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 2010 (No. 2)
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 2010 (No. 2) (the Amendment Rules) amend the Private Health Insurance (Complying Product) Rules 2010 (the Rules) which commenced on 30 January 2010.
The purpose of Rule 8A is to enforce the patient contribution for a privately insured Nursing-Home Type Patient (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 minor changes to paragraph 8A(3)(a) of the Rules by amending the amount for the NHTP contribution at public hospitals in the Australian Capital Territory the Northern Territory.
Consultation
ACT Health and the Department of Health and Families (Northern Territory were consulted with regard to increasing the NHTP patient contribution for their jurisdictions. No objections were made.
PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE BRANCH
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND AGEING
JUNE 2010
ATTACHMENT
DETAILS OF THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE (COMPLYING PRODUCT) AMENDMENT RULES 2010 (No. 2)
- Name of Rules
Rule 1 provides that the title of the Rules is the Private Health Insurance (Complying Product) Amendment Rules 2010 (No. 2) (the Amendment Rules).
2. Commencement
Rule 2 provides that the Amendment Rules are to commence on 1 July 2010, or if registered on a later date, the day after registration.
3. Amendment of Private Health Insurance (Complying Product) Rules 2010
Rule 3 provides that the Schedule to the Amendment Rules amends the Private Health Insurance (Complying Product) Rules 2010, which commenced on 30 January 2010.
Schedule – Amendments
Item 1 – Part 2, Paragraph 8A(3)(a)
Paragraph 8A(3)(a) of the Rules provides the patient contribution for privately insured NHTP’s at a public hospital.
Item 1 of the Schedule of the Amendment Rules amends Part 2 subparagraph 8A(3)(a)(i) to the Rules by increasing the NHTP contribution at public hospitals in the Australian Capital Territory from $41.35 to $47.35. Item 1 further amends Part 2 subparagraph 8A(3)(a)(iii) to the Rules by increasing the NHTP contribution at public hospitals in the Northern Territory from $45.50 to $47.35. This increase reflects the indexation applied to Adult Pension Basic Rate and the maximum daily rate of rental assistance.
PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE BRANCH
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND AGEING
JUNE 2010