Health Insurance (Variation of Pathology Services Table) Regulations (Cth)

Statutory Rules 1989 No. 1981

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Health Insurance (Variation of Pathology Services Table) Regulations

I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council and under section 4 of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901, hereby make the following Regulations under the Health Insurance Act 1973.

Dated 31 July 1989.

BILL HAYDEN

Governor-General

By His Excellency’s Command,

NEAL BLEWETT

Minister of State for Community Services

and Health

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Citation

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Health Insurance (Variation of Pathology Services Table) Regulations.

Commencement

2. These Regulations commence on 1 August 1989.

Interpretation

3. In these Regulations, unless the contrary intention appears: “the Act” means the Health Insurance Act 1973.

 

Variation of the pathology services table

4. The Act shall have effect as if the pathology services table were varied:

(a) by omitting from the table:

“————————————————————————————

Item Fees—

No. Pathology Service All States

————————————————————————————”

(first occurring) and substituting:

“PATHOLOGY SERVICES TABLE—SCHEDULE OF SERVICES AND FEES

————————————————————————————–

Item Fees—

No. Pathology Service All States

————————————————————————————”;

(b) by omitting from item 1771 of the Schedule of Services and Fees in the table “43.00” and substituting “43.15”;

(c) by omitting from item 2032 of the Schedule of Services and Fees in the table “53.45” and substituting “75.00”;

(d) by omitting from item 2258 of the Schedule of Services and Fees in the table “25.19” and substituting “25.15”;

(e) by omitting from Division 9—Simple basic pathology tests of the Schedule of Services and Fees in the table items 1396 and 1397;

(f) by omitting from DIVISION l HAEMATOLOGY of the list of abbreviations for individual tests at the end of the table “Bone Marrow Examination—Threphline” and substituting “Bone Marrow Examination—Trephine”;

(g) by omitting from DIVISION 2 CHEMICAL PATHOLOGY of the list of abbreviations for individual tests at the end of the table:

“C-reactive protein..................... CRP 1558, 1559”;

(h) by omitting from DIVISION 2 CHEMICAL PATHOLOGY of the list of abbreviations for individual tests in the table “Valproate (Epilum)” and substituting “Valproate (Epilim)”;

(i) by omitting from DIVISION 2 CHEMICAL PATHOLOGY of the list of abbreviations for individual tests at the end of the table “Alpha-2 microglobulin” and substituting “Alpha-2 macroglobulin”;

(j) by omitting from DIVISION 3—MICROBIOLOGY of the list of abbreviations for individual tests at the end of the table:

“Leishmaniasis LE 1 2181, 2182”

and substituting:

“Leishmaniasis LE 1 2181, 2182”;

 

(k) by omitting from DIVISION 3—MICROBIOLOGY of the list of abbreviations for individual tests at the end of the table:

“Rubella RUB 2145, 2146

Rubella Serology in pregnancy RUBP 2181, 2182”

and substituting:

“Rubella RUB 2181, 2182

Rubella Serology in pregnancy RUBP 2145, 2146”;

(1) by omitting from the Schedule of Services and Fees in the table items 1170, 1171, 1419, 1575, 1576, 2021, 2024, 2229, 2263, 2266, 2315, 2316, 2343, 2344, 2355, 2356 and 2400;

(m) by inserting in its proper numerical position in Division 6— Cytopathology in the Schedule of Services and Fees of the table the following item:

“2356 Cytological examination of material obtained from a patient by fine needle aspiration of solid tissue or tissues where the aspiration is performed by a recognised pathologist; or where a recognised pathologist attends the aspiration and performs cytological examination during the attendance. OP 66.75”;

(n) by inserting in its proper numerical position in Division 9—simple basic pathology tests in the Schedule of Services and Fees of the table the following item:

“2387 Seminal examination for presence of spermatoza 5.85”;

(o) by inserting in its proper numerical position in the Schedule of Services and Fees in the table each of the items set out in the Schedule to these Regulations.

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SCHEDULE Paragraph 4 (n)

ITEMS TO BE INSERTED IN THE SCHEDULE OF SERVICES AND FEES IN THE PATHOLOGY SERVICES TABLE IN SCHEDULE 1a OF THE ACT

Item No.	Pathology Service	Fees— All States
$
1170	Examination of blood film, with or without differential cell count, or differential cell count with or without examination of blood film, and if performed, any of these additional services—Direct Coombs test, tests for heterophile antibodies, cold agglutinins, examination of blood film by special stains to demonstrate Heinz bodies, parasites or iron, or examination of a blood film with alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase, chloroacetate esterase, neutrophil alkaline phosphotase, nitro blue tetrazolium, periodic acid Schiff, Sudan Black stains, or Kleihauer test for HbF on blood film, including any services specified in item 1419. SP	13.20
			1171	Examination of blood film, with or without differential cell count, or differential cell count with or without examination of blood film, and if performed, any of these additional services—Direct Coombs test, tests for heterophile antibodies, cold agglutinins, examination of blood film by special stains to demonstrate Heinz bodies, parasites or iron, or examination of a blood film with alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase, chloroacetate esterase, neutrophil alkaline phosphotase, nitro blue tetrazolium, periodic acid Schiff, Sudan Black stains, or Kleihauer test for HbF on blood film, including any services specified in item 1420. OP	9.90
			1419	Direct Coombs test, qualitative or quantitative test for cold agglutinins, or heterophile antibodies, qualitative spectroscopic examination of blood for abnormal haemoglobins, qualitative test for red cell porphyrins and detection of metalbumin (Schumm’s test) excluding those services specified in items 1170 and 1172—one or more tests. SP	11.60
			1575	Qualitative estimation by any method, except by reagent strip or dipstick of the following urine constituents—bilirubin, cystine (cysteine), haemoglobin, melanin (melanogen), myoglobin, porphobilinogen, porphyrins, urobilinogen or pH measurement of body fluids other than urine (excepting urine acidification test), or cryoglobulins or cryofibrinogen in plasma—one or more estimations. SP	12.60
			1576	Qualitative estimation by any method, except by reagent strip or dipstick of the following urine constituents—bilirubin, cystine (cysteine), haemoglobin, melanin (melanogen), myoglobin, porphobilinogen, porphyrins, urobilinogen or pH measurement of body fluids other than urine (excepting urine acidification test), or cryoglobulins or cryofibrinogen in plasma—one or more estimations. OP	9.45
2021	Hormones and hormone binding proteins, quantitative estimation by any method of—ACTH, Aldosterone, Androstenedione, C-peptide, Calcitonin, Cortisol, Cyclic AMP, DHEAS, FSH, Gastrin, Growth hormone, Hydroxyprogesterone, Insulin, LH, Oestradiol, Oestriol, Oestrone, Progesterone, Prolactin, PTH, Renin, Sex hormone binding globulin, Somatomedin C(IgF1), free or total Testosterone, TSH (where not requested as part of a thyroid function test), Urine steroid fraction or fractions, Vasoactive intestinal peptide, Vasopressin (anti diuretic hormone)—one estimation. SP	36.50

SCHEDULE— continued

Item No.	Pathology Service	Fees— All States
$
2024	Hormones and hormone binding proteins, quantitative estimation by any method of—ACTH, Aldosterone, Androstenedione, C-peptide, Calcitonin, Cortisol, Cyclic AMP, DHEAS, FSH, Gastrin, Growth hormone, Hydroxyprogesterone, Insulin, LH, Oestradiol, Oestriol, Oestrone, Progesterone, Prolactin, PTH, Renin, Sex hormone binding globulin, Somatomedin C(IgF1), free or total Testosterone, TSH (where not requested as part of a thyroid function test), Urine steroid fraction or fractions, Vasoactive intestinal peptide, Vasopressin (anti diuretic hormone)—one estimation. OP	27.40
2229	All serological tests performed for the identification of the agent causing acute hepatitis, which must include Hepatitis B surface antigen, Hepatitis B core IgM antibody and Hepatitis A IgM antibody tests and those services specified in items 2221, 2223 and 2231. SP	47.50
2263	Quantitation of antinuclear antibodies and measurement of DNA binding (by Farr or equivalent assay, but excluding the Crithidia method), performed only where a positive titre greater than 1 in 40 is obtained including services specified in item 2261. SP	70.00
2266	Quantitation of antinuclear antibodies and measurement of DNA binding (by Farr or equivalent assay, but excluding the Crithidia method), performed only where a positive titre greater than 1 in 40 is obtained including services specified in item 2262. OP	52.50
2315	Functional tests for leucocytes, including use of all appropriate techniques (except E. rosette technique or similar) and any test specified in Division 1—Haematology in the Schedule. SP	66.00
2316	Functional tests for leucocytes, including use of all appropriate techniques (except E. rosette technique or similar) and any test specified in Division I—Haematology in the Schedule. OP	49.50
2343	Cytological examination including serial examinations for malignant cells of body fluids, sputum (single specimen), urine (single specimen), washings or brushings not specified in item 2340 and any histopathological service performed—one or more examinations. SP	38.00
2344	Cytological examination including serial examinations for malignant cells of body fluids, sputum (single specimen), urine (single specimen), washings or brushings not specified in item 2341 and any histopathological service performed—one or more examinations. OP	28.50
2355	Cytological examination of material obtained from a patient by fine needle aspiration of solid tissue or tissues where the aspiration is performed by a recognised pathologist; or where a recognised pathologist attends the aspiration and performs cytological examination during the attendance. SP	89.00
2396	Microscopical examination of gram stained film.	7.40
2397	Chemical tests for occult blood in faeces by reagent stick, strip, tablet or similar method.	1.95

NOTE

1. Notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette