Health Insurance (Variation of Fees and Medical Services) (No. 13) Regulations (Amendment)

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1979 No. 76

REGULATIONS UNDER THE HEALTH INSURANCE ACT 19731

I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the Health Insurance Act 1973.

Dated this seventeenth day of May 1979.

ZELMAN COWEN

Governor-General

By His Excellency’s Command,

WAL. FIFE

Minister of State for Business and Consumer Affairs for and on behalf of the Minister of State for Health

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HEALTH INSURANCE (VARIATION OF FEES AND MEDICAL SERVICES) (No. 13) REGULATIONS

Citation

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Health Insurance (Variation of Fees and Medical Services) (No. 13) Regulations.

Commencement

2. These Regulations shall come into operation on 1 June 1979.

Health Insurance (Variation of Fees and Medical Services) (No. 7) Regulations-amendment of Schedule

3. The Schedule to the Health Insurance (Variation of Fees and Medical Services) (No. 7) Regulations (being that Schedule as amended by the Health Insurance (Variation of Fees and Medical Services) (No. 8) Regulations, the Health Insurance (Variation of Fees and Medical Services) (No. 9) Regulations, the Health Insurance (Variation of Fees and Medical Services) (No. 10) Regulations, the Health Insurance (Variation of Fees and Medical Services) (No. 11) Regulations and the Health Insurance (Variation of Fees and Medical Services) (No. 12) Regulations) is amended as set out in the Schedule to these Regulations.


SCHEDULE

AMENDMENTS OF THE SCHEDULE TO THE HEALTH INSURANCE (VARIATION OF FEES AND MEDICAL SERVICES) (NO. 7) REGULATIONS

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AMENDMENTS OF THE RULES FOR THE INTERPRETATION OF THE TABLE OF MEDICAL SERVICES

1. After rule 5, insert the following rules:

“5a. A reference in item 955 to venepuncture and the collection of blood for the performance by an approved pathology practitioner of a pathology service shall riot be read as a reference to that procedure where—

(a) any of the blood collected is used in the rendering of a medical service specified in an item in Part 7 by a member of a group of medical practioners of whom the medical practioner who collected the blood is a member;

(b) the procedure is performed—

(i) in respect of a person who is, at the time the procedure is performed, an inpatient of a private hospital or a recognized hospital; or

(ii) in the course of the provision of an outpatient service at a private hospital or a recognized hospital; or

(c) in the rendering of the procedure—

(i) any equipment of a private hospital, a recognized hospital or a prescribed establishment is used; or

(ii) any member of the staff of a private hospital, a recognized hospital or a prescribed establishment participates.

“5b. (1) In rule 5a and in item 955 ‘pathology service’ means a medical service specified in an item in Part 7, not being item 1504, 1505, 1511, 1512, 1516 or 1517 or an item in Division 9 of that Part.

“(2) In rule 5a ‘prescribed establishment’ means—

(a) a laboratory or medical centre operated by the Commonwealth;

(b) a laboratory or medical centre operated by a State or an authority of a State;

(c) a laboratory or medical centre operated by the Northern Territory of Australia;

(d) a laboratory or medical centre operated by the Capital Territory Health Commission;

(e) a laboratory or medical centre operated by an Australian University; or

(f) a laboratory or medical centre (not being a laboratory or medical centre referred to in paragraphs (a) to (e) inclusive ) operated on a non-profit basis.”.

2. Omit rule 9, substitute the following rule:

“9. For the purposes of rules 6 and 8, each of the following classes of laboratories is a prescribed class of laboratories:

(a) laboratories operated by the Commonwealth;

(b) laboratories operated by a State or an authority of a State;

(c) laboratories operated by the Northern Territory of Australia;

(d) laboratories operated by the Capital Territory Health Commission;

(e) laboratories operated by an Australian University.

3. Omit rule 11c, substitute the following rule:

“11c For the purposes of rules 11a and 11b, each of the following classes of radiology units is a prescribed class of radiology units:

(a) radiology units operated by the Commonwealth;


SCHEDULE-continued

(b) radiology units operated by a State or an authority of a State;

(c) radiology units operated by the Northern Territory of Australia;

(d) radiology units operated by the Capital Territory Health Commission;

(e) radiology units operated by an Australian University.”.

AMENDMENTS OF THE TABLE OF MEDICAL SERVICES

1.

After item 954, insert the following item:

“955 Venepuncture and the collection of blood for the performance by an approved pathology practitioner of a pathology service— one or more such procedures during the one attendance             

2.00

2.00

2.00

2.00

2.00

2.00”.

2.

Omit items 994 and 998, substitute the following item:

“994 Multiphasic health screening service involving the performance of 10 or more medical services specified in items in Parts 6, 7 and 8 (including any associated consultation)              

110.00

97.00

97.00

97.00

97.00

97.00”.

3.

Omit items 2962 and 2963, substitute the following items:

“2962 Computerised axial tomography—brain scan on a brain scanner, plain study and contrast medium study (or)              

102.00

102.00

102.00

102.00

102.00

102.00

“2963 Computerised axial tomography—brain scan on a brain scanner, plain study and contrast medium study (hr)             

41.00

102.00

102.00

102.00

102.00

102.00”.

4.

Omit items 2966, 2967, 2968, 2969, 2970 and 2971, substitute the following items:

“2966 Computerised axial tomography—brain scan on a body scanner, plain study and contrast medium study (or)             

162.00

162.00

162.00

162.00

162.00

162.00

“2967 Computerised axial tomography—brain scan on a body scanner, plain study and contrast medium study (hr)              

65.00

162.00

162.00

162.00

162.00

162.00

“2968 Computerised axial tomography—body scan on a body scanner, plain study (or) 

162.00

162.00

162.00

162.00

162.00

162.00

“2969 Computerised axial tomography—body scan on a body scanner, plain study (hr) 

65.00

162.00

162.00

162.00

162.00

162.00

“2970 Computerised axial tomography—body scan on a body scanner, plain study and intravenous contrast medium study (or)             

210.00

210.00

210.00

210.00

210.00

210.00

“2971 Computerised axial tomography—body scan on a body scanner, plain study and intravenous contrast medium study (hr)             

84.00

210.00

210.00

210.00

210.00

210.00”.

 

NOTE

1. Notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 24 May 1979.

Overview

The Health Insurance (Variation of Fees and Medical Services) (No. 13) Regulations 1979 were enacted to amend the Health Insurance (Variation of Fees and Medical Services) Regulations 1975 under the authority of the Health Insurance Act 1973. These regulations were introduced by the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting on the advice of the Federal Executive Council. The primary objective of these regulations was to adjust the fees for certain medical services and update the associated medical services table, thereby ensuring that the fees reflected the current costs and market conditions. This amendment aimed to maintain the integrity and efficiency of the health insurance system in Australia, providing updated financial parameters for the provision of medical services covered under the health insurance framework.

Scope and Application

The Health Insurance (Variation of Fees and Medical Services) (No. 13) Regulations, made under the Health Insurance Act 1973, amend the fees and services covered by the Health Insurance Commission. These regulations apply to all entities and individuals involved in providing health services and to those insured under the Medicare scheme in Australia. The regulations are effective across the entire Commonwealth of Australia and affect medical services provided by approved pathology practitioners, laboratories, and radiology units operated by various government entities and educational institutions. The amendments introduce specific exclusions for certain procedures performed in private or recognised hospitals, including the use of equipment or staff from such institutions. Additionally, the regulations set out detailed fees for various medical services, including the insertion of new items and the amendment of existing ones, ensuring that the benefits paid under the Medicare scheme are updated accordingly.

Key Provisions

The Health Insurance (Variation of Fees and Medical Services) (No. 13) Regulations amend the fees and medical services outlined in the Health Insurance (Variation of Fees and Medical Services) (No. 7) Regulations, effective from 1 June 1979. This amendment involves changes to the Schedule of the previous regulations, specifically targeting rules for the interpretation of the Table of Medical Services and the Table itself. Rule 5a, newly inserted into the rules for the interpretation of the Table of Medical Services, excludes certain venepuncture and blood collection procedures from being considered a pathology service under specific circumstances, such as when the blood is used for a service by a group of medical practitioners or when the procedure is performed in a hospital setting (Section 1). Rule 5b further defines the term "pathology service" to exclude certain specified items from the definition, while rule 5a also defines "prescribed establishment" to include various types of laboratories or medical centres operated by different entities (Section 1). The obligations imposed by these regulations on the parties and entities governed include the requirement to comply with the amended fees for specific medical services as outlined in the Table of Medical Services, including the new rates for procedures like multiphasic health screening services and various types of tomography scans (Section 2). These amendments necessitate that healthcare providers adjust their billing practices to reflect the new fees, and patients should be informed of any changes in costs associated with their treatments. The regulations do not explicitly outline offences, penalties, or consequences for breach in the provided text. However, in general, failure to comply with regulations governing health insurance fees and services could potentially lead to disputes with health insurers, legal challenges, or administrative actions by relevant authorities. The specific consequences would depend on the nature and severity of the breach, and might include financial penalties, corrective actions, or other legal remedies as prescribed by the overarching Health Insurance Act 1973 and related legislation.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.