National Health and Pensions Insurance Act 1938 (Cth)
NATIONAL HEALTH AND PENSIONS INSURANCE.
An Act to provide for Insurance against certain Contingencies affecting Employees, and the Wives, Children, Widows, and Orphans of Employees, and for other purposes.
[Assented to 5th July, 1938.]
BE it enacted by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—
Part I.—Preliminary.
Part I.—Preliminary.
Part II.—Administration.
Part III.—Insured Persons.
Part IV.—Contributions.
Part V.—Benefits.
Part VI.—Central Finance.
Part VII.—Approved Societies.
Division 1.—Constitution and Membership.
Division 2.—Financial Provisions.
Part VIII.—Miscellaneous.
“adopted child” includes a child who has been brought up, maintained and educated by two spouses jointly, or by one of two spouses during the lifetime of the other, under a
de facto adoption and that child shall not be deemed to be the child of any other person;“approved society” means a body of persons declared, under Part VII. of this Act, to be an approved society;
“child” includes a step-child and an adopted child, and, in relation to a man, includes an ex-nuptial child, whether his or his wife’s, who was living with him at the time of the commencement of eligibility for benefit of the man, his widow or dependent child, as the case may be, and, in relation to a woman, includes her ex-nuptial child if living with her at the time of the commencement of eligibility for benefit of that woman;
“Consultative Council” means the Approved Societies’ Consultative Council established under this Act;
“contribution half-year” means—
(
a ) a period of twenty-six weeks commencing on the first Monday in any year; or(
b ) a period commencing on the twenty-seventh Monday in any year and terminating on the day preceding the first Monday in the next year,as the case requires;
“contributions” means contributions consisting of payments at the rates imposed by the
National Health and Pensions Insurance (Employers’ Contributions )Act 1938 and by theNational Health and Pensions Insurance (Employees’ Contributions )Act 1938 and includes contributions made by or on behalf of voluntary contributors and by special voluntary contributors and other contributions made voluntarily under this Act;“contribution year” means a period consisting of two consecutive contribution half-years and commencing on the first Monday in any year;
“employed” means engaged, at or after the commencement of this Act, in any of the employments specified in Part I. of the First Schedule to this Act and not specified in Part II. of that Schedule and “employed persons” means persons so engaged;
“employed contributors” means persons insured by reason of their being employed persons;
“employer’s contribution” means the amount of contribution payable by an employer in respect of an insured person employed by him;
“exempt employee” and “partially exempt employee” means a person engaged in any employment in respect of which a certificate has been issued under Part II. of the First Schedule;
“half-year” means a period of six months ending on the thirtieth day of June or on the thirty-first day of December as the case requires;
“health insurance benefits” means sickness benefit, disablement benefit, medical benefit, dependent child’s allowance payable to any person in receipt of sickness benefit or disablement benefit, and additional benefits;
“insurable employment” means employment specified in Part I. of the First Schedule and not specified in Part II. of that Schedule;
“insured” means insured under and in accordance with the provisions of this Act;
“juvenile contributor” means an employed person who has attained the age of fourteen years but has not attained the age of sixteen years;
“maximum age” means, in the case of a man, the age of sixty-five years, and in the case of a woman, the age of sixty years;
“medical practitioner” means a person who is registered, or entitled to practise, as a medical practitioner under the law in force in any State or part of the Commonwealth;
“Ordinance” means an Ordinance of a Territory and includes a State Act in force in a Territory;
“pharmaceutical chemist” means a person who is registered as a pharmaceutical chemist or pharmacist under the law in force in the State or part of the Commonwealth in which he supplies, or proposes to supply, drugs, medicines or appliances in pursuance of a contract made under this Act;
“public funds” means the funds of the Government of the Commonwealth or of a State or of any authority under the Commonwealth or a State;
“Regulations” means regulations made under this Act;
“sickness” means some specific disease, and includes bodily or mental disablement, of which disease or disablement the prescribed notice has been given;
“Territory” means a Territory being part of the Commonwealth;
“the Board” means the Board of Trustees for National Insurance Funds constituted by this Act;
“the Commission” means the National Insurance Commission constituted by this Act;
“the Medical Benefit Council” means the Medical Benefit Council established under this Act;
“voluntary contributors” means persons insured under and in accordance with this Act as voluntary contributors;
“week”, in relation to contributions, means a period of seven days, commencing from the midnight between Sunday and Monday, in respect of which a contribution is paid or payable.
(2.) For the purposes of this Act, any man or woman with whom an ex-nuptial child was living at the time specified in the definition of “child” in the last preceding sub-section and applicable to that child, shall be deemed to be the father or the mother, as the case may be, of that child.
(3.) Any reference in this Act to a Schedule shall be read as a reference to a Schedule to this Act.
Part II.—Administration.
(2.) The Commission shall consist of three Commissioners who shall be appointed by the Governor-General.
(3.) The Governor-General shall appoint one of the Commissioners to be Chairman of the Commission.
(4.) At meetings of the Commission two Commissioners shall form a quorum.
(2.) If an officer of the Public Service of the
Commonwealth is appointed a Commissioner, the
(3.) If an officer of the Public Service of a State is appointed a Commissioner, he shall have the same rights as if he had been an officer of a Department transferred to the Commonwealth and had been retained in the service of the Commonwealth.
(4.) A Commissioner shall not, without the approval of the Governor-General, engage in any paid employment other than the duties of his office.
appoint a deputy to act for the Chairman or other Commissioner during his illness, suspension or absence, and every deputy so appointed shall, while so acting, have all the powers and authority of the Chairman or Commissioner, as the case may be.
(2.) The Minister shall, within seven days after the suspension, if the Parliament is then sitting, or if the Parliament is not then sitting, within seven days after the next meeting of the Parliament, cause to be laid before both Houses of the Parliament a full statement of the grounds of suspension, and if within sixty days thereafter an address is presented to the Governor-General by the Senate and the House of Representatives praying for the restoration of the Commissioner or acting Commissioner, as the case may be, to office, he shall be restored accordingly; but if no such address is so presented the Governor-General may confirm the suspension and declare the office of the Commissioner or acting Commissioner, as the case may be, to be vacant, and the office shall thereupon be and become vacant.
(
a ) becomes bankrupt or insolvent, or applies to take the benefit of any Act for the relief of bankrupt or insolvent debtors, or compounds with his creditors, or makes an assignment of his salary or remuneration for their benefit;(
b ) absents himself from duty for a period of fourteen consecutive days, or for twenty-eight days in any twelve months, without leave granted by the Governor-General;(
c ) becomes permanently incapable of performing his duties; or(
d ) resigns his office by writing under his hand addressed to the Governor-General.
(2.) The seal of the Commission shall be authenticated by the signatures of a Commissioner and of the Secretary of the Commission or of the person for the time being acting as Secretary of the Commission.
matters or class of matters specified, or the State or part of the Commonwealth specified, in the instrument of delegation.
(2.) Every delegation by the Commission shall be revocable in writing at will, and no delegation shall prevent the exercise of any power by the Commission.
(2.) For the purposes of this section, the Chairman
of the Commission shall have all the powers of a Permanent Head under the
Part III.—Insured Persons.
(
a ) they have been employed, and insured as employed contributors, for a period, whether continuous or not, of not less than one hundred and four weeks since their last entry into insurance;(
b ) they have ceased to be employed;(
c ) they have given notice as prescribed that they desire to become voluntary contributors; and(
d ) they have paid contributions in accordance with this Act.
(2.) If the approved society is satisfied, or, in the event of a dispute, it is decided in the manner provided by this Act that, within three days after the date when he ceased to be so employed, or, in the case of a voluntary contributor, at the end of the contribution week in respect of which the last contribution was paid, the person was incapable of work by reason of sickness, the period of two years specified in the last preceding sub-section shall be reckoned from the end of the contribution week in which he ceased to be so incapable of work.
(3.) Notwithstanding anything contained in the foregoing provisions of this section, a person who becomes employed during a free insurance period shall not, on ceasing to be employed, become thereby entitled to a new free insurance period unless he has been employed for not less than the prescribed number of weeks since the beginning of the contribution half-year in which the free insurance period began.
(2.) If at the date of the termination of a free insurance period the person having the benefit of that period is employed, his free insurance period shall continue until the thirtieth day of June or the thirty-first day of December, whichever date next follows the date on which he ceases to be so employed.
(2.) Where the Commission has issued a
certificate under paragraph (
(
a ) health insurance benefits;(
b ) health insurance benefits together with old-age pensions,
those persons shall, unless they are persons to
whom paragraph (
Provided that a person shall not be insured in pursuance of this sub-section for orphan’s pension only.
(3.) Any person who, having been employed, for
not less than one hundred and four weeks, in employment in respect of which the
Commission has issued a certificate referred to in the last preceding
sub-section, ceases to be so employed or becomes a person to whom paragraph (
(4.) Where a person—
(
a ) having been engaged in employment in respect of which the Commission has certified that the terms of the employment provide benefits on the whole not less favorable than health insurance benefits together with old-age pension, retires, while the certificate remains in force, from that employment with a superannuation allowance granted independently of this Act and becomes an employed person; or(
b ) becomes a voluntary contributor by virtue of this section and has previously been insured only for widow’s pension and dependent child’s allowance or orphan’s pension,
the provisions of this Act relating to old-age pension shall apply to that person in such circumstances and subject to such modifications as are prescribed.
(5.) Where the Commission has issued a
certificate under paragraph (
(6.) The provisions of sections twenty and twenty-one of this Act shall apply to partially exempt employees who cease their employment as such, in the same manner as if they were insured employed persons.
have been paid, may, if she is married and gives notice within the prescribed time and in the prescribed manner, elect to become a special voluntary contributor under this Act for old-age pension only, and thereupon she shall become such a contributor.
(2.) Except in pursuance of this section, a married woman shall not be insured under this Act—
(
a ) unless she is engaged in insurable employment; or(
b ) except during a period of free insurance to which she is entitled under this Act by virtue of insurance during such employment.
Part IV.—Contributions.
(2.) The amount of contribution payable by the employer of an employed person shall continue to be paid so long as the person remains in his employment notwithstanding that the person has attained the maximum age.
Provided that no such deduction may be made from any wages or remuneration other than the wages or remuneration paid in respect of the period or part of the period in respect of which the contribution is payable.
(2.) Where an employed contributor does not receive any wages or other pecuniary remuneration from his employer but receives such remuneration from some other person, the part of the contribution paid by the employer on behalf of the contributor shall, without prejudice to any other means of recovery, be recovered from the employed contributor summarily as a civil debt, if proceedings for the purpose are instituted within three months from the date on which the contribution was payable.
(3.) Where the contributor does not receive any wages or other pecuniary remuneration either from his employer or from any other person, the employer shall be liable to pay the whole amount of the contributions payable by himself and by the contributor and shall not be entitled to recover any part thereof from the contributor.
(2.) Any person deemed under this section to be an employer may deduct the amount which represents the part payable by the employed contributor of any contributions, which that person may become liable to pay, from any sums payable by him to the immediate employer and the immediate employer may recover from the contributor the like sums and in the like manner as if the immediate employer were liable to pay that amount.
(2.) A contribution shall be payable for each week during the whole or any part of which an employed contributor has been employed:
Provided that—
(
a ) where no services have been rendered by an employed contributor during any week and no remuneration is paid in respect of that week; or(
b ) where no services have been rendered by a contributor during any week and he has been rendered incapable of work for the whole or any part of that week as the result of sickness,
an employer shall not be liable to pay any contribution, either on his own behalf or in respect of the contributor, in respect of that week.
(2.) Where the contributor is employed by more than one employer in any week, the employer who first employs him in that week, or such other employer as is prescribed, shall be deemed to be the employer for the purposes of the provisions of this Act relating to the payment of contributions.
(
a ) the expiration of one year from the date on which she first became employed; or(
b ) her attainment of the age of twenty-one years,
whichever last happens, elect to pay, from the prescribed date, an additional contribution of sixpence a week.
(2.) The right of a person to continue to pay additional contributions under this section shall be subject to the provisions of section forty of this Act as if the person were, in respect of those contributions, a voluntary contributor.
(3.) Contributions paid in accordance with sub-section (1.) of this section shall not be taken into account—
(
a ) for the purpose of determining the right of the contributor to benefit under this Act other than benefit under section seventy-six of this Act; or(
b ) for the purposes of sections one hundred and twenty to one hundred and twenty-two (inclusive) of this Act.
(
a ) by means of adhesive or other stamps affixed to or impressed upon books or cards in the prescribed manner; or(
b ) in such other manner as is prescribed.
(
a ) in determining the right of any person to an old-age pension under this Act, if the contributions are paid subsequently to the attainment by that person of the maximum age; or(
b ) in determining the right of any person to widow’s pension or orphan’s pension under this Act, if the contributions are paid after the death of the insured person,
except in such classes of cases of insured persons (not being voluntary contributors or special voluntary contributors) and to such extent as are prescribed.
(2.) The provisions of this Act relating to the method of payment of contributions shall apply to any increases of those contributions.
Part V.—Benefits.
(
a ) medical benefit;(
b ) sickness benefit;(
c ) disablement benefit;(
d ) additional benefits;(
e ) old-age pension;(
f ) widow’s pension;(
g ) orphan’s pension;(
h ) dependent child’s allowance.
(2.) A voluntary contributor whose total income from all sources exceeds Three hundred and sixty-five pounds per annum shall not be entitled to medical benefit.
(2.) The Commission may, as prescribed, enter into contracts or agreements with medical practitioners by whom medical services are to be supplied under any arrangement made under the last preceding sub-section.
(3.) Any medical practitioner may, subject to the prescribed conditions, secure participation in an arrangement made under sub-section (1.) of this section.
(4.) A list shall be prepared and published as prescribed, from time to time, showing the names of the medical practitioners who are parties to any contract or agreement made under this section in respect of any State or part of the Commonwealth.
(5.) Any insured person may, subject to the prescribed conditions, select from the appropriate list the medical practitioner by whom he desires that medical services shall, subject to the consent of that practitioner, be supplied to him.
(6.) Medical services shall be supplied to an insured person who has not made a selection under the last preceding sub-section, or to whose selection the selected medical practitioner has not consented, by such medical practitioner on the appropriate list as is selected by the Commission in the prescribed manner.
(2.) Such drugs, medicines and appliances shall be supplied by persons with whom the Commission has entered into a contract or agreement under the last preceding sub-section.
(3.) No contract or agreement under this section shall be made with any person unless—
(
a ) he is a pharmaceutical chemist; or(
b ) he undertakes that all medicines supplied shall be dispensed by or under the direct supervision of a pharmaceutical chemist:
Provided that, in such special circumstances or cases as are prescribed, but not otherwise, a contract or agreement may be made with a medical practitioner for the supply by him of drugs or medicines to an insured person.
(4.) A list shall be prepared and published as prescribed, from time to time, showing the names of persons who are parties to any contract or agreement made under this section in respect of any State or part of the Commonwealth.
(5.) Any person with whom the Commission may enter into a contract or agreement under this section may, subject to the prescribed conditions, secure participation in the supply of drugs, medicines and appliances to insured persons, subject to his entering into such a contract or agreement.
(2.) Where the Commission has cancelled any contract or agreement made under section fifty-one or section fifty-three of this Act, the person with whom the contract or agreement was made shall not be entitled, unless and until the Commission otherwise determines, to participate in any arrangement, contract or agreement under this Part.
(
a ) has cancelled a contract or agreement made under this Part for the supply of drugs, medicines and appliances; or(
b ) is satisfied that, in respect of any State or part of the Commonwealth, it is impracticable to make a satisfactory contract or agreement under section fifty-three of this Act for the supply of drugs, medicines and appliances,
the Commission may make, in lieu of the contract or agreement so cancelled or in respect of that State or part of the Commonwealth, as the case may be, such other provision as it thinks fit for the supply to insured persons of drugs, medicines and appliances.
(2.) Any person who, without reasonable excuse (proof whereof shall lie upon him) fails, after receipt of a notice under the last preceding sub-section, to comply with the requirements of the notice, shall be guilty of an offence.
Penalty: Fifty pounds, or imprisonment for three months.
(
a ) persons representing—(i) medical practitioners rendering services under this Act;
(ii) pharmaceutical chemists (including pharmaceutical chemists representing friendly societies’ dispensaries) supplying drugs, medicines and appliances under this Act;
(iii) employers of insured persons; and
(iv) insured persons who are members of approved societies; and
(
b ) persons selected by the Minister.
(2.) Each member of the Medical Benefit Council shall be appointed by the Minister and shall hold office for such period and upon such conditions as are prescribed.
(3.) The number of persons to be selected by the Minister, and the number of persons representing each class specified in sub- section (1.) of this section, to be appointed members of the Medical Benefit Council, and the method of selecting the persons to be appointed as representing each such class shall be as prescribed.
(4.) The Medical Benefit Council shall give advice to the Commission with respect to any matter relating to medical benefit which is referred to it by the Commission, and shall have such other powers and duties as are prescribed.
(2.) The Commission may, subject to and in accordance with the Regulations, establish a District Medical Benefit Committee in any such district.
(3.) A District Medical Benefit Committee shall have—
(
a ) such powers and duties in relation to complaints by insured persons, medical practitioners, pharmaceutical chemists, friendly societies’ dispensaries and approved societies in connexion with medical benefit in the district for which it is appointed; and
(
b ) such other powers and duties,
as are prescribed.
(2.) Disablement benefit shall, subject to this Act, consist of periodical payments to the insured person in respect of any period, after the expiration of the period in respect of which sickness benefit may be paid, during which incapacity for work due to sickness continues.
(
a ) sickness benefit until twenty-six weeks have elapsed since his last entry into insurance and contributions in respect of twenty-six weeks have been paid by and in respect of the insured person; or(
b ) disablement benefit until one hundred and four weeks have elapsed since his last entry into insurance and contributions in respect of one hundred and four weeks have been paid by and in respect of the insured person.
be eligible for sickness benefit for so long only as he remains entitled to medical benefit by virtue of section forty-eight of this Act, but, during the period during which he is so entitled, notwithstanding anything contained in section sixty-two of this Act, his right to receive sickness benefit, during any period of incapacity for work arising from sickness, shall continue until the termination of the twenty-sixth week from the date upon which he became entitled to receive that benefit, or until he attains the age of sixteen years, whichever last happens.
(2.) An insured person shall not be entitled to sickness benefit or disablement benefit for any week unless he has complied with such of the rules of the approved society of which he is a member, and with such of the Regulations, as require evidence of the sickness to be given within the prescribed time and in the prescribed manner.
(2.) Where such compensation or damages is or are paid by way of a lump sum, the equivalent weekly value of the lump sum shall, for the purposes of this section, be taken as payable weekly.
(3.) The method and conditions of ascertaining such equivalent weekly value shall be as prescribed.
(4.) Nothing in this section shall prevent any person who is entitled to such compensation or damages, and who satisfies the approved society of which he is a member that he is unable to recover the compensation or damages, from receiving, under this Act, sickness benefit or disablement benefit (including dependent child’s allowance).
(2.) During the period any insured person is such an inmate the amount which would, but for this section, have been paid to that person, shall be paid or applied to, or for the advantage of, the dependants of that person to such extent and in such proportions as are determined by the approved society of which that person is a member.
(3.) If that person had no dependants or if, after payment to the dependants of that person, any balance remains of the amount which would, but for this section, have been paid to that person, the amount or balance, as the case may be, shall be applied, if the insured person so authorizes, in defraying any expenses for which he may be, or become, liable otherwise than to the asylum, hospital or other institution while he is such an inmate and, in so far as it is not so applied, the amount or balance shall be paid to the institution of which he is or was an inmate.
(2.) Where payments are made by or on behalf of the insured person of the amount of the arrears or any part thereof, the reduction, postponement or suspension may be cancelled or varied as prescribed, and for this purpose the Regulations may contain different provisions for different classes of insured persons.
(3.) Where the insured person is a voluntary contributor any amount of arrears paid by him shall be treated as contributions in respect of such period as is prescribed.
(4.) In calculating the amount of arrears of contributions by and in respect of an insured person, account shall not be taken of arrears accruing—
(
a ) in respect of any period during which the person was incapable of work by reason of sickness of which notice as prescribed has been given; or(
b ) in the case of a woman who is an insured person—in respect of the two weeks before, and the four weeks after, her confinement.
(5.) The right to medical benefit shall not be affected by reason only of the suspension under this section of the payment of sickness benefit or disablement benefit.
(
a ) who was insured at the date he attained the maximum age and had been continuously insured for not less than five years immediately preceding that date; and(
b ) by and in respect of whom not less than two hundred and eight contributions have been paid since the date of his last entry into insurance and not less than an average of thirty-nine contributions has been paid or deemed, as prescribed, to have been paid in respect of each of the three contribution years immediately preceding the date upon which he attained the maximum age.
(
a ) who is insured at the date of his death; or(
b ) who at that date is in receipt of, or would, but for the provisions of sections ninety-four and ninety-eight of this Act, have been eligible to receive, a pension under this Act,
shall, subject to this Act, be entitled to a widow’s pension at the rate specified in the Third Schedule.
(2.) The pension payable to a widow under this Act shall cease to be payable if and when she remarries.
(3.) A woman, if and so long as she cohabits as a wife with a man to whom she is not married, shall not be entitled to receive a widow’s pension.
(
a ) the person in respect of whose insurance the pension is payable has been insured for not less than one hundred and four weeks since his last entry into insurance and contributions in respect of not less than one hundred and four weeks have been paid by and in respect of that person; and(
b ) the number of contributions paid or deemed, as prescribed, to have been paid by and in respect of that person for the three contribution years immediately prior to his death, or to the date on which he attained the maximum age, as the case may be, represents an average of not less than twenty-six contributions in respect of each of those years.
(2.) The condition contained in paragraph (
(2.) Where both parents of the child are insured persons, a dependent child’s allowance shall be payable only in respect of sickness benefit or disablement benefit payable to the father, unless the prescribed authority is satisfied that the father is not supporting the child.
(2.) Where a widow, having a child in respect of whom a dependent child’s allowance is payable to her, remarries, and subsequently dies before that child attains the age of fifteen years, an orphan’s pension shall be payable in respect of that child in lieu of the dependent child’s allowance.
(3.) A dependent child’s allowance shall not cease to be payable by reason only of the fact that the person to whom it is payable is an inmate of an asylum, hospital or other institution which is ordinarily and to a substantial extent supported by public funds.
(
a ) he satisfies the Commission that immediately prior to the commencement of that Part he was for a period of not less than one year engaged in employment which would, had this Act been in force throughout that period, have been insurable employment; and(
b ) contributions have been paid by and in respect of him for not less than one hundred and four weeks of insurable employment before attaining the maximum age.
(2.) Any person, to whom the provisions of the
last preceding sub-section, other than paragraph (
widow and any dependent child under the age of fifteen years, or leaving an orphan under the age of fifteen years, there shall be payable to the widow or to the orphan, a sum calculated in accordance with the Regulations and varying according to the number of contributions paid.
(
a ) if the claim for the grant of pension is received by the Commission within three months from the date upon which the claimant becomes entitled to the pension—on that date; or(
b ) if the claim is not received by the Commission within three months from that date—at the beginning of the period of three months immediately preceding the date upon which the claim is made.
(
a ) health insurance benefits;(
b ) health insurance benefits together with old-age pensions,
shall, subject to this Act, be entitled, in respect of his insurance under this Act, to benefits under this Act other than those of the class specified in the certificate:
Provided that no person shall be entitled to be insured for orphan’s pension only.
(2.) The amount by which any pension is reduced under the last preceding sub-section shall be paid or applied, in such manner and proportions as are determined by the Commission, to, or for the advantage of, the dependants of the person who would otherwise have received that amount.
(3.) Any part of the amount by which a pension is so reduced which is not applied in the manner provided in the last preceding sub-section may, at the discretion of the Commission—
(
a ) be paid to the person entitled to the pension; or(
b ) be retained by the Commission as pension accrued to the pensioner,
and, in the latter event, the pension payable to the person entitled shall, on his ceasing, otherwise than by death, to be an inmate of an institution, be increased by such amount as the Commission determines until the sum so retained by the Commission in respect of that person has been exhausted.
(4.) A dependent child’s allowance or orphan’s pension shall not be payable in respect of a child while he is an inmate of any prison, reformatory, mental hospital or institution which is ordinarily and to a substantial extent supported by public funds.
whole at least equivalent to the benefits to which, but for this section, the person would be entitled under this Act, apply, within the prescribed time and in the prescribed manner, for exemption from the liability to pay the amount of contribution payable by an employee.
(2.) The Commission may exempt any returned soldier who makes application under the last preceding sub-section from liability to pay the amount of contribution payable by an employee.
(3.) Where the Commission has exempted a returned soldier from liability to pay the amount of contribution payable by an employee, that employee shall not be entitled to any benefit under this Act.
(4.) An exemption granted under sub-section (2.) of this section shall not affect the liability, of the employer of any employee to whom the exemption applies, to pay the amount of contribution payable by the employer in respect of that employee.
(5.) Where a returned soldier has been exempted
from the application of this Act and the benefits received by him under the
(6.) Except as provided by this section, every returned soldier shall, subject to this Act, be insured in accordance with this Act, and any person to whom this Act applies, whether by virtue of an application by that person under this section or otherwise, shall remain subject to insurance in accordance with this Act.
(7.) Where this Act applies to any returned
soldier, the benefit which he may receive tinder this Act shall not be reduced
by reason of the receipt by him of benefit (other than service pension) under
the
(8.) Any returned soldier who is insured under this
Act and is in receipt of a service pension under the
(9.) Where any returned soldier becomes entitled to
receive a service pension under the
(10.) Where a returned soldier who is in receipt of a service pension attains the maximum age and would, but for the foregoing provisions of this section, be entitled to receive an old-age pension
under this Act, his right to such old-age
pension shall be substituted for his right under the
Provided
that such termination of the right of any person to receive a service pension
under the
(11.) The application of this section shall extend to any person Who was engaged in active service during the war which commenced on the fourth day of August One thousand nine hundred and fourteen, as a member of the Naval, Military or Air Forces of any part of the King’s Dominions, other than the Commonwealth, who is bona fide resident in the Commonwealth and who is in receipt of benefit under the law of that part of those Dominions in respect of that service.
(12.) For the purposes of the last preceding
sub-section any reference in this section to the
(2.) The person to whom sub-section (1.) of this section applies may apply within the prescribed time, and in the prescribed manner, for exemption from liability to pay the amount of contribution payable by an employee.
(3.) The Commission may exempt any person who makes application under the last preceding sub-section from liability to pay the contribution payable by an employee.
(4.) An exemption granted under this section shall not affect the liability, of the employer of any person to whom the exemption applies, to pay the amount of contribution payable by the employer in respect of that employee.
(5.) For the purposes of this section—
(
a ) a person shall be deemed to have retired from the permanent Naval, Military or Air Forces of the Commonwealth when his services have been terminated, whatever may be the manner in which and the reason for which the termination is effected; and(
b ) a person who retires from the permanent Naval, Military or Air Forces of the Commonwealth with a lump sum payment shall be deemed to have been retired with a weekly pension calculated by the Commonwealth Actuary as being the equivalent of that lump sum payment.
(
a ) the persons engaged in that employment in that part of the Commonwealth shall, subject to the Regulations, be entitled only to benefits under this Act other than those of the class specified in the certificate; and(
b ) the Regulations may make such provision as is necessary, modifying or adapting the provisions of this Act, to enable persons who are or have been engaged in that employment in that part of the Commonwealth to participate in those other benefits.
(
a ) the person entitled to pension or the dependent child, as the ease may be, is in Australia; and(
b ) the amount is claimed within three months after the date upon which it became payable.
(2.) The Commission may, with the advice of the Commonwealth Actuary, estimate the value of so much of the contributions paid by and in respect of that employed contributor while employed on that ship as is, in the opinion of the Commission, attributable to the benefits under this Act to which he is by this section disentitled, and may apply the amount so estimated, either in whole or in part, in reimbursement of the cost of the medical attention, treatment or other benefit received by the employed contributor under that other Act, or in the furtherance of any scheme prepared by the Commission for the assistance of services for seamen designed to provide for their health and welfare, or for both of those purposes.
Part VI.—Central Finance.
“reserve value” means the capital sum, calculated in accordance with tables prepared by the Commission, which is required, in respect of members entering into insurance at ages over sixteen years, to meet the estimated additional liability for health insurance benefits arising from the acceptance by an approved society of those members upon the terms and conditions provided by or under this Act in respect of contributions and benefits;
“transfer value”, in relation to an insured person ceasing to be an insured person, means the capital sum, calculated in accordance with tables prepared by the Commission, which would represent the liability, in respect of that person, for health insurance benefits (other than liability for additional benefits) as at the date upon which he ceased to be an insured person, if he had continued to be a member of the society upon the same terms and conditions in respect of contributions and benefits as there- to fore, and that expression, in relation to a person who ceases to be a member of an approved society otherwise than by ceasing to be insured, has a corresponding meaning.
(2.) The Board shall consist of the Chairman of the Commission, the Solicitor-General of the Commonwealth, the Secretary to.
the Treasury, the Governor of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the Commonwealth Statistician and the Commonwealth Actuary.
(3.) At meetings of the Board four members shall form a quorum.
(4.) The Chairman of the Commission shall be the Chairman of the Board and, in the event of the absence of the Chairman from any meeting of the Board, the members present shall choose one of their number to act as Chairman at that meeting.
(5.) Subject to the requirements of this section in respect of a quorum at meetings of the Board, it shall be deemed to be constituted notwithstanding a vacancy in the office of any of the members of the Board.
(6.) In the ease of the illness or absence from Australia of a member of the Board, the Governor-General may appoint a person to act during the illness or absence as the case may be, and the person so acting shall have all the powers and perform all the duties of a member of the Board.
(2.) The Board shall notify the Commission of each purchase, sale or conversion effected by the Board under this Part and such transactions shall be recorded by the Commission.
(
a ) an annual amount of One hundred thousand pounds towards the costs of the Commission in the administration of health insurance benefits;(
b ) an annual amount representing Ten shillings multiplied by the number of insured persons who are members of approved societies, other than juvenile contributors, ascertained in such manner and at such dates as are prescribed, until the liability in respect of reserve values created in respect of health insurance benefits under this Act is extinguished. Where in the year in which that liability is extinguished, the amount necessary to extinguish that liability is less than that specified in the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, the amount appropriated for that year shall be such lesser amount; and(
c ) an annual amount—(i) in respect of each of the five years commencing on the first day of January, One thousand nine hundred and thirty-nine—of One million pounds;
(ii) upon the expiration of that period of five years—of One million five hundred thousand pounds in respect of the first year thereafter increased in each successive year after that first year by Five hundred thousand pounds until the annual amount reaches Ten million pounds; and
(iii) thereafter of Ten million pounds in respect of each year.
(2.) Of the amount of each contribution credited to the National Insurance Trust Account there shall be credited to the Health Insurance Fund and to the Pensions Insurance Fund the respective amounts determined in accordance with Part II. of the Second Schedule.
(3.) The amount credited to the National
Insurance Trust Account in pursuance of paragraph (
(4.) There shall be kept in the Health Insurance
Fund a separate account to be called the Health Insurance Sinking Fund Account,
to which shall be allocated in each year the amount specified in paragraph (
(5.) The amount credited to the National
Insurance Trust Account in pursuance of paragraph (
(6.) All payments made out of the National Insurance Trust Account on behalf of the Health Insurance Fund and the Pensions Insurance Fund shall be debited to those Funds respectively.
(
a ) in the administration of health insurance benefits and matters incidental to such administration; and(
b ) in assisting in the provision of health insurance benefits in remote areas.
(2.) The cost of medical benefits under this Act shall be met out of amounts from time to time standing to the credit of the Medical Benefit Account.
Provided that any question as to the number of contributions paid by or in respect of an insured person or the date on which he became or ceased to be an insured person shall not be referred to a referee or referees under this section.
(
a ) new facts are submitted to the Commission; or(
b ) the Commission is satisfied that the claim has been wrongly determined,
it may, subject to the prescribed conditions, review or vary its determination in respect of that claim and may fix the date as from which the variation shall have effect:
Provided that the Commission shall not review or vary any determination in respect of a matter as to which a decision has been given by a referee or by referees under this Part and shall, where the claim is one in respect of which new facts have been submitted and which has previously been the subject of such a decision, furnish to the referee or referees information as to those facts and thereupon he or they may give such further decision in the matter as he or they think proper.
(2.) A matter submitted under the last preceding sub-section may be determined by the Commission, or, where the Commission so authorizes, may be referred for the decision of a referee or referees appointed under this Part.
the King in right of the Commonwealth by the person who received the benefit, and may be sued for and recovered from that person in any court of competent jurisdiction by any person thereto authorized in writing by the Commission.
(2.) The amount of any such overpayment to any person may without prejudice to any other remedy, be recovered by deductions, during such times and in such manner as are prescribed, from any amounts subsequently becoming payable to that person under this Act.
(
a ) knowingly makes or presents to any member of the Commission or to any officer or person doing duty under this Act or the Regulations any statement, document or representation which is false in any particular;(
b ) knowingly obtains or continues to receive under this Act any benefit to which he is not entitled;(
c ) knowingly makes any false statement or representation in any certificate of incapacity;(
d ) by means of personation or any fraudulent device whatsoever obtains payment of any allowance under this Act or any instalment thereof; or(
e ) by any wilfully false statement or representation aids or abets any person in obtaining or claiming an allowance under this Act or any instalment thereof,
shall be guilty of an offence.
(2.) Any employer who—
(
a ) fails to pay any contributions which he is liable to pay; or(
b ) deducts or attempts to deduct from the wages or other remuneration of an employed contributor the part of the contribution payable by the employer,
shall be guilty of an offence.
(3.) Where an employer is convicted of failing to pay contributions which he is liable to pay, he shall, in addition to any penalty imposed, pay to the Commission a sum squal to the amount of the contributions which he has so failed to pay, and the total sum so paid shall be treated as a payment in satisfaction of the contributions.
(4.) Any person who buys, sells or offers for sale, takes or gives in exchange, or pawns or takes in pawn, any insurance card, insurance book or used insurance stamp, or uses any defaced or cancelled stamp for the purposes of this Act, shall be guilty of an offence.
(5.) In any proceedings under the last preceding sub-section with respect to used insurance stamps, an insurance stamp shall be deemed to have been used if it has been cancelled or defaced in any way whatever, whether it has been actually used for the purpose of payment of a contribution or not.
(6.) Any person who wilfully delays or obstructs an inspector in the exercise of any power under this Act or fails to give such information or to produce such documents as are required in pursuance of this Act, or prevents or conceals any person from appearing before or being examined by an inspector, shall be guilty of an offence.
(7.) Notwithstanding anything contained in this section, a person shall not be liable to any penalty in respect of any matter if he has acted in conformity with any decision in respect thereto by the Commission.
(
a ) forges or counterfeits or utters, knowing it to be forged or counterfeited, any stamp used for the purposes of this Act; or(
b ) without lawful authority (proof whereof shall lie upon him) makes, or has in his possession, any die or plate capable of making a stamp in the form of, or resembling, or apparently intended to resemble or pass for, any stamp used under this Act,
shall be guilty of an offence.
Penalty: Imprisonment for seven years.
(2.) Any offence against this Act for which no other penalty is provided shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding Fifty pounds or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months.
(2.) Payment by an employer of any sum which he is liable to pay under the last preceding sub-section shall be treated as payment in satisfaction of the unpaid contributions to which that sum relates.
(2.) If an employee refuses or neglects to enforce any claim under the preceding provisions of this section, the approved society of which he is a member may take the necessary proceedings in the name and on behalf of the employee:
Provided that where any society takes proceedings in the name and on behalf of the employee and fails in the proceedings, it shall be responsible for the costs of the proceedings as if it were claiming on its own account.
(3.) Proceedings may be taken under this section not with-standing that proceedings have also been taken against the employer under section one hundred and seventy-four of this Act in respect of the same failure or neglect.
(4.) Proceedings under this section may be brought at any time within one year after the date on which the employee would, but for the failure of the employer, have been entitled to receive the benefit which he has lost.
(2.) This section shall not apply where a company is wound up voluntarily merely for the purposes of reconstruction or of amalgamation with another company.
(2.) Where the Commission has certified under this section the amount of any contribution which an employer has failed to pay, and that amount or any part thereof is subsequently recovered, the amount recovered shall be credited to such fund as the Commission determines.
(2.) An inspector appointed under this section shall for such purposes have power to do all or any of the following things, namely:—
(
a ) to enter at all reasonable times any premises or place where he has reasonable grounds for believing that any employed contributors are employed;(
b ) to make such examination and inquiry as may be necessary for ascertaining whether the provisions of this Act are being complied with in any such premises or place;(
c ) to examine, with respect to any matters under this Act, every person whom he finds in any such premises or place, or whom he has reasonable cause to believe to be or to have been an employed contributor, and to require every such person to sign a declaration of the truth of the evidence given by him; and(
d ) to exercise such other powers as are prescribed.
(3.) The occupier of any such premises or place, and any other person employing an employed contributor, and the servants and agents of any such occupier or other person, and every employed
contributor, shall furnish to an inspector all such information and shall produce for inspection all such registers, books, cards and other documents as the inspector requires.
(4.) The Commission shall furnish each inspector with the prescribed certificate of his appointment, and on applying for admission to any premises for the purposes of this Act, an inspector shall, if so required, produce the certificate to the occupier.
(5.) No person shall be required under this section to answer any question or give any evidence tending to incriminate himself.
(6.) For the purposes of this section, “employed contributor” includes a juvenile contributor.
(
a ) any cheque, draft, order, or receipt given by, or any receipt given to, an approved society in respect of money payable in pursuance of this Act or in pursuance of the rules of the approved society;(
b ) any letter or power of attorney granted by any person as trustee for the transfer of any money of an approved society invested in his name;(
c ) any bond or other security given to, by, or on account of, an approved society or an official thereof; or(
d ) any appointment or revocation of appointment of agent or other document required or authorized by or in pursuance of this Act or by the rules of an approved society.
(2.) Income received by the Commission, or by an approved society, and any income, property or transaction of the Board, in pursuance of this Act, shall not be subject to taxation by the Commonwealth or by a State.
purposes of all the provisions of the legislation in force in the other country relating to that benefit, be treated as if they had been employment, insurance, contributions paid, benefit provided, and residence, in the other country, and whereby the benefit provided in one country shall, as nearly as practicable, be provided to persons whilst resident in the other country.
(2.) Any arrangement made under this section may determine, in the case of persons who would, but for the making of the arrangement, be insured persons or in respect of whom contributions would be payable, under the legislation in force in both countries, under the legislation of which of those countries any such person shall, at any time, be treated as an insured person or contributions be payable by or in respect of him.
(3.) Where it is determined, by an arrangement under this section, that a person shall be insured and contribute under the legislation of any country other than the Commonwealth, that person shall not, for the period specified in the arrangement, be insured under this Act or pay contributions.
(4.) For the purposes of giving effect to any arrangement made under this section, this Act shall, subject to such modifications and adaptations (if any) as are prescribed, apply to any persons in Australia who are affected by the arrangement, and the Commission may make such financial adjustments as are necessary to give effect to the arrangement and may take such steps as it thinks desirable to enable persons, who are members of a society outside Australia which provides any benefit to which the arrangement relates, becoming members of an approved society under this Act.
(5.) Any reference in this section to a country shall be deemed to be a reference to a part of His Majesty’s dominions which is a party to an arrangement made under this section.
(
a ) that insurable employment in any trade or business carried on by an employer is of a seasonal nature and subject to periodical fluctuation; or(
b ) that the insurable employment of any persons is of a casual or intermittent nature,
the Governor-General may, by order, declare the conditions subject to which this Act shall apply to and in respect of the employed persons engaged in any such insurable employment and to the employers of such persons.
(2.) This Act shall not apply to or in respect of employed persons engaged in any insurable employment specified in an order under this section or to and in respect of the employers of those persons, except in accordance with the conditions specified in that order.
(2.) Any person affected by any special order so proposed to be made and objecting to the making thereof may, within the time specified in the notice, submit to the Commission an objection in writing stating fully and in detail the grounds thereof.
(3.) If, within the time specified in the notice, no such objection to the making of the order is submitted to the Commission, it may forthwith make the order.
(4.) Where such objection is submitted within that time to the making of the order, the Commission may—
(
a ) if it considers the objection to be frivolous—make the order forthwith;(
b ) amend the proposed order in such manner as to meet the objection; or(
c ) cause due inquiry to be made, as prescribed, in order to ascertain whether any person would be unduly prejudiced by the making of the order.
(5.) After the holding of any inquiry under the last preceding sub-section the Commission may—
(
a ) make the order in the proposed form if, as the result of the inquiry, it is satisfied that the making of the order would not be unduly prejudicial to any person;(
b ) make the order in an amended form; or(
c ) withdraw the proposed order.
(
a ) for prescribing the date from which a person who has applied to become a voluntary contributor shall be treated as a voluntary contributor;(
b ) for providing for the issue, sale, custody, production and delivery of books or cards in or upon which shall be recorded particulars of contributions paid and benefits provided, and for the replacement of books or cards which have been lost, destroyed or defaced and for all matters incidental thereto;(
c ) for providing for all matters incidental to the payment and collection of contributions, including the times at which and the manner in which contributions shall be paid and their payment recorded;(
d ) for distributing among medical practitioners with whom contracts or agreements have been made under section fifty-one of this Act the work of providing medical benefits under this Act;(
e ) for prescribing the conditions under which drugs and medicines may be supplied to insured persons entitled to medical benefit;(
f ) for regulating the conduct of the business of the Consultative Council, the Medical Benefit Council and District Medical Benefit Committees;(
g ) for providing for the issue of any medical certificates required for the purposes of this Act;(
h ) for providing for the deduction from any benefit payable to a person under this Act of any amount previously paid to that person in error;(
i ) for providing for the administration of schemes of additional benefits and for the arrangements for the provision of such benefits;(
j ) for prescribing the manner in which claims for pensions under this Act may be made and the times at which and the manner in which such pensions shall be paid;(
k ) for authorizing and regulating the making, pending the determination of any question relating to a pension under this Act, of advances on account of that pension;(
l ) for providing for persons to act, on behalf of claimants who are subject to mental or physical incapacity, in the claiming and receipt on their behalf of benefit under this Act;(
m ) for providing for the manner in which payment may be made of benefit in respect of deceased persons who had become entitled thereto prior to their death;(
n ) for providing for the disposal of amounts overpaid by way of contribution or otherwise and for determining the debits to be made in respect of irrecoverable amounts;(
o ) for prescribing all matters necessary or convenient to be prescribed in relation to any financial adjustments necessary to be made in relation to valuations of the assets and liabilities of any approved society and to the distribution of amounts standing to the credit of the Central Distribution Account;(
p ) for regulating the procedure to be followed by the Commission, or by referees appointed or selected under thisAct, in respect of the settlement of disputes or appeals and for the payment of the costs of inquiries, disputes and appeals under this Act;
(
q ) for determining the annual rate of remuneration of persons engaged in part time employment; and(
r ) for prescribing penalties, not exceeding in any case a fine of Ten pounds, in respect of failure to pay any levy made under this Act by an approved society or for offences against the Regulations.
THE SCHEDULES.
THE FIRST SCHEDULE.
Part I.
(
(
(
The expression “outworker” means a person to whom articles or materials are given out by another person to be made up, cleaned, washed, altered, ornamented, finished, repaired or adapted for sale for the purposes of the trade or business of that other person where the process is to be carried out either in the home of the outworker or in some other premises not being premises under the control and management of that other person.
The person who gives out the articles or materials shall, in relation to the person to whom they are given out, be deemed to be the employer of that person for the purposes of this Act, but the Commission may, by special order, provide that as respects any outworkers or any class of outworkers specified in the order a person specified in the order shall, instead of the person who gives out the articles or materials, be deemed to be the employer and thereupon that person shall be deemed to be the employer.
(
(
(
The First Schedule—
Part II.
(
(
(i) by the Commonwealth or a State;
(ii) by any authority under the Commonwealth or a State constituted by or under any Act or State Act; or
(iii) of a permanent nature by any corporation constituted by any Act or State Act,
in respect of which the Commission has certified, by a certificate which remains in force, that the terms of the employment provide benefits corresponding to, and on the whole not less favorable than, any of the following classes of benefits provided by this Act:—
(iv) health insurance benefits;
(v) health insurance benefits together with old-age pensions;
(vi) health insurance benefits, old-age pensions, widows’ pensions and orphans’ pensions.
The Commission shall not issue a certificate under this paragraph in respect of employment by any authority under the Commonwealth or under a State or any corporation constituted by any Act or State Act, unless it is satisfied that the provision by the authority or corporation of benefits in respect of which the certificate is given is guaranteed by the Government of the Commonwealth or of a State.
(
(
(i) at a rate of remuneration exceeding in value Three hundred and sixty-five pounds a year;
(ii) in cases where such remuneration is in respect of part time service only—at a rate of remuneration which, in the opinion of the Commission, is equivalent to a rate of remuneration exceeding Three hundred and sixty-five pounds a year for whole time service; or
(iii) in cases where the remuneration is in whole or in part of varying amount and the rate of remuneration is accordingly not immediately ascertainable—at a rate of remuneration which, as estimated by the Commission by reference to the remuneration earned by the employee in the same employment during the last preceding year, or to any other circumstances which appear to the Commission to be relevant, exceeds in value Three hundred and sixty-five pounds a year.
(
(i) employment for the purposes of the employer’s trade or business; or
(ii) employment for the purposes of any game or recreation where the persons employed are engaged or paid through a club, in which case the club shall, for the purposes of the Act, be deemed to be the employer.
(
(
(
The First Schedule—
Part II.—
(
(
(
THE SECOND SCHEDULE.
Part I.
(1.) For Voluntary Contributors entitled to medical benefit:—
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of which in each case the whole shall be paid by the contributor.
(2.) For Voluntary Contributors not entitled to medical benefit:—
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of which in each case the whole shall be paid by the contributor.
(3.) For women who are Special Voluntary Contributors under section twenty-five of this Act: one shilling per week, of which the whole shall be paid by the contributor.
Part II.
(1.) Contributions by and in respect of employed contributors and by voluntary contributors entitled to medical benefit:—
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(2.) Contributions by voluntary contributors not entitled to medical benefit:—
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(3.) The following contributions shall be credited to the Pensions Insurance Fund:—
(i) contributions by special voluntary contributors;
(ii) contributions by and in respect of partially exempt employees;
(iii) contributions, unless otherwise prescribed, in respect of employed persons who have attained the maximum age; and
(iv) contributions paid in pursuance of section thirty-nine of this Act.
(4.) Contributions by and in respect of juvenile contributors shall be credited to the Health Insurance Fund.
(5.) Where contributions are increased, so much of each contribution as represents the amount of that increase shall be credited to the Pensions Insurance Fund.
(6.) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Part, contributions paid in respect of persons to whom exemption has been granted under section ninety-eight or under section one hundred of this Act shall be credited to the Pensions Insurance Fund.
THE THIRD SCHEDULE.
Rates of Benefit Payable under this Act.
1. Sickness Benefit—
(
a ) Adults and Married Minors—
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b ) Unmarried Minors who have been in insurance for a period of one hundred and four weeks and by and in respect of whom contributions have been paid in respect of one hundred and four weeks—
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(
c ) Unmarried Minors (not being juvenile contributors) who have been in insurance for a period of less than one hundred and four weeks and by and in respect of whom contributions have been paid in respect of less than one hundred and four weeks—
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(
d ) Juvenile contributors, males and females......................... 5s. per week.
2. Disablement Benefit—
Adults and Married Minors—
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Unmarried Minors—
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3. Old-age Pension—
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4. Widow’s Pension—12s. 6d. per week and, upon the commencement of the first increase in the rate of contribution, 15s. per week.
5. Orphan’s Pension....................................................................... 7s. 6d. per week.
6. Dependent Child’s Allowance..................................................... 3s. 6d. per week.
THE FOURTH SCHEDULE.
Additional Benefits.
1. An increase in sickness benefit and disablement benefit.
2. The payment of sickness benefit from an earlier day than that upon which it would otherwise commence.
3. Allowances to a member during convalescence from some disease or disablement.
4. Payments to, or on behalf of, members who are in want or distress.
5. Payments to members not allowed to attend work on account of infection.
6. Repayment of the whole or any part of contributions payable by members of the society, or any class thereof.
7. The payment of the whole or any part of the cost of medical or surgical advice, or treatment, by any registered medical practitioner, not being advice or treatment within the scope of any other additional benefit, or of medical benefit, under a special scheme approved by the Commission for the purpose.
8. The payment of the whole or any part of the cost of the provision of dental treatment.
9. Payments to hospitals in respect of the maintenance and treatment therein of members, and the payment of the whole or any part of the travelling expenses incurred by or in respect of members in travelling to and from hospitals.
The Fourth Schedule—
10. The payment of the whole or any part of the cost of maintenance and treatment of members in convalescent homes, and the payment of the whole or any part of the travelling expenses incurred by, or in respect of, members in travelling to and from convalescent homes.
11. The provision of premises suitable for convalescent homes and the maintenance of such homes.
12. The payment of the whole or any part of the cost of medical and surgical appliances, other than dental and optical appliances and those provided as part of medical benefit.
13. The payment of the whole or any part of the cost of the provision of ophthalmic treatment (other than as provided as part of medical benefit) and the whole or any part of the cost of optical appliances.
14. The payment of the whole or any part of the cost of the provision of nurses for members.
15. Payments to approved charitable institutions in respect of any treatment of members required for the prevention or cure of disease, not being treatment within the scope of any other additional benefit or of medical benefit.
16. Such other additional benefits, being of a character similar to that of any of those hereinbefore mentioned, as are prescribed.
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