Commonwealth Numbered Regulations - Explanatory Statements

[Index] [Search] [Download] [Related Items] [Help]

HEALTH INSURANCE (1990-91 GENERAL MEDICAL SERVICES TABLE) REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT) 1991 NO. 83

STATUTORY RULES 1991 No. 83

HEALTH INSURANCE ACT 1973

HEALTH INSURANCE (1990-91 GENERAL MEDICAL SERVICES TABLE) REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)

Section 133 of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (the Act) provides in part that the GovernorGeneral may make regulations for the purposes of the Act.

Section 9 of the Act provides that Medicare benefits shall be calculated by reference to the fee for medical services set out in the table of medical services (the table) in Schedule 1 to the Act.

Section 4 of the Act provides, among other things, that the regulations may prescribe a table of medical services (other than pathology services) in accordance with the form of the table set out in Schedule 1, and that upon commencement of a regulation prescribing a table of medical services, the prescribed table has effect as if it were set out in Schedule 1 in the place of the table in that Schedule. The Health Insurance (General Medical Services Table) Regulations prescribe such a table.

The Minister for Community Services and Health has agreed to the various recommendations and amendments set out below, and the Regulations amend the table of medical services accordingly.

The neurosurgery, vascular surgery and plastic and reconstructive surgery services in the table have been revised as part of the ongoing review of services to ensure that the Schedule reflects current medical practice. Agreement has been reached with the Australian Medical Association (AMA) and professional craft groups on revised item descriptions and the inclusion/deletion of new/obsolete services. In addition a dermatology item description was changed as the existing wording was anatomically incorrect. The Minister approved the revision of these items in the table on 27 February 1991.