Speak Out April 2016

ethics news

It is the responsibility of speech pathologists to ensure that invoicing complies with federal (and state) laws.

Ethics: The do's and don'ts of appropriate invoicing

Medicare provider number has renewed their SPA membership by the due date (1 January) and whether they have renewed as a practising member. Periodically, Medicare may conduct audits of service and claim transactions. To ensure your invoicing is appropriate here are a few do’s and don’ts: • Ensure the dates on your invoices are accurate, i.e. the service must have been provided on the date specified on the invoice. • Do not record a different date. If you had not yet renewed your SPA membership when you provided the service, your client cannot claim the MBS rebate for that date. • Do not pre-invoice remaining sessions for a child utilising HCWA funding to ‘use up’ the funding prior to their seventh birthday, with the intention to then provide those sessions after the child’s birthday. • Only invoice for sessions attracting a CDM rebate that you have actually provided. • Any of the above actions may be considered fraudulent, and will be identified in a Medicare audit. Further information regarding Medicare programs can be found on the SPA website –resource for members tab, under the Medicare section, or you can contact: Nichola Harris, Practice and Clinical Support Advisor, advisor@ speechpathologyaustralia.org.au or Trish Johnson, Senior Advisor Ethics and Professional Issues, tjohnson@speechpathologyaustralia.org.au If you have professional indemnity insurance with Guild then you can also call their duty lawyers for advice.

The SPA Code of Ethics (2010) includes the principles of Truth and Professional Integrity, among others, which are to be applied to all of our professional behaviour. These principles are applicable to many areas of speech pathology practice, including utilising appropriate and legal business practices when invoicing for our services. It is the responsibility of speech pathologists to ensure that invoicing complies with federal (and state) laws, which include the rules regarding billing under the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). Most speech pathologists working in private practice are aware of the four MBS programs that provide rebates for speech pathology services provided to clients with specific diagnoses or conditions: Helping Children with Autism Programmme, Better Start for Children with Disability initiative, Chronic Disease Management Programme, Follow-up Allied Health services for people of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. Information about the programs can be found on the Australian Government Department of Health website, and MBS online www.mbsonline.gov.au. Each program has specific rules regarding eligibility for both the speech pathologist and the client, the number and type of sessions that can attract a rebate, item numbers and reporting requirements. The SPA information sheet has more information: Medicare Programs and Provider Numbers, plus specific FAQ sheets on the Medicare programs. Speech pathologists must be registered with Medicare to be eligible to provide rebatable speech pathology services, as well as being a current, financial practising member of Speech Pathology Australia at the time the rebatable service was provided. Medicare conducts an audit of speech pathologists with Medicare provider numbers early each year. During this audit they check whether each speech pathologist with a

Trish Johnson Senior Advisor Ethics and Professional Issues

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Speak Out April 2016

www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au