Editing Medicare (Australia) (section)

== Operation of the scheme ==
{{importance section|date=June 2024|reason=This section contains information irrelevant to Medicare itself.}}

=== Services Australia ===
[[Services Australia]], previously the [[Department of Human Services (Australia)|Department of Human Services]], is the statutory agency responsible for operating the Medicare scheme. '''Medicare Australia''' was the responsible agency for the scheme until it was dissolved in 2011 into the Department of Human Services.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Australia |first=Services |title=Human Services Legislation Amendment Act 2011 |url=http://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2011A00032/Html/Text |access-date=2019-10-09 |website=legislation.gov.au |language=en |archive-date=9 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191009222057/https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2011A00032/Html/Text |url-status=live }}</ref> Currently, Services Australia operates the scheme in consultation with the national [[Department of Health and Aged Care]], and provides assistance for other related programs such as the [[Australian Organ Donor Register]].

=== Unique patient and provider identifiers ===
{{Being merged|spacetype=section|discuss=Talk:Medicare (Australia)#Proposed merge of Medicare card (Australia) into Medicare (Australia)#Medicare card|target=Medicare card (Australia)|date=November 2020|dir=from|section=yes|inactive=yes}}
Medicare issues to eligible health professionals a unique Medicare provider number to enable them to participate in the Medicare scheme and for Medicare to pay a benefit. The number is unique to that individual at one given location, so providers may have more than one provider number if they work at multiple locations. The provider number is required to appear on any invoices or receipts for a service, any prescriptions that are eligible for the [[Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme|Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme]], or any referrals to another provider a Medicare-eligible service like a specialist appointment, medical imaging or pathology services.

Services Australia also issues each patient enrolled with the scheme a unique Medicare card and number which is required for a benefit to be made. More than one person can be listed on a given card and an individual can be listed on more than one card. The Medicare card or a digital alternative is used to make a claim at the time of paying for a service in Australia, or used to prove eligibility for medically necessary care in other countries that hold a [[#Reciprocal agreements|reciprocal agreement]] with Australia. Medicare cards can also be used as part of identity verification processes with government agencies and financial institutions.