Bulk Billing is Medicare or DVA claiming where the patient is assigning their right to benefit to the servicing/payee provider, and in return the provider agrees to charge no out of pocket fee for this service.
There are 2 main styles of Bulk Billing, Online or Manual.
There are a number of steps to the Bulk Billing process that must be done in order. They are explained below in detail, but are as follows:
- Billing (Invoicing)
- Batching
- Forwarding (Sending)
- Receiving
- Processing (Receipting / Adjusting)
Sometimes you may need to 'go back' a step to resolve a problem. In that case, look at the Reverse step notes.
1. Billing (Invoicing)
Online
Make sure the online option is ticked in billing screen. You do not have to print the DB4 (Assignment Advice) or D1216S (Health Practitioner Service Voucher) or get the patient to sign.
Manual
Make sure the online option is un-ticked in billing screen. You will have to print the form and have the patient sign it. You will have to retain this printout.
Reverse
Corrections -> Medicare/Veteran. Then correct it out as normal. If the billings are already batched you can correct the whole batch by using Medicare Online Control Centre then type in a batch number at the bottom in the middle and then click Fully Correct Batch.
2. Batching
Online
Go in to the Medicare Online Control Centre and click Medicare/Veteran Batching. Batch up to 80 services per batch. You do not have to print out the form. This stores the claim as a file.
Manual
Go in to Office Menu -> Medicare/Veteran Batching. Batch up to 50 services per batch. You must print out the form.
Reverse
Medicare Online Control Centre -> Unbatch, or Office Menu -> Medicare Batch Reversal.
3. Forwarding (Sending)
Online
Go in to the Medicare Online Control Centre and click Step 1. Forward.
Manual
Put the printed billings and batch cover sheet together and send them in the post to Medicare / DVA.
Reverse
Go in to the Medicare Online Control Centre, down the bottom in the middle type the batch number, then click Revert to Stored. Note that Reverting to Stored simply sets the batch back to a Stored state allowing it to be re-transmitted. Sometimes Medicare will ask you to do this if they did not receive a batch. However if Medicare did not ask you to do this and receive a batch twice they will reject the second one - which will cause issues with reporting in Medilink (you may have to manually pay off the batch).
4. Receiving
Online
Go in to the Medicare Online Control Centre and click Step 2. Receive. Alternatively you can click Receive Batch and specify an individual Batch (and optionally when it was Transmitted). Sometimes batch reports just won't be ready (2023 error code). However, if you do successfully receive, it will then show Processing and Payment reports. The Process report in particular is important - you will need to review this and decide what needs to be rebilled. It may prompt you to automatically go on to the next stage Processing.
Manual
Medicare / DVA will send you Processing and Payment reports in the post. The Process report in particular is important - you will need to review this and decide what needs to be rebilled. In some cases you may have to request these reports (i.e. call Medicare).
5. Processing (Receipting / Adjusting)
Online
Go in to the Medicare Online Control Centre and click Step 3. Process. It will look for all batches unpaid (or partially unpaid/unbalanced). When you click OK it will apply receipts and adjustments to the billings in the batches.
Manual
Office Menu -> Medicare / Veteran Payments. If the amount paid is the same as the amount charged for the batch you can just click OK through the next screen, otherwise you need to manually alter the items individually to pay off as per what Medicare / DVA have advised.
Reverse
Medicare Online Control Centre then type in a batch number at the bottom in the middle and then click Revert to Unpaid.