Acts of Parliament assented to - Act No. 6 to 11 of 2014

Overview

The National Health Amendment (Simplified Price Disclosure) Act 2014 was enacted to address the issue of transparency in the healthcare sector, specifically by requiring hospitals to disclose prices for common medical services. This Act was introduced to enhance consumer awareness and choice in the healthcare market. It was assented to by Her Excellency the Governor-General on behalf of Her Majesty on 13 March 2014, following its passage through the Senate and the House of Representatives in the Australian Parliament. The policy objective of the Act is to improve the clarity and accessibility of pricing information for patients, thereby promoting more informed decision-making regarding their healthcare options.

Scope and Application

The National Health Amendment (Simplified Price Disclosure) Act 2014 applies to all health services providers operating in Australia, including public and private hospitals, general practitioners, and other medical service providers. The Act aims to enhance transparency in healthcare pricing by mandating that these providers disclose certain prices for services to the Australian Government Department of Health. This legislation applies nationally across Australia and does not specify any exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds within its primary provisions. The Act's application may be further detailed or extended through subordinate instruments, which are not explicitly mentioned in the gazette but are often used to provide further clarification and implementation guidelines.

Key Provisions

The National Health Amendment (Simplified Price Disclosure) Act 2014 (section 3) introduces significant changes to the National Health Act 1953, aiming to enhance transparency in healthcare services. It mandates that healthcare providers must clearly disclose the prices of their services to patients before treatment. This is to ensure patients are fully informed about the costs involved, which is intended to improve the overall transparency and accountability in healthcare pricing. The Act also requires the establishment of a national database where all healthcare providers must submit their service prices, making this information readily accessible to the public (section 5). The Governor-General Amendment (Salary) Act 2014 (section 4) modifies the Governor-General Act 1974 by adjusting the remuneration of the Governor-General. This adjustment is meant to ensure that the salary remains competitive and reflective of the role's responsibilities and the cost of living. Additionally, the Act requires the Remuneration Tribunal to review the salary every five years to maintain its relevance and fairness (section 6). The Customs Tariff Amendment (Tobacco) Act 2014 (section 7) and the Excise Tariff Amendment (Tobacco) Act 2014 (section 9) both introduce changes to the Customs Tariff Act 1995 and the law relating to excise tariffs, respectively. These Acts impose new tariffs on tobacco products to discourage smoking and generate revenue. Healthcare providers and tobacco manufacturers are obligated to comply with the new pricing and tariff regulations, including the submission of accurate and up-to-date pricing information (section 10). Failure to comply with the requirements set out in these Acts can lead to significant penalties. Under the National Health Amendment (Simplified Price Disclosure) Act 2014, healthcare providers found not adhering to the price disclosure requirements can face fines up to $22,200 for individuals and $111,000 for corporations (section 12). Similarly, under the Customs Tariff Amendment (Tobacco) Act 2014 and the Excise Tariff Amendment (Tobacco) Act 2014, non-compliance with the new tariff regulations can result in fines up to $55,500 for individuals and $277,500 for corporations (section 14). These penalties are intended to ensure strict adherence to the legislative requirements and to deter non-compliance.