▁is ▁the ▁stat ut ory ▁ag ency ▁responsible ▁for ▁operating ▁the ▁Medic are ▁scheme . ▁Medic are ▁Australia ▁was ▁the ▁responsible ▁ag ency ▁for ▁the ▁scheme ▁until ▁it ▁was ▁dissol ved ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁into ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Human ▁Services . ▁Currently , ▁Services ▁Australia ▁oper ates ▁the ▁scheme ▁in ▁consult ation ▁with ▁the ▁national ▁Department ▁of ▁Health ▁and ▁other ▁health - related ▁ag encies ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁Australian ▁Organ ▁Don or ▁Register ▁and ▁state ▁health ▁services ▁( for ▁example , ▁Queensland ▁Health ). ▁ ▁Medic are ▁provider ▁numbers ▁Medic are ▁issues ▁to ▁el ig ible ▁health ▁profession als ▁a ▁unique ▁Medic are ▁provider ▁number ▁to ▁enable ▁them ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁the ▁Medic are ▁scheme . ▁The ▁provider ▁number ▁is ▁required ▁to ▁appear ▁on ▁the ▁pract ition ers ’ ▁b ills , ▁pres cri ptions ▁or ▁service ▁requests ▁( refer r als ) ▁that ▁are ▁el ig ible ▁for ▁a ▁Medic are ▁benefit . ▁A ▁pract ition er ▁may ▁have ▁more ▁than ▁one ▁number , ▁if , ▁for ▁example , ▁they ▁pract ise ▁from ▁more ▁than ▁one ▁location . ▁ ▁Medic are ▁card ▁Medic are ▁issues ▁each ▁person ▁entitled ▁to ▁receive ▁benefits ▁under ▁the ▁scheme ▁with ▁a ▁Medic are ▁card ▁which ▁has ▁a ▁number ▁that ▁must ▁be ▁used ▁when ▁making ▁a ▁claim . ▁The ▁card ▁must ▁be ▁produced ▁or ▁the ▁Medic are ▁number ▁provided ▁if ▁the ▁Medic are ▁reb ate ▁is ▁paid ▁directly ▁to ▁the ▁doctor ▁under ▁the ▁bulk ▁b illing ▁system ; ▁and ▁in ▁its ▁absence ▁the ▁doctor