Access Points: Frequently Asked Questions 15 June 2016 Access Point Interim Agreement Q. Why have I received an Interim Agreement? The Commonwealth and Diabetes Australia have entered into a new NDSS Agreement from 1 July 2016. Under the new arrangement, Access Points will be appointed directly by the Commonwealth. The existing Access Point Agreement expires on 30 June 2016, and the Commonwealth has provided an Interim Agreement which will ensure your Access Point can continue to operate from 1 July 2016. Q. What actions do I need to take? Access Points are requested to complete the Written Acceptance in Schedule 2 of the Interim Agreement and return it to Diabetes Australia by close of business on Friday 24 June 2016. Q. What if I don t sign and return the Written Acceptance in the Interim Agreement? If an Access Point does not sign and return the Written Acceptance they will be deemed to have accepted the terms of the Interim Agreement the first time they place an order through NDSS Connect after 1 July 2016. Q. Who can sign the form? Only the owner of the Access Point or their authorised representative can sign the Written Acceptance. Q. What is an NDSS pack quantity? An NDSS pack quantity is a pack of NDSS products. Registrant Contributions and the Access Point Direct Debit Request Form Q. What is changing? From 1 July, Access Points will continue to collect Registrant Contributions at the time an NDSS product transaction is entered into NDSS Connect, however the Registrant Contribution will be remitted to Diabetes Australia instead of their local NDSS Agent.
Q. What action needs to be taken? To enable the efficient and effective collection of Registrant Contributions, Access Points are required to complete a Direct Debit Request with Diabetes Australia. Diabetes Australia will debit the Registrant Contributions collected by the Access Point each week up to the close of business each Wednesday and remit these payments to the Commonwealth every Friday. Those pharmacies that haven t provided their Direct Debit Request will be contacted directly by Diabetes Australia over the coming weeks to obtain the required information. Q. Why has this occurred? Current NDSS Access Point Agreements expire on 30 June 2016, and Interim Agreements have been provided to each Access Point so they can continue from 1 July 2016. Completion of the Direct Debit Request is an essential step to remaining an Access Point from 1 July 2016. The use of a Direct Debit is an effective and efficient mechanism to collect Government funds (Registrant Contributions) in a timely manner. This is a national approach and provides all Access Points with certainty on when payments will be collected. Q. How will the Access Point know it is the correct amount? The existing ordering processes will remain the same, including the use of NDSS Connect to confirm registrant eligibility and order products. From the 1st July 2016, the only payment method will be Direct Debit. When a Direct Debit is completed, the Access Point will receive a weekly statement by email that can be used to reconcile the funds collected by Direct Debit. If there is any concern they can email Diabetes Australia at apndss@diabetesaustralia.com.au and a member of staff will contact you. Q. What if an Access Point does not wish to have a Direct Debit? Diabetes Australia must ensure that all Registrant Contributions are paid by Access Points. The preferred method is by direct deposit into the Registrant Contributions Account. It is important to note that the vast majority of Access Points currently use Direct Debit as their preferred method of payment, and they have the protection that they can cancel their direct debit at any time. If there is still concern they can email Diabetes Australia at apndss@diabetesaustralia.com.au and a member of staff will contact you. Q. What about existing Direct Debit arrangements with their existing State and Territory NDSS Agent?
The majority of Access Points currently have Direct Debit arrangement with their local NDSS Agent. The NDSS Agent will not collect funds from the Access Point for orders submitted from 1 July 2016 and they will cancel the direct debit after 30 June 2016 with their banking partner. Q. What happens if the Access Point makes payments by credit card or cheque to the local NDSS Agent? This activity is no longer available for orders submitted from 1 July 2016. If this does occur we will work with the Access Point to ensure payment of Registrant Contribution is returned as the required payment method will be by direct debit to Diabetes Australia. Ordering and Administration Arrangements Q. Why are the supply changes happening? The changes will mean efficient distribution of NDSS products as they will be supplied through the existing PBS medicine supply network. Q. What is the role of Diabetes Australia in administering the NDSS? A new NDSS Agreement with Diabetes Australia will come into effect from 1 July 2016. Diabetes Australia will continue to administer the NDSS. There are no changes to support or education services provided by Diabetes Australia. Diabetes Australia will continue to register people with diabetes to the Scheme, provide education and support for registrants and Access Points, maintain the NDSS database and systems and the collection of NDSS Registrant co-payments. Q. Will registrants still be able to access the NDSS telephone service? Yes. Access to the NDSS Helpline 1300 136 588 will not change. Registrants and Access Point staff can still get advice about diabetes products over the phone through Diabetes Australia. However, registrants will no longer be able to order NDSS products over the phone, through Diabetes Australia shops or Diabetes Australia agent websites. The only exception is that there will be a short transition period of two months to assist IPC users with the changes. This will allow registrants the option to purchase IPCs from their nearest Access Point or from their state/ territory diabetes organisation. This will continue to 31 August 2016. Q. Will there be an increase in the price of diabetes products? There are no changes to price or range of NDSS products. From 1 July 2016, the copayment a registrant pays for products will not change. Access Points may choose to charge for home delivery or postage if these are required. Q. Will these changes affect the way I process NDSS orders in my Access Point?
NDSS Connect will continue to be used for recording NDSS product supply and managing the ordering and administration arrangements. NDSS Registrant orders will be processed through NDSS Connect just as they are now. NDSS Connect will send the order to the Access Point s preferred CSO Distributor (CSOD), and the CSOD will deliver the products ordered, usually within 24 hours. With these changes, Access Points are not required to hold insulin pump consumables on the shelf. Where an NDSS Registrant requests a product which is not held on the shelf (e.g. insulin pump consumables), Access Points can order the products through NDSS Connect for delivery by the preferred CSOD, usually within 24 hours. The Access Point may collect the Registrant Contribution from the Registrant at the time they place the order, or at the time the products are collected by the Registrant. All Access Points were requested to provide CSOD information so they can continue to order products through NDSS Connect from 1 July 2016. Those that haven t provided this information will be contacted directly by Diabetes Australia over the coming weeks to obtain the required information. Q. How will the new restrictions on access to blood glucose test strips affect the way I process NDSS orders in my Access Point? Details on the new restriction on access to blood glucose test strips are provided in the attached document Frequently Asked Questions [Access Points]. If a person with type 2 diabetes is eligible to access blood glucose test strips, NDSS Connect will allow the order to be entered into the system. If the person is not eligible to access blood glucose test strips NDSS Connect will prompt that the person is no longer eligible to receive subsidised test strips and in this case Access Points should direct these registrants to speak to their health professional. If their health professional determines that the person needs access to blood glucose test strips for clinical reasons, they will complete an authorisation form for the person to provide to the Access Point. All people with type 2 diabetes who are not using insulin will automatically be able to access test strips for 6 months from 1 July 2016. This means that all registrants can continue to access test strips from 1 July as eligibility restrictions will occur from 1 January 2016, and Access Points may not receive authorisation forms until late 2017. Staff will need to update the relevant details on NDSS Connect following the prompts. The system will automatically calculate a new six month eligibility period based on these details. An authorisation form is valid for six months. For example, an authorisation form dated 1 January 2017 is invalid after 1 July 2017.
NDSS Access Point Agreements Current NDSS Access Point Agreements expire on 30 June 2016, and Diabetes Australia (on behalf of the Department of Health) will be sending an NDSS Interim Agreement to each Access Point by 17 June 2016. This Interim Agreement will allow Access Points to continue as beyond 1 July 2016. Refer to FAQs on the Interim Access Point Agreement Ordering Q. Will registrants be able to order diabetes products online? Registrants will no longer be able to order products online or over the phone from Diabetes Australia and state and territory diabetes organisations. Registrants will need to order and collect products from their local NDSS Access Point. If a registrant lives a long distance from the Access Point it may be useful to discuss setting up regular ordering of their products so that they are available when they next visit the Access Point. However, to assist IPC users with the changes, there will be a short-term transition period of two months that will allow registrants the option to purchase IPCs directly from their Access Point or by mail from their state/territory diabetes organisation. This will continue to 31 August 2016. Where products are ordered by mail, registrants will be required to pay for postage. Q. Will there be a change in how the Access Points order NDSS products? Access Points will continue to use NDSS Connect for ordering and confirming eligibility for products. Replacement of stock carried by the Access Point will continue with replacement stock usually provided within 24 hours. Items not stocked by the Access Point, such as IPCs, can be ordered on demand and be delivered usually within 24 hours.