EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Health
Health Insurance Act 1973
Health Insurance (RET Gene Testing) Revocation Determination 2015
Subsection 3C(1) of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (the Act) provides that the Minister may, by writing, determine that a health service not listed in the Pathology Services Table (the Table) shall, in specified circumstances and for specified statutory provisions, be treated as if it were so listed. The Table is set out in the regulations made under subsection 4(A)(1) of the Act, which is re-made each year. The most recent version of the regulations is the
Health Insurance (Pathology Services Table) Regulation 2015 (the regulation) which commences on 1 July 2015.
The Health Insurance (RET Gene Testing) Revocation Determination 2015 revokes the Health Insurance (RET Gene Testing) Determination 2014 as the two item numbers (73339 and 73340) contained in the 2014 Determination have been incorporated into the Regulation to commence on 1 July 2015, and will continue as items within the Regulation.
Consultation
RET mutation testing, and the associated genetic counselling, of patients suspected of having multiple endocrine neoplasia type II (MEN2) and their close family members is currently standard clinical practice offered in state and territory hospitals and private facilities. An application for public funding for RET gene test was received in October 2010. This application was sponsored by the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) and considered by the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) in August 2013.
After considering the evidence relating to the safety, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, MSAC made a recommendation to the Australian Government to publicly fund these services.
Details of the Determination are set out in the Attachment.
The Act specifies no conditions which need to be met before the power to make the Determination may be exercised.
This Determination is a legislative instrument for the purposes of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003.
This Determination commences on 1 July 2015.
ATTACHMENT
DETAILS OF THE HEALTH INSURANCE (RET GENE TESTING) REVOCATION DETERMINATION 2015
Section 1 Name of Determination
Section 1 provides that the name of the Determination is the Health Insurance (RET Gene Testing) Revocation Determination 2015.
Section 2 Commencement
Section 2 provides that the Determination commences on 1 July 2015.
Section 3 Revocation
Section 3 provides that the Determination revokes the Health Insurance (RET Gene Testing) Determination 2014.