Health Professional Online Services FAQs

What is Health Professional Online Services (HPOS)?

HPOS offers access to Medicare Australia’s online services for health professionals through a single entry point. It provides access to information about your identity, eligibility under Medicare arrangements and information on payment of Medicare claims.

What services are available if I logon using a PKI individual certificate?

A Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) individual certificate will give you access to the full range of information and services available through HPOS, including:

  • Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) reports, claiming, immunisation history and provider contact details
  • Medicare services—Easyclaim processing and payment reports, provider personal details, provider number details and add a new or reopen a closed Medicare practice location
  • National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP)—submit new assessment forms and view previously submitted forms
  • Patient Verification—confirm and search patient details
  • Healthcare Identifiers (HI) Service – excluding Individual Healthcare Identifiers (IHI) functions. View your provider and organisation HI details and access a directory of HI providers
  • Prescription Shopping Information Program—information, patient summary reports and FAQs
  • Track and Scale—details on scaling and location s19AB exemption
  • General Practice Immunisation Incentive (GPII) – register and update details for GPII
  • Practice Incentives Programs (PIP) – register for PIP and individual PIP incentives
  • General Practice Rural Incentives Program (GPRIP) and HECS reimbursement Scheme – update banking details, apply for a Rural Relocation Incentive Grant, lodge HECS applications and more
  • a practice staff logon which allows practice staff who have a PKI individual certificate to undertake administrative tasks on behalf of health professionals
  • a secure email facility—email Medicare Australia and subscribe to receive statements online for:
    • National Bowel Cancer Screening Program
    • Australian Childhood Immunisation Register
    • 90 day pay doctor cheque scheme EFT
    • Australian Defence Force Family Healthcare Program
    • Medicare bulk bill
  • the ability to view a patient’s care plan history (with consent) at the time of consultation
  • manage existing banking details
  • Approved Pathology Collection Centre search
  • forms for health professionals
  • resources—Forum, MBS Online, PBS Online and an online eligibility tool
  • Administrative Position Statements—an authorised and documented position held by Medicare Australia
  • education resources—eLearning programs.
  • creating and editing a personalised My Favourites menu

What services are available to administrative users logging on with a PKI individual certificate?

HPOS allows administrative users, such as practice staff, to logon to HPOS using a PKI individual certificate and act as a delegate on behalf of a health professional. The health professional must first nominate the delegate to act on their behalf.

Administrative users can also logon to HPOS using a PKI site certificate which provides access to Patient Verification only.

When acting on behalf of a health professional, you will have access to the full range of HPOS information and services (excluding ACIR, View patient care plan history. banking details and the Practice Incentives Program).

If you don’t have a PKI individual certificate you can request one by going to Register for PKI.

As the site certificate Duly Authorised Officer (DAO) how do I apply for a PKI individual certificate?

If you are already registered as the site certificate DAO, a 100 point evidence of identity (EOI) check will not be required when applying for a PKI individual certificate. When applying for the individual certficate, you need to quote the 10 digit registration authority number or alternatively the trading name of the practice that you are the site certificate DAO for.

Any other person applying for a PKI individual individual certificate, who is not already known to Medicare Australia, will need to provide 100 points of EOI.

You can request a PKI individual certificate by going to Register for PKI

What services are available if I logon using a PKI site certificate?

Only Patient Verification is available when you logon to HPOS using a PKI site certificate.

What services are available if I logon using my user ID and password?

The services available when you log on to HPOS using your user ID and password include:

  • Medicare services—update provider personal details, view provider number details and Medicare Easyclaim processing and payment reports
  • the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.

I’m a health professional, how do I logon to HPOS?

Health professionals can log on to HPOS using:

  • a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) individual certificate or
  • a user ID and password.

I’m an ACIR user, how do I logon to HPOS?

Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) users cannot access the full range of HPOS services using their existing ACIR user ID and password.

To access the full range of HPOS information and services you will need a PKI individual certificate.

If you don’t have a PKI individual certificate you can request one by going to the Register for PKI link on the HPOS home page.

I’m a Hearing Services eClaiming user, how do I logon to HPOS?

Hearing Services eClaiming users only have access to the eClaiming service using their user ID and password.

Why are my account and BSB numbers displaying zero’s against my PIPSIP bank account?

Your PIPSIP bank account is currently displaying zeros because it is linked to the ACIR bank account previously nominated for the location.

If you choose to update your ACIR bank account details it will automatically update your PIPSIP bank account for the location.

You can choose another preferred bank account for your PIPSIP payment, however this will mean the link with your ACIR bank account will be broken.

If you choose to have a different PIPSIP bank account to your ACIR bank account, the account number will be displayed.

Why does my SIPACAI account have no location listed?

SIPACAI account payments are made based on your provider stem.

Where can I find more information about Track and Scale?

For more information on the Rural Health Workforce Initiative, including non-cash incentives to reduce ten year moratorium restriction periods, go to DoctorConnectExternal link.

A User guide is also available to help you use Track and Scale in HPOS

Who can I contact for help?

User guides are available to help you logon and use HPOS.

For help with your personal information and practice details call Medicare Provider liaison on 132 150* or email medicare.prov@medicareaustralia.gov.auEmail

For help logging on to HPOS using an individual certificate call the eBusiness Service Centre on 1800 700 199** (option 3)

For help logging on to HPOS using a user ID and password call the ACIR Internet helpdesk on 1300 650 039** or email acir@medicareaustralia.gov.auEmail

For information about HPOS call the eBusiness Service Centre on 1800 700 199** (option 5).

* Call charges apply

**Call charges apply from mobile and pay phones only.

Static content was last modified on 4 February, 2011