Commonwealth Numbered Regulations - Explanatory Statements

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HEALTH INSURANCE (1995-96 GENERAL MEDICAL SERVICES TABLE) REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT) 1995 NO. 350

STATUTORY RULES 1995 No. 350

Issued by authority of the Minister for Human Services and Health

Health Insurance Act 1973

Health Insurance (1995-96 General Medical Services Table) Regulations (Amendment)

The Health Insurance Act 1973 (the Act) provides for payments by way of medicare benefits, payments for hospital services and payments for matters concerning related committees and tribunals.

Section 133 of the Act provides that the Governor-General may make regulations for the purposes of the Act.

Section 4 of the Act provides that the regulations may prescribe a table of medical services (the table), (other than diagnostic imaging services and pathology services). The Health Insurance (1995-96 General Medical Services Table) Regulations currently prescribe such a table.

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

The purpose of the Regulations is to correct anomalies identified in the table of general medical services which came into effect, on 1 November 1995.

Regulation 2 amends Rule No. 38 of the Rules of Interpretation of the Table. Items 16633 and 16636 cover services rendered in relation to the second or subsequent foetus in a multiple pregnancy. The intention is that the fees for these items be derived at 50% of the fees for items covering services rendered in respect of a single foetus (items 16600 to 16627). This amendment resolves an uncertainty in the interpretation of the rule.

Regulation 3 adds anaesthetic unit values to items 16511 and 16512 which were inadvertently omitted from the 1 November 1995 Table. Anaesthetic unit values determine the fee levels applicable to particular anaesthetic services.

The Regulations come into effect from date of gazettal.