Medicare to pay electronically

The Medicare office in Woy Woy will pay rebates straight into bank accounts from Monday, June 25, and will no longer hold cash on the premises.

Department of Human Services general manager Mr Hank Jongen said claims would be made by Electronic Funds Transfer or by swiping a debit card.

"We're removing cash from offices and moving to new electronic payment methods which pay Medicare benefits directly into bank accounts," Mr Jongen said.

"This means payments are faster to process and more secure with no extra cost to customers.

"Only eight per cent of payments were processed using cash last financial year, and just four per cent by cheques," he said.

"As the only Australian Government program still managing large volumes of cash, Medicare offices around the country are modernising to offer people new electronic payment methods.

"We've trialled electronic payment options in place of cash in a number of service centres.

"The feedback was very positive, with some customers saying they wished we'd offered it sooner," Mr Jongen said.

Media Release, 15 June 2012

Hayley Noblett, Department of Human Services