EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Health and Ageing
Private Health Insurance Act 2007
Private Health Insurance (Benefit Requirements) Amendment Rules 2007 (No. 3)
Section 333-20 of the Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) provides that the Minister may make Private Health Insurance (Benefit Requirements) Rules (the Rules) providing for matters required or permitted by Part 3-3 of the Act, or necessary or convenient in order to carry out or give effect to Part 3-3 of the Act.
The current Rules, dated 25 June 2007, provide for the minimum benefit requirements for psychiatric, rehabilitation and palliative care and other hospital treatment and were previously covered by provisions in Schedule 1 (1) (bj) of the National Health Act 1953. Schedules 1 to 6 to the Rules set out the minimum levels of benefit which are payable for hospital treatment. Namely, benefits for overnight accommodation (Schedules 1 and 2), same day accommodation (Schedule 3), nursing-home type patients (Schedule 4), second-tier default benefits (Schedule 5), and outreach services (Schedule 6).
The Private Health Insurance (Benefit Requirements) Amendment Rules 2007 (No. 3) (the Amending Rules) amend the Rules dated 25 June 2007 by making amendments to Schedule 1 of the Rules.
Details of the Amending Rules are set out in the Attachment.
Consultation
No specific consultation was undertaken in relation to the Amending Rules as the changes to Schedule 1 are machinery in nature and do not substantially alter existing arrangements. The amendments are necessary to incorporate changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) August Supplement, which is to take effect from 1 August 2007.
PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE BRANCH
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND AGEING
JULY 2007
ATTACHMENT
DETAILS OF THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE (BENEFIT REQUIREMENTS) AMENDMENT RULES 2007 (No.3)
1. Name of Rules
Rule 1 provides that the title of the Rules is the Private Health Insurance (Benefit Requirements) Amendment Rules 2007(No.3) (the Amending Rules).
2. Commencement
Rule 2 provides that the Amending Rules are to commence on 1 August 2007.
3. Amendment of Private Health Insurance (Benefit Requirements) Rules 2007 (No. 2)
Rule 3 provides that Schedule 1 of the Amending Rules amends the Private Health Insurance (Benefit Requirements) Rules 2007(No. 2) made on 25 June 2007 (the Rules).
Schedule A Amendments
Clause 1
This clause inserts MBS items 43021 and 43022 into the list of items provided at sub-clause 6(3) of Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the Rules.