STATUTORY RULES.
1958. No. 63.
REGULATIONS UNDER THE NATIONAL HEALTH ACT 1953-1957.*
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 1953-1957.
Dated this twenty-fifth day of September, 1958.
W. J. SLIM
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
Minister of State for Health.
Amendments of the National Health Regulations.†
Commencement.
1. These Regulations shall be deemed to have come into operation on the first day of July, 1958.
Parts.
2. Regulation 2 of the National Health Regulations is amended by adding at the end thereof the words—
“Part VI.—Prescribed Fees and Allowances—Pensioner Medical Service (Regulations 25-26).”.
3. After Part V. of the National Health Regulations the following Part is inserted:—
“Part VI.—Prescribed Fees and Allowances—Pensioner Medical Service.
Fees.
“25. For the purposes of paragraph (b)of sub-section (2.) of section 32 of the Act, the prescribed fees are—
(a) for a medical service rendered by a medical practitioner to a pensioner or dependant of a pensioner at the medical practitioner’s surgery—Eleven shillings;
(b) subject to the next succeeding paragraph, for a medical service rendered by a medical practitioner to a pensioner or dependant of a pensioner otherwise than at the medical practitioner’s surgery—Thirteen shillings; and
(c) for medical services rendered by a medical practitioner to pensioners or dependants of pensioners where the medical services are rendered to more than one person on the occasion of an attendance at any one place not being the medical practitioner’s surgery or a place of private residence of a pensioner or dependant of a pensioner—Thirteen shillings for the medical service so rendered to one person and Eleven shillings for the medical service so rendered to each other person.
* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on 2nd October, 1958.
† Statutory Rules 1954, No. 35; as amended by Statutory Rules 1957, No. 71
4859/58.–Price 3d. 9/29.8.1958.
Allowances.
“26. For the purposes of paragraph (b) of sub-section (2.) of section 32 of the Act, the prescribed allowance for any distance travelled by a medical practitioner in respect of which the agreement under that section provides for payment of an allowance is—
(a) if the distance is less than one-half of a mile—Two shillings;
(b) if the distance is not less than one-half of a mile but less than one mile—Four shillings; and
(c) if the distance is not less than one mile—Four shillings for each complete mile of the distance and, if the distance includes a fraction of a mile which is one-half of a mile or greater than one-half of a mile, an additional Four shillings.”.
By Authority: A. J. Arthur, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.
Overview
The Statutory Rules 1958, No. 63, made under the National Health Act 1953-1957, were introduced to amend the National Health Regulations and establish prescribed fees and allowances for medical services provided under the Pensioner Medical Service. Enacted by the Governor-General in the Commonwealth of Australia, these regulations aimed to address the need for clear guidelines and financial compensation for medical practitioners who provided services to pensioners and their dependants. The policy objective was to ensure that medical practitioners were adequately compensated for their services under the scheme, thereby encouraging participation and maintaining the quality of healthcare provided to pensioners and their dependants. These regulations came into effect on 1 July 1958, providing a structured framework for the reimbursement of medical services within the Pensioner Medical Service.
Scope and Application
The National Health Regulations, as amended by Statutory Rules 1958 No. 63, apply to medical practitioners and pensioners or their dependants within the Commonwealth of Australia. These Regulations govern the fees and allowances prescribed for medical services rendered under the Pensioner Medical Service, as outlined in section 32 of the National Health Act 1953-1957. The fees are specified for services provided at a medical practitioner’s surgery, elsewhere, or in group attendances, while the allowances pertain to the distance travelled by medical practitioners for such services. These Regulations came into operation on 1 July 1958, and any further modifications or extensions to their application may be enacted through subordinate instruments under the authority of the Act.
Key Provisions
The operative sections of these Regulations pertain specifically to the amendment and insertion of Parts into the National Health Regulations, which are made under the National Health Act 1953-1957. Section 2 amends Regulation 2 of the National Health Regulations by adding a new Part VI, which pertains to prescribed fees and allowances for the Pensioner Medical Service. Section 3 inserts a new Part VI immediately after Part V of the existing National Health Regulations, detailing fees (Regulation 25) and allowances (Regulation 26) for medical services rendered to pensioners and their dependants by medical practitioners. These fees and allowances are explicitly stated for different scenarios, such as services rendered at a practitioner’s surgery or otherwise, and the distance travelled by the practitioner.
The obligations imposed by these Regulations on medical practitioners and other relevant parties primarily revolve around the adherence to the prescribed fees and allowances. For instance, Regulation 25(a) stipulates that a medical service rendered to a pensioner or their dependant at the practitioner’s surgery must be charged at Eleven shillings. Similarly, Regulation 25(b) and (c) specify the fees for services rendered outside the practitioner’s surgery and in group settings, respectively. Regulation 26 sets out the allowances for distances travelled by medical practitioners, which must be adhered to when claiming reimbursement for travel expenses related to providing these medical services. These obligations ensure that the financial aspects of the medical services provided under the Pensioner Medical Service are transparent and consistently applied.
The Regulations do not explicitly detail offences, penalties, or consequences for breach; however, it can be inferred that non-compliance with the prescribed fees and allowances may lead to legal consequences under the National Health Act 1953-1957 or other relevant legislation. Given the nature of the amendments, breaches could potentially result in financial penalties or legal action for improper billing practices. The precise nature and extent of any penalties would depend on the specific provisions of the National Health Act or any related legislative instruments. Nonetheless, adherence to these Regulations is crucial to maintain the integrity and fairness of the Pensioner Medical Service.