Service incentive program (SIP)
This page provides information on the Medicare Service Incentive Payment (SIP) scheme.
SIPs provide financial remuneration for evidence-based, best practice systems of care for patients with
- diabetes
- asthma
- PAP tests
Claiming SIP item numbers through Medicare triggers additional “payments for quality” (ie for applying best practice clinical guidelines).
SIP item numbers are an important component of the blended payments system for general practice.
Download summary of SIP MBS item numbers (PDF)
Are SIP payments available for immunisation?
The SIP payments when a GP completes immunisation schedules for children aged 0-4 and notifies the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) are not listed in the attachments, because they are not linked to the MBS item numbers.
Further information about immunisation SIP payments can be found at the Medicare Australia website and also by contacting the Bankstown GP Division.
How can a practice claim SIP payments?
Medicare business rules stipulate that these services must be coordinated by the patient’s GP in order for the items to be claimable.
However, parts of the work can be delegated to an appropriately trained nurse, Aboriginal Health Worker and other allied health workers (such as a podiatrist), and can be coordinated through EPC Care Plans involving the community health sector in a partnership approach to care.
Only certain types of patients render the practice eligible to receive SIPs.
General practices must be participating in the Practice Incentives Program (PIP) to be eligible to receive SIP payments.
How can the Division help practices with the SIP incentives?
The Division can
- Explain and assist practices optimise their access to SIP payments
- Assist with RACGP accreditation
- Provide setup training and support for the IT and data management systems necessary to access PIP incentives
More information