Choosing an online claiming channel
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What are my options?
The Department of Human Services offers a choice strategy to help you choose the online claiming channel that best suits your business model.
Integrated software-this channel is suitable for providers that have the capability to purchase and maintain integrated software products for clinical care and administrative support. It is also suited to providers that already have an aged care software management product in place because the integration of a B2B or File Upload product would be relatively seamless.
Web Forms-this channel was developed to support providers who may not choose to invest in an integrated software solution. Web Forms is a stand-alone claiming channel that uses the internet to transmit claims related data to Human Services.
There are three different ways of transmitting electronic data:
- Business to Business (B2B)-integrated software
- File Upload-integrated software and website
- Web Forms-website.
Online claiming using B2B-integrated software
The B2B channel allows aged care services and ACATs to interact with Human Services using integrated software developed by a software vendor. This channel transmits one event at a time to Human Services for processing (an ‘event’ is a business activity that has occurred in an aged care service, for example a care recipient entering care).
Software vendors integrate the information and tools provided by Human Services into their own solution for the signing and transmission of the electronic data. Services using the B2B channel will need to use software that has been approved for use by Human Services.
See Getting started with integrated software.
Online claiming using File Upload-integrated software and website
The File Upload channel allows aged care services to create a file using integrated software developed by your software vendor. The file is then transmitted electronically by authorised staff to Human Services through the Aged Care Online Claiming website. Each file transmitted by the service may contain up to 50 events.
Services using the File Upload channel will need to use software that has been approved for use by Human Services. Services will need to have access to the Aged Care Online Claiming website in order to transmit electronic data and check the processing status of the data.
See Getting started with integrated software.
Online claiming using Web Forms-website
The Web Forms channel allows aged care services to enter selected aged care information directly into a web form and transit this information electronically to Human Services. Services using this channel do not need to have specially developed software.
When you logon to the Aged Care Online Claiming website you can:
- check on the processing status of transmitted web forms
- view current or historical claim details
- view or download the current and historical payment statements
- search and view care recipient information through the Care Recipient Profile
- lodge, update and delete web forms
- view eACCR assessments.
The following web forms are available for residential care and community care services:
Residential care
- Aged Care Funding Instrument
- Residential permanent entry
- Residential respite entry
- Residential departure
- Residential extra service
- Residential leave
- Residential enteral end date
- Residential oxygen end date
- Residential liability
Community care
- Community entry
- Community departure
- Community hours of service
- Community leave
- Community location
- Community bulk hours of service
What do I need to consider?
When choosing which channel is best for you consider the:
- current capabilities of each channel
- set up costs involved
- different security measures and the need for software
- software currently used in your service
Current capabilities of each channel
When looking at the capability of each channel, you will need to take into account your business needs and which channel would be suited to your needs.
Set up costs involved
Online claiming using integrated software
The costs involved in setting up the integrated software channel will depend on the:
- software products needed
- size of your service
- system infrastructure you have in place
- software you use
- staff training required
- ongoing license costs.
Online claiming using Web Forms
If you have access to the internet, then using the Aged Care Online Claiming website to view and download payment statements and transmit web forms carries no additional charge. There may be some costs related to in-house training.
Different security measures and the need for software
Online claiming using B2B-integrated software
Security measures
PKI technology is used to secure and authenticate data transmission between aged care service providers and Human Services.
The B2B channel requires site certificates that use PKI technology so that Human Services can identify the electronic data transmitted through this channel by your service.
The need for software
There is a need for specially developed software to be installed.
Online claiming using File Upload-integrated software and website
Security measures
Security is through the Human Services Aged Care Online Claiming website (which uses authenticated access control and passwords).
The need for software
There is a need for specially developed software to be installed.
Online claiming using Web Forms-website
Security measures
Users logon to the Aged Care Online Claiming website with a secure user ID and password.
The need for software
There is no need for specially developed software as you can access Web Forms through the Human Services Aged Care Online Claiming website (which uses unique user ID's and passwords).
Software currently used in your service
Online claiming using integrated software
Your service set up requirements and the aged care management software you may already have installed may determine what your options are. You will need to speak to your current software vendor to determine if you are able to use the B2B or File Upload channel to transmit electronic data to Human Services.
Online claiming using Web Forms (website)
Software vendors and their products are not required by services choosing the Web Forms channel to transmit electronic data through the Aged Care Online Claiming website.
Last updated: 17 September, 2012