Commonwealth Numbered Regulations - Explanatory Statements

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

HEALTH INSURANCE REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT) 1998 NO. 125

STATUTORY RULES 1998 NO. 125

Issued by Authority of the Minister for Health and Family Services

Health Insurance Act 1973

Health Insurance Regulations (Amendment)

The Health Insurance Act 1973 (the Act) provides in part for the payment of Medicare benefits for professional services rendered by medical practitioners.

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

Section 3D of the Act provides that a medical practitioner domiciled in Australia is eligible to be recognised as a specialist in the specialty for the purposes of the Act when the practitioner:

*       applies to the Minister and pays the prescribed fee; and

*       is a fellow of an organisation declared by the Regulations to be a professional organisation in relation to a particular medical specialty and has obtained qualifications prescribed in the regulations; or

*       is registered under the law of a State or Territory as a specialist in a particular speciality.

Schedule 4 of the Health Insurance Regulations sets out declared professional organisations, specialties and qualifications for the purposes of subsection 3D(1) of the Health Insurance Act 1973.

The amended Regulations include the Australasian Faculty of Occupational Medicine as the declared professional body; Occupational Medicine as the declared specialty; and the Fellowship (FAFOM) as the declared qualification.

This amendment enables the Minister to recognise a specialist who holds a Fellowship of the Australasian Faculty of Occupational Medicine under Subsection 3D of the Health Insurance Act 1973.

The proposed Regulations commenced on gazettal.