Are there restrictions on how the Medicare number can be handled by health....

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Question: Are there restrictions on how the Medicare number can be handled by health service providers?

Answer: Yes. National Privacy Principle 7 (NPP 7) prohibits the adoption of Commonwealth identifiers, such as the Medicare number, except in limited circumstances. NPP 7 also prohibits the use or disclosure of Commonwealth identifiers, except where this is necessary to fulfil the provider's obligations to the Commonwealth Government agency that issued the identifier, or in other restricted circumstances (for example in an emergency, or for law enforcement purposes or, in the future, for other uses prescribed in Regulations issued by the Attorney -General). Visit NPP 7 for the wording.

In the case of the Medicare number, while a health service provider could not adopt the Medicare number as its own identifier, it can use a Medicare number to determine an individual's eligibility to receive health services funded under Medicare.

For more information on NPP 7, see Guidelines on Privacy in the Private Health Sector.