraud
We have a strong focus on detecting and disrupting organised and systemic fraud. Organised and
systemic fraud is planned and often involves groups of people working together to commit crime.
We have one of the most sophisticated fraud detection and investigation systems in the world. We
use our significant intelligence and investigative capability to ensure that people involved in organised
and systemic welfare and health-related fraud are caught and prosecuted. Government funding has
equipped the department with new systems, data sources and multi-disciplinary teams of
investigators, financial and intelligence analysts.
The department continues to expand its detection capabilities to prevent systemic and
organised fraud becoming established in the welfare and health-related support systems.
We work closely with the Australian Crime Commission, Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis
Centre and other state, territory and Australian Government law enforcement agencies to combat
organised crime. We regularly share information and intelligence with our law enforcement partners
to assist governments to deal with organised crime in the community. Our cooperation has helped to
disrupt and successfully investigate a number of individuals and groups involved in serious crimes
including drug importation and money laundering.
Responding to fraudulent activity
A small number of people deliberately try to exploit the department’s payments and services. Our
processes for selecting matters for investigation are carefully designed to target matters involving
dishonesty or other types of criminal behaviour rather than mistakes. If an investigation finds the
overpayment was due to an honest mistake, the matter ends with recovery of the debt. Investigations
that reveal evidence of criminal behaviour are referred to the Commonwealth Director of Public
Prosecutions. As well as having to repay a debt, fraudulent behaviour can lead to prosecution and
imprisonment.
The department is a member of the Heads of Commonwealth Operational Law Enforcement
Agencies and an active member of the Australian Government law enforcement community. This
enables us to contribute to a whole-of-government approach to targeting commonwealth fraud and
actively participate in developing national crime assessments.
The department is aware that people who behave fraudulently often find new ways to abuse the
system. We work closely with state, territory and Australian Government law enforcement agencies to
ensure we are aware of new or emerging techniques that may be used by offenders to fraudulently
target the welfare system. We design specific projects to target evolving and emerging risks, such as
working with business entities to detect undeclared income.
Our investigations are conducted in line with the Australian Government Investigation Standards. We
have Australian Federal Police officers out-posted to our investigation teams to guide, train and
support staff. These officers also execute search warrants to support our investigations.
The criteria we use to decide if an allegation warrants investigation include:

the person’s history of compliance

the likely existence of criminality

a consideration of whether investigation and possible prosecution is an appropriate response

the dollar value of the fraud.
In some cases we use optical surveillance specialists to provide video evidence of fraudulent
behaviour.
The department continues to enhance its serious non-compliance capability to investigate where
there has been deliberate non-compliance in the Medicare program. This includes steps to improve
our intelligence capability to identify and analyse cases for investigation.
This ensures incidents of fraud are detected and appropriately investigated. Investigation and referral
for prosecution of individuals or corporate entities who act fraudulently is a crucial element of our
overall compliance response, serving as a deterrent for future fraudulent behaviour.
Our targeted compliance strategies
The range of people we support is diverse. For example, we make payments to individuals that fall
into a variety of groups such as students, working age people, families, older Australians, people with
disability and health professionals. As well, we take a lead role in assisting people affected by
emergencies and natural disasters.
Our interactions with employers are also important. For example, employers may withhold a
separated person’s wages to make sure child support payments are paid.
Debt recovery
The department is responsible for ensuring public funds are delivered correctly through social,
welfare and health payment systems. Where possible we aim to prevent incorrect payments and
claims. We use a range of measures to do this, including education, targeted early intervention and
support to both customers and health professionals.
Depending on the circumstances, we help people to make arrangements to repay money they were
not entitled to and provide information to help them avoid debts in future. For people currently
receiving a payment, the department will:

reduce their payments to help repay the amount owing

stop any advance payments.
The rate of repayment can be varied in cases of financial hardship.
For people who are not currently receiving a payment, the department has a range of choices to
repay outstanding debts, including via:

Australia Post

BPAY

direct debit

cheque.
Repaying debts from fortnightly payments
Carlos owed the department $1500 in overpayments. A set amount started to come out of his
fortnightly payments to repay the debt. However, he was having problems repaying the debt and
we negotiated a new repayment arrangement so that he was not placed in severe financial
hardship.
When people are no longer receiving payments from the department and they do not enter into a
voluntary repayment arrangement, the department can, where appropriate:

refer their accounts to a collection agency

take the debt out of their wages, tax refund and other assets and income (including money in their
bank account)

refer their case for legal action.
Managing debt
Specific debt management priorities for 2013–15 are to:

develop and implement improvements to business processes and computer systems

enhance the sophistication and availability of management information relating to debt, to better
understand the causes and drivers of debt

improve processes within the department to minimise debt creation and improve efficiency in debt
raising and recovery.
Compensation recovery
Rules specific to compensation prevent people receiving both compensation payments and income
support payments at the same time. The department takes compensation payments into account
when assessing a person’s eligibility for payments or benefits. Continuing periodic payments of
compensation, such as weekly worker’s compensation, reduces the payment amount received. If
people fail to tell us about compensation payments, they may accumulate a debt to the department.
Individuals
These compliance activities may apply to individuals who receive Medicare benefits, Centrelink
payments, or to separated parents who pay or receive child support.
Proof of identity
Establishing the identity of our customers is an important aspect of maintaining the integrity of the
department’s services. Getting accurate proof of identity helps to correctly assess people’s eligibility
for assistance and reduce risks associated with identity fraud.
In 2013, the department will sign on as a user of the Document Verification Service, giving us the
capability to verify certain high-value identity credentials with the relevant issuer agency.
The department continues to verify proof of identity and match records to reduce the risk of
payment error.
Identity fraud
We use data analytics and other sources (such as the Australian Government Services Fraud Tip-off
Line) to identify potential identity fraud. Identity-related fraud involves people using fake, manipulated,
stolen or borrowed identities to fraudulently claim payments from the department. Our intelligence
analysts and fraud investigators use advanced detection and investigation techniques to identify this
type of fraud.
The department continues to use sophisticated investigation methods and keeps up to date
with the latest techniques to detect and investigate identity fraud.
We are one of 13 Australian Government agencies that make up the Commonwealth Reference
Group on identity crime. This group meets regularly to discuss operational issues, establish links,
exchange information on trends, and keep up-to-date with the latest detection and investigation
techniques and software.
Using a fake identity to collect payments
In 2012–13, a man was jailed for 18 months for fraudulently collecting thousands of dollars in
payments using a false identity. This was the man’s first offence. He dishonestly collected
payments for Disability Support Pension and Age Pension.
Self service (online activity)
We continue to enhance our self service channels to make it easier for people to manage their
business with us. This includes people claiming benefits, updating their circumstances and reporting
online, via mobile device apps and/or automated telephone Interactive Voice Response options.
To ensure payment integrity, we use specific techniques that identify unusual patterns of online
activity. Suspicious transactions are assessed by our intelligence teams and action is taken to
address any suspected fraud.
Leaving Australia
If people leave Australia they may still be entitled to receive Centrelink payments. How long they
continue to receive a payment depends on the time spent overseas, the type of payment, the country
they are travelling to, how long they are going for and how long they have lived in Australia.
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship provides the department with details of people
leaving and entering Australia. We use this information to ensure payments are correct while
recipients are outside Australia and after they return.
In the case of parents with outstanding child support payments, we can issue departure prohibition
orders which stops them leaving Australia until they pay their child support or make a suitable
payment arrangement.
We also have a Travelling with Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme Medicine Enquiry Line and website
with information to help individuals understand their rights and responsibilities when taking or sending
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme medicines overseas.
Assisting in emergencies
To ensure that people receive their correct payment entitlement following emergencies, we use a
range of sophisticated analytical tools, law enforcement data and investigation processes. We identify
people who are at risk of non-compliance or risk of committing fraud. When necessary we intervene
and take action to deal with individual cases.
We also use risk profiling to identify high-risk claims. This approach is used when processing
Australian Government Disaster Relief Payments.
Rent Assistance—help with paying rent
To ensure people receive the correct amount of Rent Assistance, they must verify their rent details
and tell us if their housing circumstances change. Community housing organisations can verify their
tenant’s rent details electronically.
Sometimes people sharing accommodation or living in relationships do not tell the department. These
people are usually identified through data-matching and tip-offs.
The department continues to contact people at risk of receiving incorrect Rent Assistance
to ensure they get the correct entitlement.
Death matching
The department undertakes Payment After Death reviews by regularly data matching with state and
territory registrar general offices to ensure as much as possible, that no payments are made, and that
no inadvertent debt is accumulated or raised to the detriment of the person’s estate, partner/spouse,
trustee or person in a position to administer banking accounts.
A deceased customer’s estate, partner/spouse, trustee or person in a position to administer banking
accounts of the deceased person may not be aware that payment of benefits must stop, or may not
have remembered to notify the department that benefits need to stop. If benefits continue after the
date of a death, they will accumulate a debt owed to the Commonwealth.
Prescription information
We provide national Prescription Shopping Information Services to health professionals to support
their prescribing decisions in managing patients’ health care needs. Prescription shopping, also
known as ‘doctor’ shopping, is when patients knowingly or deliberately obtain more medicine than
they may medically need.
Families
Reconciling Family Tax Benefit and Child Care Benefit
A person’s entitlement to Family Tax Benefit and/or Child Care Benefit is based on family income
during a financial year. Families can choose to receive some, all or none of their entitlements during
the year. These options give people flexibility to adjust their payments as their income and family
circumstances change throughout the year.
When people choose to receive Family Tax Benefit fortnightly and Child Care Benefit as reduced
fees, we carry out end-of-year checking (‘reconciliation’). This takes into account a person’s actual
income, rather than the estimate provided during the year. When Family Tax Benefit and Child Care
Benefit payments are reconciled, the department can accurately assess a person’s Family Tax
Benefit and Child Care Benefit entitlements.
We then tell people if they were overpaid or if they are entitled to ‘top up’ payments. Overpayments of
Family Tax Benefit and Child Care Benefit may be recovered from any future family assistance
payments, supplement payments and tax refunds.
Non-lodgement of tax returns
We cannot reconcile Family Tax Benefit entitlements until the recipient and their partner (if they have
one) have lodged their tax return(s) for the financial year or told us that lodgement is not required.
People who are not required to lodge a tax return need to confirm their actual income with the
department after the end of the financial year. People can do this either online, by phone or in
person.
People who do not lodge their tax returns may have a debt for all of the Family Tax Benefit they
received in the financial year. As a result, fortnightly payment of Family Tax Benefit may also be
stopped. Fortnightly payments are not re-started until the person has either paid off the debt, lodged
all outstanding tax returns or told us they are not required to do so.
Lodging tax returns to get the correct amount of Family Tax Benefit
Alice receives Family Tax Benefit for her children and provided an estimate at the beginning of
2010-11 of how much she thought she and her partner would earn over the coming year.
In July 2011, Alice advised us that as she had not earned any taxable income for 2010-11 and that
she did not need to lodge a tax return. Matthew, her partner, had worked and had to lodge a tax
return.
Alice was sent a reminder letter in April 2012 telling her that if Matthew’s tax return was not lodged
by 30 June 2012, she would have to pay back all of the Family Tax Benefit she received in 201011, and her fortnightly payments may stop.
By November 2012, Matthew still had not lodged his tax return. Alice was advised that she would
have to pay back the Family Tax Benefit payments she received for 2010-11, and her Family Tax
Benefit payments would be stopped.
Matthew then lodged his tax return. The Family Tax Benefit payments started up again, and
because of their income for 2010-11 they were also eligible for a top-up payment.
From 2012-13, customers will have one year instead of two to lodge their tax return or advise that
they are not required to lodge a tax return in order to receive any additional Family Tax Benefit
entitlements.
Separated families
Under child support arrangements, separated parents make payments for the benefit of their children.
Our compliance strategy provides parents with the right balance of service, support, education and
enforcement activities to help them meet their obligations.
Most separated parents have private collection arrangements, which involve transferring payments
between parents with little or no involvement from us. Parents can also choose to pay us directly and
we will transfer payments between parents.
Ensuring assessments of parental income are accurate
Current Australian Taxation Office reported income is used to ensure children from separated
families receive financial support in line with their parents’ financial capacity. When reported income
details are not available, we determine an appropriate amount to be the paying parent’s adjusted
taxable income. If needed, we also work with the Australian Taxation Office to encourage people to
lodge their tax returns.
If a parent thinks their income will be less than the original estimate they gave us, they can contact us
to have their child support assessment changed. Parents can also ask for a change of assessment if
they have special circumstances that may make their current child support estimate unfair.
The department encourages parents to lodge their tax returns to ensure our child support
assessments are based on actual income.
Taking action on outstanding child support
We support parents who miss payments. If they miss one payment we contact the parent to talk
about the reason they missed the payment and to remind them about their future child support
responsibilities. If a parent falls behind with payments we make every attempt to contact them to
negotiate an arrangement for outstanding child support payments. If parents do not make their
payment by the due date a late payment penalty is applied.
We may remove the penalties imposed on parents who do not pay on time if missed payments were
beyond their control or if a parent agrees to clear all outstanding amounts and complies with this
arrangement.
If a parent falls behind in their child support payments, we take action to get the payments
up to date.
Enforcing child support collection
Some parents need more encouragement to meet their child support responsibilities. We can use a
range of detection and enforcement measures to collect payments from parents who deliberately
choose not to pay child support.
When parents fail to comply with their obligations the department has statutory powers to obtain
information for the purposes of assessing and collecting child support. We do this through a range of
enforcement steps to ensure we achieve the best outcomes for the children.
We can make an arrangement for an employer to deduct payments from a person’s salary and
wages and take enforcement action, including prosecution. We can deduct child support from
Centrelink payments and some Department of Veterans’ Affairs benefits, or intercept a parent’s tax
refund to pay outstanding debts. We can also stop parents with child support debt from leaving
Australia, and we can take a parent to court to force them to make their payments.
The department continues to use our legal powers to enforce payment of outstanding child
support payments.
Detecting child support non-compliance
Some parents structure their personal and financial affairs to avoid or minimise paying child support.
By detecting such situations early, we can offer parents suitable options and information to achieve
higher levels of compliance.
To improve our detection of non-compliance, we continue to improve data-matching arrangements
with partner agencies, promote the Australian Government Services Fraud Tip-off Line, build on our
fraud detection and investigation activities (especially involving the cash economy and criminal
activities) and work with banks and others to develop faster and more cost-effective ways to gather
information.
The department will increase our focus on the small number of parents who actively avoid
their child support responsibilities, especially people who evade them through the cash
economy or through deliberate misrepresentation.
Older Australians
To qualify for the Age Pension, people must satisfy age and residence requirements. The amount of
Age Pension they receive depends on the person’s income, assets and other circumstances. To
ensure that people receive their correct amount of pension, it is important that they tell us about any
changes to their income or assets.
We regularly contact people receiving Age Pension who identify as having extra income from
investments that may affect their payment. We confirm information with the person, for example
details of the number and type of shares or units they own or other investment account balances.
This helps us to educate people about their reporting obligations. It also helps us to update their
records to reduce the risk of any incorrect payment.
The department continues to contact people who may not have reported owning
investments, or changes to their investments, to remind them of their reporting obligations.
Reviewing investments
We have a comprehensive database of domestic and foreign shares, securities and managed
investments. People who receive payments and who have financial investments need to keep us
informed of which products and how many shares or units they own. They need to tell us about any
changes to their financial investments including a sale, a purchase, a reinvestment plan, or a
company takeover or rationalisation and how this has changed their investment.
We review any assets and income that payment recipients may have from a private trust or private
company by assessing financial reports and any distributions they may have received. At the same
time we also review the level of control that a person can exert over a trust or company, which may
affect the amount of payment received. We also regularly review people who hold income stream
products and also receive income support payments and concession cards.
In 2012–13, the department started data-matching with the Australian Taxation Office, specifically to
review entitlement to Commonwealth Seniors Health Cards. The department will continue this activity
to assist older Australians to comply with their income reporting requirements.
In the nine months to 31 March 2013, the department conducted interventions with 39 681 customers
to discuss their circumstances and remind them about their reporting obligations for income earning
investments and assets.
The department will continue to review and verify information from pensioners about their
investments to ensure they get paid the right amount based on their income and assets.
Pensioners with foreign pensions
Some pensioners who have lived and worked outside Australia are eligible for social security benefits
from another country. We prompt them to make a foreign pension claim when they are receiving an
Australian pension.
To work out a person’s entitlement, each month any foreign income (including from foreign pensions)
is converted to Australian dollars. Although we receive foreign pension details from some countries,
people still need to tell us if their circumstances change.
In the nine months to 31 March 2013, the department conducted interventions with 14 243 customers
to discuss their foreign pension details. The department will continue to contact customers who have
not recently updated their foreign pension details to ensure ongoing compliance.
Pensioners living overseas
Pensioners may choose to live overseas. As long as they continue to qualify, many pensioners may
keep receiving Australian payments under portability rules or international social security
agreements.
The department will continue to review and assess whether people receiving foreign pensions in
Australia and pensioners living overseas are paid correctly and continue to qualify for their
Australian pension payments.
We monitor overseas pensions by identifying when accounts are closed and payments are rejected.
We also receive advice about a person’s change of circumstances from other sources such as
foreign social security agencies or Australian embassies.
In the nine months to 31 March 2013, the department conducted interventions with 3575 customers
living overseas to make sure they continued to qualify for their payments. The department will
continue to contact customers living overseas to ensure ongoing compliance.
Pensioners who also receive a payment from the Department of
Veterans’ Affairs
We match data with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to identify people who may receive
payments from both our organisations. Because people can move between receiving payments from
us and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs we have a clearance process which prevents people
getting two payments at once.
We also update Department of Veterans’ Affairs payment information through data integrity checks.
This is an automatic process that retrieves veterans’ payment information and compares it to the data
held by the department. We follow up any discrepancies between the data.
Aged care services
We review claims for services provided to older Australians through Residential Aged Care Facilities
and the Community Aged Care Program to check correct claiming. In particular we focus on correct
recording of admission, discharge and leave dates to ensure correct payment is made.
The department ensures that aged care providers receive correct payments. We continue to
monitor the potential for incorrect claiming by community and residential aged care
services.
People of working age
Depending on their circumstances people of working age can receive either Newstart Allowance,
Youth Allowance, Parenting Payment, Disability Support Pension or Sickness Allowance. The biggest
risk to accurate payments is the correct reporting of their and their partner’s (or parents’) earnings.
Reporting earnings
All customers receiving income support payments under the Social Security Act 1991 are by law
required to report their earnings to the department. Debts incurred by people who have not reported
their earnings correctly constitute the largest portion of the department’s debt base.
The department continues to explore innovative ways to help people keep details of their
earnings up to date.
We match data with a number of sources, including the Australian Taxation Office, to identify people
who have recently started work and how much they have earned. We also monitor those who
regularly report earnings to ensure they are reported correctly.
The department uses promotion and education to reinforce the requirement to inform the department
as soon as circumstances change, and to remind customers of their reporting obligations.
The department also uses current and emerging technology to engage customers and make
reporting easy. People can report using:

a new Express Plus app using mobile device technology

phone and online services

in person at a department service centre.
In the nine months to 31 March 2013, the department contacted 235 676 customers through early
intervention activity to discuss their commencement of work and educate them on reporting their
earnings correctly. We have also started sending SMS messages to remind people who may have
started work that they need to update their details.
Tell us about paid work
Tanya signed a Tax File Declaration form in late May 2013. We contacted her in early June 2013 to
discuss her employment circumstances. She told the department she had started work and thought
her employer would advise us. She provided details of her earnings and had to repay a small
amount of her Centrelink payment. To avoid this happening again we explained how Tanya could
report her earnings in future. We also suggested Tanya should look on our website for more
information about reporting earnings.
Early access to superannuation
Sometimes working age people can access their superannuation on compassionate grounds or
because of severe financial hardship. We help them do this and monitor arrangements to make sure
they are not exploited.
People with disability
The department undertakes reviews of people who receive Disability Support Pension, particularly
people who have undisclosed income, businesses or assets. We match data with external data
sources to identify people at high risk of not accurately declaring the value of their assets, or underdeclaring their income.
If we think a Disability Support Pensioner’s medical condition and/or capacity to work may have
improved, we ask them to give us an update. We may then ask them to have a Job Capacity
Assessment to find out if they should continue to receive Disability Support Pension.
Employed people and students with a temporary medical condition
Sickness Allowance is a short-term payment for employed people and some full-time students who
are temporarily unable to work or study because of a medical condition. From time to time, we
request information from payment recipients, their doctor and their employer. This is to confirm that
their medical condition still exists and is temporary and that they still have a job or study to return to.
If any of these factors change the person may no longer be eligible for Sickness Allowance, but may
be eligible for another payment.
The department will use any new information about a person’s medical condition to assess
which payment best suits their circumstances.
Single parents
Parents claiming a payment as a single person must remember to tell us if their relationship status
changes, as this may affect their payment rate. In some cases the department may ask for the names
of independent referees to verify any changes in circumstances.
The department will check if a single parent’s relationship status has changed to ensure
their payment is still correct.
We use information matched with the Australian Taxation Office and other agencies, information
generated by internal systems and information from the public, to identify people who claim to be
single, but are actually in a relationship.
Repaying a debt because of changed circumstances
Maria is a single parent on a fortnightly Parenting Payment. In early August she moved in with a
new partner. Maria did not tell us about this until December and in the meantime kept getting paid
as a single parent. Because Maria delayed telling us about her changed circumstances, she had to
repay a debt to the department, the amount of her ongoing payment was reduced, and the
payment changed from Parenting Payment (Single) to Parenting Payment (Partnered).
Students
To receive a study-related payment from us, students have to stay enrolled in an approved course
and undertake the required workload. Enrolment and attendance checks are made regularly through
data matching with a range of educational institutions including universities, technical and further
education providers, secondary schools and private education providers to confirm students who
receive a study-related payment are receiving the correct amount.
In the nine months to 31 March 2013, 13 320 students had interventions conducted as a result of
data-matching to discuss their study details.
The department continues to work with educational institutions to ensure students get their
correct entitlements.
Enrolment details of university students receiving a study-related payment are exchanged with the
department weekly to help reduce student debt.
We have introduced mobile device apps that give students a convenient way of updating their study
details and other changes in circumstances.
Looking for work instead of studying
Stewart is receiving Youth Allowance for studying law at university. The department sends a file to
Stewart’s university to confirm his study details. The university returns a file with Stewart’s
enrolment information which shows Stewart has withdrawn from his course. We contact Stewart,
who says that he had forgotten to let us know and that he is now looking for work. We offer Stewart
the opportunity to transfer to Newstart Allowance. Stewart may have a debt for any Youth
Allowance payments that he was not entitled to receive after he withdrew from his studies at
university.
Carers
The department reviews people who receive Carer Payment and Carer Allowance to ensure they are
still eligible to receive their payments. For example, people receiving Carer Payment must provide
constant care on a daily basis and cannot take on permanent full-time paid work.
Although carers have an obligation to notify us of any changes in their circumstances, we also carry
out reviews of carers and the people they provide care for. By finding out about changes in
circumstances early, we help carers avoid debts and encourage voluntary compliance.
Reviews also assist in detecting payment fraud; for example, we may ask a carer whether they have
stopped their caring responsibilities or had any changes to their income and assets. If they did not tell
us about any changes to their circumstances, they have to pay back any money they were not
entitled to.
The department checks that carers continue to carry out their caring responsibilities while
they are receiving carer payments.
Health professionals
Compliance priorities for health professionals in 2013–15 are to:

provide information, advice and education materials to help health professionals voluntarily
comply with health and aged care program requirements, including information to reinforce that
the department has obligations under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 to
pursue a debt where payments have been made incorrectly

improve relationships and communication with stakeholders to better identify risks to compliance
and to involve peak bodies when we are developing compliance strategies

develop our intelligence and risk assessment processes to deliver targeted information, education
services and health compliance activities

work collaboratively with key government agencies, including the Department of Health and
Ageing, to deliver targeted health compliance strategies and activities.
In accordance with legislation, the department carries out various compliance activities. We analyse
data including health provider claiming patterns, information received through tip-offs and information
from environmental scanning to determine which compliance activities to undertake. Educational
activities, audits, investigations and the Practitioner Review Program verify, assess and test
compliance to ensure that benefits are claimed correctly.
Education
To increase voluntary compliance among health professionals, the department’s main approach is
through education. We offer information and education through face-to-face and ‘virtual’ delivery—
including eLearning programs and reference material on our website—for both new and experienced
health professionals. This information helps health professionals understand their obligations and the
requirements of Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
New health professionals
New health professionals are less likely to be familiar with the requirements of the Medicare Benefits
Schedule and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Because of this they may mistakenly claim or
prescribe incorrectly. We provide a range of online education services, including eLearning modules,
quick reference guides, handbooks and other resources to help health professionals understand their
obligations when working with the Medicare Benefits Schedule and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
Claiming under Medicare
The department conducts compliance audits with health professionals to verify details of services
when there is a risk that payments are incorrect. If we find claiming that appears incorrect, health
professionals are given the opportunity to respond. If an audit also identifies behaviour that may be
fraudulent, a criminal investigation may result.
Under Medicare:

health professionals and third parties who hold relevant records can be compelled to produce
documents to substantiate Medicare claiming

health professionals may be liable for an administrative penalty where incorrect payments are
made, notices to produce documents are not complied with, or services cannot be substantiated.
Compliance audits may also cover health and aged care support programs to ensure that practices
and health organisations receiving incentive payments are eligible.
When an incorrect payment is confirmed, we are required to recover the money and provide advice
and information to educate, support and encourage future voluntary compliance.
The department carries out compliance audits to verify that services provided are eligible
for payments and benefits.
General practitioners and specialists
We monitor areas where the pattern of general practitioner and specialist claiming differs significantly
from their peers. These areas include:

incorrect billing—for example, billing for a similar but more complex or expensive item than the
service provided, billing for a combination of items when one item covers the service provided, or
billing for an additional consultation when the procedure includes consultation time

incorrect prescribing, such as prescribing Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme medicines to patients
who do not meet the requirements

inappropriate ordering and/or incorrect use of pathology and diagnostic imaging services

consultations billed without the required referral or new referrals requested on top of an existing
referral to allow the billing of another initial consultation.
The department focuses on billing concerns, including:

anaesthetic services

referrals for specialist attendances

skin items delivered by specialists

services rendered by consultant psychiatrists.
Practitioner Review Program
This program reviews practitioners whose provision of services under Medicare and/or the
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme suggests they may be engaged in inappropriate practice.
Inappropriate practice includes providing services that are not clinically necessary, providing
excessive numbers of services, and ordering too many tests.
When any of these issues are identified, a departmental medical adviser (qualified practitioner)
reviews the information. Usually the health professional is asked to explain and respond to any
concerns. If their response is unsatisfactory, the department may refer the health professional to the
Director of Professional Services Review (an independent agency) for further examination, with the
potential for imposing sanctions.
80/20 business approach
Under the Health Insurance Act 1973, a general practitioner or other health professional is deemed to
have practised inappropriately if they have provided 80 or more professional attendances on each of
20 or more days over 12 months. This is to ensure that each patient receives adequate care.
The department contacts health professionals identified as approaching the 80/20 service level to
alert them to their daily service levels. When they have breached the 80/20 service level, the
practitioner is referred to the Director of Professional Services Review.
Bulk bill incentive items
We examine payments for bulk bill incentive items to ensure these items are billed for eligible
patients. The routine use of these items is examined where patients over the age of 16 years do not
appear to have current concessional status.
In 2011–12, the department sent out targeted feedback letters to health professionals to
remind them of their obligation to check that patients have current concessional status at
the time of billing. We will continue to monitor claiming patterns for bulk bill incentive items
and consider whether further compliance activity is required.
Telehealth
Telehealth is a program which delivers health services and information via telecommunication
technologies. Telehealth provides financial incentives to eligible health professionals and aged care
services who help patients participate in a video consultation—called a Telehealth consultation—with
a specialist, consultant physician or consultant psychiatrist.
The department carried out audits of health professionals billing Telehealth items in 2012
and found that a small number of health professionals did not satisfy the Medicare
requirements for a Telehealth consultation which also affected their eligibility for the
Telehealth On-Board financial incentive. The department will continue to monitor Telehealth
services.
Pharmacists
We will continue to monitor payments made under the Fifth Community Pharmacy Agreement.
Initiatives under the agreement aim to improve the quality use of medicine in the community and
improve access to quality community pharmacy services in rural and remote areas.
The department will continue to focus on:

Residential Medication Management Reviews

Home Medicine Reviews

payment processes for pharmacy practice incentives.
We will also continue to monitor approved suppliers making multiple claims for the same supply of a
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription. Where this results in an overpayment, we recover
incorrect payments from the pharmacist.
Breaking the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme rules
A pharmacist admitted to claiming the Medscheck incentive (one of the new programs under the
Fifth Community Pharmacy Agreement) without complying with the requirements of the program.
The department raised a debt of over $25 000 for incorrect claims.
Prescribers
We continue to have concerns about high levels of prescribing medicines of potential addiction. We
review prescribers who may be inappropriately prescribing and ask them for an explanation.
The department will continue to focus on:

prescribers who do not meet Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme requirements

general practitioners who inappropriately prescribe addictive medicines.
Allied health professionals
As part of our compliance approach we monitor and analyse claiming patterns to identify risks,
concerns and areas of non-compliance and assist allied health professionals to understand their
billing obligations.
We have an ongoing commitment to support allied health professionals. We publish education
resources and work with allied health professionals and allied health peak bodies to identify the best
ways to communicate with them.
We continue to consult with the Department of Health and Ageing in developing our compliance
strategies for allied health professionals.
Optometrists
Our compliance strategy for optometrists focuses on client over-servicing as a result of marketing and
induction programs and billing certain computerised perimetry test (to find patterns of vision loss)
items that do not meet the Medicare Benefits Schedule’s item descriptor.
Approved pathology authorities
The department monitors and may undertake compliance activities relating to the pathology sector.
We will continue to consult with the Department of Health and Ageing in developing our compliance
strategies.
Radiology practices
The department will continue to review radiology requester groups, specifically chiropractors and
dentists, who have shown significant changes in their requests for diagnostic imaging services.
The department will also monitor and review diagnostic imaging practices. We will continue to consult
with the Department of Health and Ageing in developing our compliance strategies.
Chronic Disease Management items
Payments to individuals for Medicare items are regularly monitored to ensure their correct use. Areas
of focus include general practitioners referring ineligible patients under Medicare Benefits Schedule
Chronic Disease Management items in order for patients to receive subsidised allied health services.
We continue to collaborate with the Department of Health and Ageing to discuss future compliance
activities that help health professionals understand Medicare requirements relating to care plans.
The department will carry out further analysis of potential non-compliance to improve our
education, audit and review activities for Chronic Disease Management items.
Chronic Disease Dental Scheme
The Chronic Disease Dental Scheme assisted patients with chronic medical conditions and complex
care needs who were managed by a general practitioner. The scheme gave patients access to
Medicare rebates for certain dental services. Under the scheme, a patient could be referred for dental
services and receive up to $4250 in Medicare benefits every two years.
On 29 August 2012, the Minister for Health announced the scheme would be closed to new patients
from 8 September 2012 and Medicare billing would cease for services provided after 30 November
2012.
In 2013–14 the department will finalise all Chronic Disease Dental audits and deal with all complaints
received. This involves making applications to the Minister for Finance and Deregulation for full or
partial waivers in appropriate cases, consistent with the Government’s intention to provide a more
flexible approach to compliance with the scheme’s requirements.
The department continues to pursue all instances of inappropriate practice or fraud in the
Chronic Disease Dental Scheme. These will remain subject to full debt recovery and, when
necessary, referral to the appropriate authorities.
Health support programs
The department monitors and reviews payments made to practices and organisations receiving
incentive payments, including their ability to continually meet eligibility guidelines. Incentive payments
monitored by the department include:

Practice Incentives Program (which includes incentives such as the Indigenous Health Incentive,
Diabetes Incentive, Asthma Incentive and the Procedural GP Incentive)

Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program

Practice Nurse Incentive Program

General Practice Rural Incentives Program.
The department will continue to audit practices that have not returned annual confirmation
statements to establish their continued eligibility to claim Practice Incentive Program
payments.
Businesses
We review payments to health insurance funds made under the Private Health Insurance Rebate
Program to ensure claims are correct.
We also help to protect the integrity of the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme which assists the
mining, agriculture, forestry and fishing industries with freight costs for non-bulk shipments across
Bass Strait.
As well, the department enters into contracts to share information with third-party organisations, for
example, organisations that want to confirm people’s eligibility for concessions or superannuation
status. Third-party organisations can participate in the following programs administered by the
department—Centrepay, Confirmation eServices, Electronic Verification of Rent, Income
Management Deductions and BasicsCard.
The department will continue to review claims and implement risk-based compliance
strategies for businesses that receive benefits or payments.
We conduct periodic compliance checks to confirm that organisations are complying with the terms
and conditions of their contract and to protect the integrity of the arrangements and payment
systems. Our compliance checks operate under both tip-off and risk-based models. An organisation
that is found to be non-compliant must take action to comply within a certain period. If they remain
non-compliant their contract can be terminated.
Contact us
Visit humanservices.gov.au for more information about payments and services or call the ‘13’ or the
‘1800’ number listed below that is most relevant to your situation. You can get general information
about the services we provide by calling us on 132 468.
Note: Calls from your home phone to ‘13’ numbers from anywhere in Australia are charged at a fixed
rate. That rate may vary from the price of a local call and may also vary between phone service
providers. Calls to ‘1800’ numbers from your home phone are free. Calls from public and mobile
phones may be timed and charged at a higher rate.
Centrelink services
Visit humanservices.gov.au/centrelink
Employment Services
Older Australians
132 850
132 300
Disability, Sickness and Carers
Families and Parents
132 717
136 150
Youth and Students 132 490
Income Reporting
133 276
Drought and Farmers
132 316
National Business Gateway
131 158
International 131 673
Indigenous Call Centre
Freecall™ 1800 136 380
Income Management Line Freecall™ 1800 132 594
To speak to us in your own language about Centrelink services and payments, call us on 131 202.
Child support services
Visit humanservices.gov.au/childsupport
General enquiries
131 272
Medicare services
General public
Visit humanservices.gov.au/medicare
General enquiries
132 011
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
Visit humanservices.gov.au/pbs
PBS general enquiries
1800 020 613
Travelling with PBS medicine enquiry line
1800 500 147
Health professionals
Visit humanservices.gov.au/healthprofessionals
Email medicare.prov@humanservices.gov.au
Medicare Provider Enquiry Line
132 150
PBS
Visit humanservices.gov.au/healthprofessionals then PBS
Email pbs@humanservices.gov.au
PBS general enquiries
132 290
Prescription Shopping Information Service
Authority prescription approval
1800 631 181
1800 888 333
Department of Veterans’ Affairs authority prescription approval
1800 552 580
Practice Incentive Program (PIP)
Visit humanservices.gov.au/healthprofessionals then Incentives and Allowances > Practice
Incentives Program (PIP)
PIP
1800 222 032
Rural Incentive Programs
Visit humanservices.gov.au/healthprofessionals then Other programs—information for health
professionals > Rural Programs
Rural Incentive Programs 1800 010 550
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) certificates
Visit humanservices.gov.au/pki
eBusiness Service Centre 1800 700 199
Online claiming and Electronic Claim Lodgement and Information Processing Service
Environment (ECLIPSE)
Visit humanservices.gov.au/healthprofessionals then Doing business with Medicare >Online
business > ECLIPSE
eBusiness Service Centre 1800 700 199
For more information about the Increased Medicare Compliance Audits initiative go to
humanservices.gov.au/healthprofessionals then Doing business with Medicare > Compliance
> IMCA Resources
The full range of health professional educational resources is available at
humanservices.gov.au/hpeducation
More information about the Practitioner Review Program is available at
humanservices.gov.au/healthprofessionals then Doing business with Medicare > Compliance
> Practitioner Review Program
Fraud Tip-off Line
The Australian Government Services Fraud Tip-off Line is for people to report suspected fraud
against Centrelink, Child Support and Medicare services.
Call the Australian Government Services Fraud Tip-off Line 131 524
Extra assistance when calling
For help with Medicare and child support services, call the Translating and Interpreting Service on
131 450.
TTY Enquiries for Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support
Freecall™ 1800 810 586
Note: TTY is only for people who are deaf or who have a hearing or speech impairment. A TTY
phone is required to use this service.
9648.1502