Commonwealth Numbered Regulations - Explanatory Statements

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HEALTH INSURANCE (1992-1993 DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING SERVICES TABLE) REGULATIONS1992 NO. 337

STATUTORY RULES 1992 No. 337

Issued by the authority of the Minister for Health, Housing and Community Services

Health Insurance Act 1973

Health Insurance (1992-1993 Diagnostic Imaging Services Table) Regulations

Section 133 of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (the Act) provides that the Governor-General may make regulations for the purposes of the Act.

Section 4AA of the Act provides that regulations may prescribe a table of diagnostic imaging services (the table). Regulations made under this section must be remade each specified twelve month period. The Health Insurance (1992-1993 Diagnostic Imaging Services Table) Regulations (the Regulations) prescribe such a table.

Section 9 of the Act provides that medicare benefits shall be calculated by reference to the fees for diagnostic imaging services set out in the table.

The Regulations replace the 1991-1992 Regulations (Statutory Rules 1991 No. 352) and incorporate the provisions of the Health Insurance (1991-1992 Diagnostic Imaging Services Table) Regulations (Amendment), (Statutory Rules 1992 No. 240), which are due to lapse within the next six months.

The Regulations vary the table by amending three existing services, introducing 35 new services (in the areas of ultrasound, computerised tomography and diagnostic radiology), and making consequential amendments to the rules of interpretation to take into account these changes and a general fee increase. The changes have been agreed with representatives of the medical profession.

The changes include an increase of 2.31 per cent in the fees for diagnostic imaging services which is incorporated in the table. The Government announced this increase in the 1992 Budget to take effect from 1 November 1992.

The fee increase of 2.31 per cent was based on consideration of movements in the Average Award Rates of Pay Index and the Consumer Price Index and taking into account overall economic policy.

The Regulations as well as making consequential amendments to the rules of interpretation also introduce a new rule of interpretation to define "angiography suite" for the purposes of a new item inserted in the table to cover fluoroscopy performed in an angiography suite.

The Regulations commence on 1 November 1992.