Double PBS script alert
April 22, 2013
MEDICARE Australia says it’s
focusing on the dispensing of
the same medicine to a single
patient more than once a day,
as well as pharmacists receiving
multiple payments for the same
script, as part of its ongoing health
professional compliance program.
In the latest ‘Bulletin Board’ for
pharmacists issued by Medicare
on Fri, pharmacists are warned
that “if a doctor prescribes the
same medicine, under the PBS, for
the same patient more than once
a day, the second prescription is
invalid and can’t be supplied to the
customer as a PBS medicine.
“If you supply the same PBS
medicine a second time, you may
not be paid for the second claim,”
the newsletter warns, urging
pharmacists to take notice of any
warnings that pop up during the
dispensing process.
Medicare also said it’s identified
that “some pharmacies are claiming
more than once for supplying a PBS
prescription”.
This can happen when a
pharmacist submits the electronic
claim for supplying the script, but
the paper prescription is missing
from the claim and is later found
and re-submitted.
Other issues include printing a
repeat authorisation that’s already
been supplied and claimed to
replace a misplaced, lost or stolen
prescription.
MEANWHILE the Bulletin
Board update also confirms that
Pharmacy Aboriginal Health Service
claims are now being paid directly
into pharmacy bank accounts
instead of getting a cheque mailed.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 22 Apr 13To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 22 Apr 13
