Medical aid billing and invoicing
BHF practice number: what it is and how to get one
A BHF practice number is what makes you visible to South African medical schemes. Without one, a scheme can’t pay you, and in most cases can’t reimburse your client either.
This guide explains what the number is, who needs one, how the application and renewal work, and how to look one up.
3 October 2026 · 6 min read
What is a BHF practice number?
It is a unique seven-digit number that identifies a healthcare practice to medical schemes. It is issued through the Practice Code Numbering System (PCNS), which the Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF) administers under the Medical Schemes Act.
What does a BHF practice number mean in practice? It tells a scheme three things: that you are a registered provider, which discipline you practise in, and where to pay. The discipline matters most. Your number is linked to your HPCSA registration category, and that link decides which tariff codes a scheme will accept from you.
Two numbers, two purposes
Your HPCSA registration number shows you are allowed to practise. Your BHF practice number allows medical schemes to pay you. You need the first before you can apply for the second.
Who needs one?
- Any practitioner whose clients claim from a medical aid
- Psychologists, registered counsellors and psychometrists in private practice
- Practitioners who only see cash clients, if those clients want to claim back from their scheme themselves
If you will never deal with a medical scheme, you can practise without one. Most practitioners find that clients ask for an invoice they can submit, and a scheme won’t reimburse an invoice that has no practice number on it.
How do I get a BHF practice number?
The BHF practice number application goes through the PCNS. In outline:
- 1Complete your HPCSA registration first. You need your independent practice registration certificate.
- 2Download the application form for HPCSA professionals from the PCNS website, pcns.co.za.
- 3Gather certified copies of your ID and HPCSA certificate, proof that your HPCSA annual fee is paid, and a stamped bank confirmation letter.
- 4Complete the bank verification, Commissioner of Oaths and declaration sections, and the debit order for the annual renewal fee.
- 5Email the application to the BHF. They issue a reference number, which you use to pay the application fee.
- 6Wait for the number to be issued.
Choose your discipline code carefully. It must match your HPCSA registration category exactly.
Our step-by-step guide, Getting a BHF practice number, lists every document, the banking details and the contact addresses.
What it costs and how long it takes
| Fee | 2026 amount |
|---|---|
| New application (non-refundable) | R850.00 |
| Annual renewal | R443.00 |
| Reinstatement after suspension | R803.00 |
Processing typically takes 10 to 20 working days once the form is complete and every document is attached. Incomplete applications are the usual cause of delay. Once the number is issued, the BHF notifies the medical schemes on the PCNS database.
Demand peaks in January, when new practitioners finish community service and internships. If you plan to open in the new year, apply before the December break.
BHF practice number renewal
The number is not issued once and forgotten. The annual renewal fee is due by 31 March each year, and the BHF requires an active debit order for it.
If the renewal isn’t paid, the practice number can be suspended, and a suspended number means rejected claims. Reinstatement carries its own fee. Put the date somewhere you will see it. In Wholistic, the BHF renewal sits in the compliance tracker with your HPCSA and indemnity dates, and a reminder appears on your dashboard before it is due.
You must also tell the BHF when your details change: a new address, new banking details, or a change in practice type.
BHF practice number search
You may need to look up a number: your own, or a colleague’s for a referral letter. The PCNS website has a practice search where a practice number can be verified.
Clients sometimes ask for the number so they can check with their scheme that you are recognised. It should appear on every invoice you issue, along with your HPCSA registration number.
After you have the number
A practice number doesn’t register you with each scheme’s administrator automatically. The next step is to register with the main administrators, which our guide to which medical aids to register with first covers.
Then put the number to work. Every claim needs it, together with the right ICD-10 and tariff codes.
Common questions
Is a BHF practice number the same as an HPCSA number?
No. The HPCSA number is your professional registration. The BHF practice number identifies your practice to medical schemes for billing. You need the HPCSA registration first.
Can I see clients while I wait for my practice number?
You can see cash clients once you are registered with the HPCSA. Claims to medical schemes need the practice number, so those clients would have to pay you directly in the meantime.
What happens if I don’t renew?
The number can be suspended, and schemes will reject claims made under a suspended number. Reinstatement requires a further fee.
Fees and steps are as published for 2026. Confirm the current amounts and requirements with the Board of Healthcare Funders before you apply.
Sources
In Wholistic
Put your practice number on every invoice automatically.
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