EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Health and Ageing
Private Health Insurance Act 2007
Private Health Insurance (Complying Product) Amendment Rules 2009
Section 333-20 of the Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act) provides that the Minister may make Private Health Insurance (Complying Product) Rules providing for matters required or permitted by Chapter 3 of the Act, or necessary or convenient in order to carry out or give effect to the Act.
The Private Health Insurance (Complying Product) Amendment Rules 2009 (the Amendment Rules) amend the Private Health Insurance (Complying Product) Rules 2008 (No.2) (the Rules) (as amended) which commenced on 1 July 2008
The purpose of Rule 8A of the Rules is to enforce the patient contribution for privately insured nursing-home type patients (NHTP) by restricting the amount of benefit that private health insurers pay for each day of NHTP hospital treatment at a hospital. The amount of benefit is restricted to the hospital’s charge less the patient contribution amount.
The Amendment Rules make a minor change to paragraph 8A(3)(c) of the Rules by amending the amount for the NHTP patient contribution at public hospitals in Western Australia from $39.70 to $40.80.
Details of the amendment to the Rules are set out in the Attachment.
Consultation
The Western Australian Department of Health was consulted with regard to increasing the NHTP patient contribution for its jurisdiction.
PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE BRANCH
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND AGEING
FEBRUARY 2009
ATTACHMENT
DETAILS OF THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE (COMPLYING PRODUCT) AMENDMENT RULES 2009
- Name of Rules
Rule 1 provides that the title of the Rules is the Private Health Insurance (Complying Product) Amendment Rules 2009 (the Amendment Rules).
2. Commencement
Rule 2 provides that the Amendment Rules are to commence on the day after registration on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.
3. Amendment of Private Health Insurance (Complying Product) Rules 2008 (No.2)
Rule 3 provides that the Schedule to the Amendment Rules amends the Private Health Insurance (Complying Product) Rules 2008 (No.2) which commenced on 1 July 2008, and were subsequently amended on 20 September 2008, 9 December 2008 and 1 January 2009.
Schedule – Amendments
Item 1 – Part 2, Paragraph 8A(3)(c)
Paragraph 8A(3)(c) of the Rules provides the patient contribution for privately insured Nursing-home type patients (NHTP) at a public hospital. The purpose of Rule 8A of the Rules is to enforce the patient contribution for NTHP by restricting the amount of benefit that private health insurers pay for each day of NHTP hospital treatment at a hospital. The amount of benefit is restricted to the hospital’s charge less the patient contribution amount.
Item 1 of the Schedule of the Amendment Rules amends subparagraph 8A(3)(c)(viii), Part 2 of the Rules by increasing the NHTP patient contribution at a public hospital in Western Australia from $39.70 to $40.80. This increase reflects the indexation to Adult Pension Basic Rate and the maximum daily rate of rental assistance that commenced on 20 September 2008. The increase also brings public hospitals in Western Australia in line with public hospitals in Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland.
PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE BRANCH
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND AGEING
FEBRUARY 2009