Services Australia have provided advice and measures to protect provider numbers exposed in a data breach.
If you were notified that your Medicare provider number has been exposed, you don't need to request a new provider number. A Medicare provider number uniquely identifies you and the place you work. These are already publicly available numbers that are printed on health certificates, patient referrals and invoices.
A provider number is not enough information for a criminal to access Medicare records or claiming systems. These claiming systems include security measures to prevent unauthorised access.
As an additional measure of security, when you update your personal details, including bank account details, you'll need to do this online through Health Professional Online Services (HPOS).
You can find out more about managing your bank details in HPOS on the Services Australia website here.
If you suspect someone may be committing fraud against Medicare using your Medicare provider number, you should report it to Services Australia here.
