Health Insurance (1996-97 Diagnostic Imaging Services Table) Regulations (Amendment) (Cth)

Statutory Rules 1996

No. 337 1

__________________

Health Insurance (1996-97 Diagnostic Imaging Services Table) Regulations 2(Amendment)

I, The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, make the following Regulations under the Health Insurance Act 1973.

Dated 20 December 1996.

 WILLIAM DEANE

 Governor-General

By His Excellency’s Command,

michael wooldridge

Minister for Health and Family Services

____________

1.   Commencement

1.1   These Regulations commence on 20 January 1997.

2.   Amendment

2.1   The Health Insurance (1996-97 Diagnostic Imaging Services Table) Regulations are amended as set out in these Regulations.

3.   Schedule (Table of diagnostic imaging services)

3.1   Schedule, Part 1:

Add at the end:

Multiple services

 “15.(1) If a medical practitioner renders 2 or more diagnostic imaging services for the same patient on the same day, the fees set out in the items that apply to the services, other than the item with the highest fee, are reduced by $5.00.

 “(2) If a medical practitioner renders:

• (a)

  at least 1 R-type diagnostic imaging service; and

• (b)

  at least 1 consultation;

for the same patient on the same day, the highest fee, set out in the items that apply to any diagnostic imaging services rendered by the medical practitioner for the same patient on the same day, is reduced by the least of:

• (c)

  if the fee for the consultation is at least $40.00—$35.00; or

• (d)

  if the fee for the consultation is less than $40.00—$15.00; or

• (e)

  that fee.

 “(3) Subrule (2) only applies to the consultation for which the highest fee is set out in the items that apply to the consultations.

 “(4) If a medical practitioner renders:

• (a)

  at least 1 R-type diagnostic imaging service; and

• (b)

  at least 1 non-consultation service;

for the same patient on the same day, the highest fee, set out in the items that apply to any diagnostic imaging services rendered by the medical practitioner for the same patient on the same day, is reduced by $5.00.

 “(5) If a medical practitioner renders:

• (a)

  an R-type diagnostic imaging service; and

• (b)

  a consultation; and

• (c)

  a non-consultation service;

for the same patient on the same day, the sum of the reductions under subrules (2) and (4) is not to exceed the highest fee set out in the items that apply to any diagnostic imaging services rendered by the medical practitioner for the same patient on the same day.

 “(6) This rule does not apply to diagnostic imaging services that are rendered in a remote area by a medical practitioner for whom a remote area exemption under section 23DX of the Act is in force for that area.

 “(7) In this rule:

‘consultation’ means a service under an item listed in Groups A1 to A9 of the general medical services table;

‘non-consultation service’ means a service under an item listed in the general medical service table other than in Groups A1 to A9.

 “(8) A reference in this rule to a ‘highest fee’ is a reference to a fee for an item in the first claim processed by the Commission for which subrule (1), (2) or (4) applies.”.

4.   Schedule

4.1   Schedule, Part 2, item 58300:

Omit “study, wrist and knee”, substitute “study”.

4.2   Schedule, Part 2, item 58939:

Omit “Defaecogram, paediatric”, substitute “Defaecogram”.

4.3   Schedule, Part 2, item 59751:

Omit “1 joint”, substitute “double contrast”.

4.4   Schedule, Part 2, item 61462:

Omit “separate occasion using the same”, substitute “subsequent occasion where no fee has been paid for the first investigation and there is no additional”.

_____________________________________________________

NOTES

1. Notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 24 December 1996.

2. Statutory Rules 1996 No. 233.