EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Statutory Rules 1986 No 329
SUBJECT: NURSING HOMES ASSISTANCE ACT 1974
NURSING HOMES ASSISTANCE REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)
(Issued by authority of the Minister for Community Services, Senator the Hon Don Grimes.)
Regulation 6 of the Nursing Homes Assistance Regulations (the Regulations) was made pursuant to section 37 of the Nursing Homes Assistance Act 1974 (the Act).
Paragraph 13(1)(d) of the Act prescribes the fees to be charged to nursing home patients in nursing homes approved under the Act where the patient has received, has established a right to receive, or may be entitled to receive, a payment by way of compensation or damages under a law of a State or Territory in respect of the nursing home care to which the fees relate.
Regulation 6 of the Regulations prescribes fees for the purposes of paragraph 13(1)(d).
These fees have been set at a rate equivalent to the sum of the fee prescribed under paragraph 13(1)(a) of the Act, the weekly equivalent of the amount of Commonwealth nursing home benefit prescribed in sub-regulation 28A(2) of the National Health Regulations and, in the case of extensive care patients, $42.00. With the increases in the amounts prescribed in sub-regulation 28A(2) of the National Health Regulations, corresponding increases in the fees prescribed under paragraph 13(1)(d) of the Act have been made.
Accordingly, the regulations will amend regulation 6 to increase each of the fees prescribed.
The regulations will come into operation on 13 November 1986.