Medicare Australia (Function of Chief Executive Officer Lifetime Health Cover) Direction 2007 (Cth)

Medicare Australia (Function of Chief Executive Officer — Lifetime Health Cover) Direction 2007

Medicare Australia Act 1973

I, CHRISTOPHER MARTIN ELLISON, Minister for Human Services, make this Direction under paragraph 5 (1) (d) of the Medicare Australia Act 1973.

Dated 17 May 2007

CHRISTOPHER MARTIN ELLISON

Minister for Human Services

1. Name of Direction

This Direction is the Medicare Australia (Function of Chief Executive Officer — Lifetime Health Cover) Direction 2007.

1. Commencement

This Direction commences on the day after it is registered.

1. Definitions

In this Direction:

Act means the Medicare Australia Act 1973.

Note   Before 1 October 2005, the Medicare Australia Act 1973 was known as the Health Insurance Commission Act 1973.

Health Minister means the Minister administering the Private Health Insurance Act.

Human Services Minister means the Minister administering the Medicare Australia Act 1973.

lifetime health cover has the meaning given by section 31‑1 of the Private Health Insurance Act.

lifetime health cover age has the same meaning as in Part 2‑3 of the Private Health Insurance Act.

medicare information means information collected by the Chief Executive Officer before, on or after 1 October 2005 in performing the medicare functions conferred on the Chief Executive Officer under section 6 of the Act.

Private Health Insurance Act means the Private Health Insurance Act 2007.

Note   Unless otherwise stated, a term used in this Direction and in the Act has the same meaning in this Direction as it has in the Act. The following terms are defined in section 3 of the Act:

·      Chief Executive Officer

·      medicare functions.

1. Function in relation to Lifetime Health Cover

(1)   For paragraph 5 (1) (d) of the Act, the Chief Executive Officer is to perform the function of assisting the Department of Health and Ageing with communications to members of the public about lifetime health cover.

(2)   This function includes:

(a)    identifying persons approaching lifetime health cover age; and

(b)    identifying other persons who have become subject to the operation of lifetime health cover; and

Example for paragraph (b)

New arrivals within the meaning of section 34‑25 of the Private Health Insurance Act).

(c)    receiving communications materials from the Department of Health and Ageing; and

(d)    providing, by mail‑out or other means, to persons identified under paragraphs (a) and (b), information about lifetime health cover received under paragraph (c); and

(e)    providing information and reports to the Department of Health and Ageing.

(3)   The Chief Executive Officer may use medicare information for the following purposes:

(a)    identifying persons approaching lifetime health cover age and other persons who have become subject to the operation of lifetime health cover;

(b)    contacting, by mail‑out or other means, those persons;

(c)    reporting to the Department of Health and Ageing.