If you have any queries relating to this, please contact Services Australia directly on [email protected]
The following information has been shared with us by Services Australia:
Services Australia (the agency) is aware that there is a high level of nervousness around the upcoming 13 March 2022 date, when Medicare and PBS PKI site certificates are due to expire.
In recognition of the pressures facing industry, the agency has renewed all Medicare and PBS PKI site certificates.
This will enable healthcare locations to use their renewed PKI site certificate to transact with the agency through their practice management software from 13 March 2022. This will also ensure ongoing access to secondary PKI functions, including Healthcare Identifiers Service and eRx Script Exchange.
All renewed PKI site certificates must be installed before 13 March 2022 to ensure ongoing access to the agency’s digital claiming channels. This doesn’t apply to sites that have already transitioned to web services, which relies on PRODA for authentication, and do not use PKI site certificates for secondary purposes.
The agency would like to reassure industry that it will not be turning off PKI authentication and adaptor technology on 13 March 2022. The agency has granted some software developers and healthcare locations limited additional time after 13 March 2022 to transition to web services and PRODA.
If a site cannot transmit claims online from midday on 13 March 2022, this may be because they have not installed their renewed PKI site certificate.
The agency urges all healthcare locations to check if their renewed PKI site certificate has been installed.
If their PKI site certificate expires on or before 13 March 2022, healthcare locations will need to install their renewed certificate. Their ICT support can assist with this.
For further assistance or to get a new PKI certificate, healthcare locations can contact eBusiness Service Centre on 1800 700 199, 8am to 5pm local time.
Upgrades to digital health and aged care channels
Services Australia are upgrading their digital health channels. These upgrades will see health professionals needing to use PRODA authentication and web services compatible software to access the following channels:
- Medicare Online
- Australian Immunisation Register
- Department of Veterans’ Affairs
- ECLIPSE
- PBS Online
- Aged Care Web Services
- Changes to authentication
In addition to the upgrades, the agency is replacing its Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) site certificates with an online identity verification and authentication system known as Provider Digital Access (PRODA).
PRODA is an online authentication system that verifies an organisation or individuals’ identity online. It enables secure access to multiple government online services, including Services Australia’s digital health and aged care channels.
Why are these changes happening?
These changes will ensure Services Australia’s digital health and aged care claiming channels are stable and using up-to-date industry standard technology. They will also ensure that patient and provider information is secure, now and into the future.
What this means for healthcare locations
The agency encourages all healthcare locations to contact your software developer if you haven’t heard from them and ask:
- when your web services compatible software will be available (if you haven’t already transitioned)
- if you need to register your organisation in PRODA.
PBS Online users will be contacted by their software developer when more information is available.
For more information
To find out more about the upgrades, visit servicesaustralia.gov.au/hpwebservices