Instrument No.53 of 2001
Amendment of Statement of Principles
concerning
PTERYGIUM
ICD-10-AM CODE: H11.0
Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986
1. The Repatriation Medical Authority amends, under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 Instrument No.45 of 2001 by:
- in clause 8, omitting the words “acquired cataract” wherever they appear in each of the definitions of “total lifetime UV damage factor”, “non-service UV damage factor”, “[MED cum (a,T)]”, “PAE” and “T” and inserting in their place the word “pterygium”.
2. The amendments made by this instrument apply to all matters to which Instrument No.45 of 2001 and section 120A of the Act apply.
Dated this Seventeenth day of July 2001
The Common Seal of the )
Repatriation Medical Authority )
was affixed to this instrument )
in the presence of )
KEN DONALD
CHAIRMAN
Overview
The Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 was enacted to provide for the payment of war pensions and other benefits to veterans and their families. The Act addresses the problem of ensuring that veterans receive appropriate compensation for disabilities or conditions related to their service. The Repatriation Medical Authority, under the authority vested in it by the Act, issued an amendment to the Statement of Principles concerning pterygium (ICD-10-AM code: H11.0). The amendment, Instrument No.53 of 2001, modifies the definitions related to pterygium, replacing references to "acquired cataract" with "pterygium" in various terms such as "total lifetime UV damage factor", "non-service UV damage factor", "[MED cum (a,T)]", "PAE", and "T". This legislative instrument aims to ensure that the correct condition is considered in assessments related to veterans' entitlements, thereby addressing a specific gap in the treatment of pterygium under the Act. The amendments apply to all matters governed by Instrument No.45 of 2001 and section 120A of the Act.
Scope and Application
The legislative instrument modifies the Statement of Principles concerning pterygium, a condition affecting the eye, under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986. The Repatriation Medical Authority has amended Instrument No.45 of 2001 to replace references to "acquired cataract" with "pterygium" in several definitions, including those of "total lifetime UV damage factor", "non-service UV damage factor", "[MED cum (a,T)]", "PAE" and "T". These changes are designed to better align the assessment and treatment of pterygium with the specific needs of veterans who may have developed the condition due to their service. The amendment applies to all matters governed by Instrument No.45 of 2001 and section 120A of the Act, ensuring that the new definitions are consistently applied in all relevant cases. This legislative instrument thus narrows the focus of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 to more accurately address the impact of pterygium on eligible veterans.
Key Provisions
The primary operative sections of this legislative instrument (F2005B02509) involve amendments to the Statement of Principles concerning pterygium (ICD-10-AM code: H11.0) under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986. Specifically, clause 8 is amended by omitting the words "acquired cataract" and replacing them with "pterygium" in the definitions of "total lifetime UV damage factor", "non-service UV damage factor", "[MED cum (a,T)]", "PAE" and "T" (Section 1). These amendments are made under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 and are applicable to all matters covered by Instrument No.45 of 2001 and section 120A of the Act (Section 2).
These amendments impose specific obligations on the parties governed by the Act, primarily focusing on the definition and assessment of pterygium in the context of veterans' entitlements. The Repatriation Medical Authority is required to adjust the criteria for calculating UV damage factors and related parameters to reflect pterygium instead of acquired cataract. This change ensures that the definitions and calculations are aligned with the medical condition of interest, which is pterygium, for the purpose of assessing veterans' entitlements. The changes are designed to ensure that the medical and administrative processes accurately reflect the relevant medical conditions and their impact on veterans.
The legislative instrument does not explicitly outline specific offences or penalties for breaches. However, it operates within the broader framework of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986, which may include provisions for penalties and consequences in case of non-compliance with the Act's requirements. The Act itself, or other related legislation, may specify penalties for non-compliance, which could include fines, imprisonment, or other civil and criminal consequences. It is essential for practitioners to refer to the overarching Act and any related regulations to understand the full scope of potential penalties and consequences for breaches.