STATUTORY RULES
1969 No.
REGULATIONS UNDER THE NATIONAL HEALTH ACT 1953-1968.*
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the National Health Act 1953-1968.
Dated this ninth day of June, 1969.
Paul Hasluck
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
(SGD.) A. J. FORBES
Minister of State for Health.
———
Amendments of the National Health Regulations†
1. Regulation 9 of the National Health Regulations is repealed and the following regulation inserted in its stead:—
Period of hospital treatment.
“9. For the purposes of this Part, the day of admission and the day of discharge or death of a qualified hospital patient shall be counted as one day.”.
Fees.
2. Regulation 25 of the National Health Regulations is amended—
(a) by omitting the words “One dollar seventy cents” (wherever occurring) and inserting in their stead the words “One dollar eighty-five cents”; and
(b) by omitting the words “Two dollars fifteen cents” (wherever occurring) and inserting in their stead the words “Two dollars thirty-five cents.”
Application.
3. The amendments made by the last preceding regulation apply to and in relation to medical services rendered by a medical practitioner on and after the first day of May, 1969.
* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on 1969
† Statutory Rules 1954, No. 35, as amended by Statutory Rules 1957, No. 71; 1958, No. 63; 1962, Nos. 55, 70 and 113; 1965, Nos. 17, 94 and 185; 1966, No. 99; and 1967, No. 86.
Printed for the Government of the Commonwealth by W. G. Murray at the Government Printing Office, Canberra
16568/69—Price 5c
Overview
The Statutory Rules 1969 No. Regulations under the National Health Act 1953-1968 were enacted to amend the National Health Regulations. This legislative instrument was introduced to address the need for updating certain regulations concerning hospital treatment and fees associated with medical services. The enactment of these regulations was overseen by the Parliament of Australia, with the intent to ensure that the National Health Regulations remain current and reflective of any necessary changes to the provision of healthcare services. The primary objective of these amendments is to adjust the fees for medical services and to clarify the counting of hospital treatment days, thereby maintaining a structured approach to healthcare service delivery and remuneration. These amendments applied to medical services rendered from the first day of May, 1969, ensuring that practitioners and patients alike were informed of the updated financial arrangements.
Scope and Application
The Statutory Rules 1969 No. Regulations under the National Health Act 1953-1968 pertain to amendments within the existing National Health Regulations, specifically addressing the period of hospital treatment and fees for medical services rendered by medical practitioners. The amended regulation regarding the period of hospital treatment clarifies that the day of admission and the day of discharge or death of a qualified hospital patient shall be counted as one day. Additionally, the regulation updates the fees for medical services, replacing previous amounts with new rates of One dollar eighty-five cents and Two dollars thirty-five cents, respectively. These amendments apply to medical services rendered on and after the first day of May, 1969. The regulations extend across the Commonwealth of Australia, impacting all medical practitioners and patients within the national jurisdiction. There are no stated exclusions or thresholds within the text, and the scope of the regulations is confined to the specified amendments without reference to further extension through subordinate instruments.
Key Provisions
The statutory rules issued under the National Health Act 1953-1968 include several amendments to the National Health Regulations, primarily affecting hospital treatment periods and fees associated with medical services. Firstly, Regulation 9 has been amended to redefine the counting of hospital treatment days, stating that the day of admission and the day of discharge or death of a qualified hospital patient shall be counted as one day (Regulation 9). This change likely aims to simplify billing and record-keeping processes for hospitals.
Secondly, Regulation 25 has been amended to adjust the fees for medical services. Specifically, the fee for a particular medical service has been increased from one dollar seventy cents to one dollar eighty-five cents, and another fee has been increased from two dollars fifteen cents to two dollars thirty-five cents (Regulation 25). These amendments are designed to reflect updated costs associated with providing medical services, ensuring that practitioners are fairly compensated for their work.
These regulations impose certain obligations on the parties involved, particularly on medical practitioners and hospitals. Medical practitioners must ensure they charge the updated fees for the specified services as of the effective date of May 1, 1969. Hospitals must accurately record and count hospital treatment days according to the new definition, which may impact their billing and administrative processes. Compliance with these regulations is essential to avoid discrepancies in service delivery and payment.
There are no specific offences, penalties, or consequences outlined in the text for non-compliance with these amendments. However, it is reasonable to infer that failure to adhere to the updated fees and treatment day counting could result in administrative issues, such as billing disputes or audits by relevant health authorities. While the text does not explicitly state maximum penalties, breaches of similar regulatory requirements under the National Health Act could potentially lead to fines or other corrective actions as deemed appropriate by the authorities.