EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1990 No. 436
HEALTH INSURANCE ACT 1973
HEALTH INSURANCE (1990/91 GENERAL MEDICAL SERVICES TABLE) REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)
Section 133 of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (the Act) provides in part that the Governor-General may make Regulations for the purposes of the Act.
Section 9 of the Act provides that Medicare benefits shall be calculated by reference to the fee for medical services set out in the table of medical services (the table) in Schedule 1 to the Act.
Section 4 of the Act provides, among other things, that the regulations may prescribe a table of medical services (other than pathology services) in accordance with the form of the table set out in Schedule 1, and that upon commencement of a regulation prescribing a table of medical services, the prescribed table has effect as if it were set out in Schedule 1 in the place of the table in that Schedule. The Health Insurance (General Medical Services Table) Regulations prescribe such a table.
The Regulations correct omissions and typographical errors which appear in the Health Insurance (1990-91 Medical Services Table) Regulations. These errors and omissions are mainly minor in nature except for one which is essential for the payment of Medicare benefits. That is, the omission of the heading to Part 1 - Professional Attendances Not Covered by an Item in Another Part of Schedule 1 or 1A - could result in the incorrect itemisation of an attendance in lieu of a more appropriate item elsewhere in the Schedule which attracts a lesser Schedule fee. Accordingly higher Medicare benefit outlays could occur if these adjustments are not implemented.