Provider Compliance
SIRA has put health providers on notice over late invoicing. In its April 2026 bulletin, the regulator flagged increasing risks linked to delayed invoicing for health services provided to people with an injury, and reminded providers of their obligation to submit invoices to insurers within 30 days of delivering a service. For provider businesses, this is a straightforward but important compliance and cash flow issue.
What SIRA has said
SIRA has identified delayed invoicing as a growing risk in the NSW schemes. As a first step, it is reminding providers of an existing obligation: invoices for health services should be submitted to the relevant insurer within 30 days of the service being delivered. The message is a reminder of an existing requirement rather than a new rule, but the fact that SIRA has chosen to highlight it signals closer attention to invoicing practice.
Why timely invoicing matters
Late invoicing creates problems on both sides of a claim. For insurers and claims teams, invoices that arrive months after a service make it harder to reconcile treatment against the claim, to manage reserves accurately, and to spot billing that does not align with the treatment plan. For providers, delayed invoicing slows payment, complicates the financial picture, and now carries a compliance dimension. Treating the 30-day window as a firm internal deadline protects both cash flow and standing with the regulator.
What this means for providers
Provider businesses should review their billing cycle against the 30-day expectation. In practice that means invoicing close to the point of service delivery, not in periodic batches that can push older services past the window. It also means having systems that flag unbilled services before they age. With SIRA signalling increased focus, providers that tighten invoicing now reduce both compliance risk and payment delay.
Key Takeaways
- SIRA has flagged delayed invoicing as a growing risk in the NSW schemes.
- Providers are reminded to submit invoices to insurers within 30 days of delivering a service.
- Late invoicing complicates claims reconciliation and reserve management for insurers.
- Provider businesses should treat the 30-day window as a firm internal deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SIRA 30-day invoicing rule?
It is the expectation, reinforced by SIRA in April 2026, that health providers submit invoices to insurers within 30 days of delivering a service in the NSW schemes.
Is the 30-day requirement new?
No. SIRA has described it as an existing obligation that it is reminding providers about, as a first step in addressing delayed invoicing risk.
Why is timely invoicing important for insurers?
Prompt invoices make it easier to reconcile treatment against the claim, manage reserves accurately, and identify billing that does not match the treatment plan.
Primary source: SIRA Bulletin Issue 73, April 2026.
