Australian Govt Trials Pharmacy/Medicare

In a trial project, the Australian government has installed technologyin five Queensland pharmacies linking them to the federal Health Insurance Commission's claims office. The trial is designed to test the use of pharmacies as agencies for the acceptance of Medicare insurance claims in remote parts of the country.

Health Minister Michael Wooldridge said the trial is being operated from self-service machines located in the selected pharmacies, and when the scheme is fully evaluated by July this year, 130 machines would be installed in pharmacies across Australia, and 400 pharmacies would be equipped over the next four years.

Dr Wooldridge noted that "people will be able to send their claim for an account on a dedicated line to the HIC." The pharmacies will then forward original copies to the HIC, and payment will be made directly to the person's bank account. Although pharmacists will pay a small fee to the government for the use of these self-service machines, most are expected to join the scheme because of the economic benefit of customers buying pharmacy products when they make claims.