National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits—Budget Measures) Act 2004

No. 119, 2004

An Act to change the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and for related purposes

[Assented to 13 July 2004]

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

This Act may be cited as the National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits—Budget Measures) Act 2004.

(1) Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.

Commencement information
Column 1	Column 2	Column 3
Provision(s)	Commencement	Date/Details
1. Sections 1 to 3 and anything in this Act not elsewhere covered by this table	The day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent.	13 July 2004
2. Schedule 1	1 January 2005.	1 January 2005

Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this Act as originally passed by the Parliament and assented to. It will not be expanded to deal with provisions inserted in this Act after assent.

(2) Column 3 of the table contains additional information that is not part of this Act. Information in this column may be added to or edited in any published version of this Act.

3 Schedule(s)

Each Act that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect according to its terms.

Schedule 1—Changes to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme

Part 1—Changes to charges

National Health Act 1953

1 Paragraph 84C(4)(c)

Omit “$20.00” (wherever occurring), substitute “$28.60”.

2 Paragraph 84C(4)(d)

Omit “$3.20” (wherever occurring), substitute “$4.60”.

3 Subsection 84C(4) (note)

Omit “amounts of $20.00 and $3.20 referred to in this subsection”, substitute “figures expressed in this subsection in dollars”.

4 Section 84CA

Omit “$3.20”, substitute “$4.60”.

5 Section 84CA (note)

Omit “This amount of $3.20”, substitute “The figure expressed in this section in dollars”.

6 Paragraphs 87(2)(a), (b) and (c)

Omit “$3.20”, substitute “$4.60”.

7 Paragraph 87(2)(e)

Omit “$20.00”, substitute “$28.60”.

8 Subsection 87(2) (note)

Omit “amounts of $3.20, $600 and $20.00 referred to in this subsection”, substitute “figures expressed in this subsection in dollars”.

9 Paragraphs 99(2A)(a), (aa) and (b)

Omit “$20.00”, substitute “$28.60”.

10 Subsection 99(2A) (note)

Omit “These amounts of $20.00”, substitute “The figures expressed in this subsection in dollars”.

11 Paragraphs 99(2AB)(a), (b) and (c)

Omit “$3.20”, substitute “$4.60”.

12 Subsection 99(2AB) (note)

Omit “These amounts of $3.20”, substitute “The figures expressed in this subsection in dollars”.

13 Paragraphs 99(2B)(a), (b) and (c)

Omit “$3.20”, substitute “$4.60”.

14 Subsection 99(2B) (note)

Omit “These amounts of $3.20”, substitute “The figures expressed in this subsection in dollars”.

15 Section 99F (definition of concessional beneficiary charge)

Omit “$3.20”, substitute “$4.60”.

17 Section 99F (definition of general patient charge)

Omit “$20.00”, substitute “$28.60”.

18 Section 99F (definition of general patient reduced charge)

Omit “$3.20”, substitute “$4.60”.

19 Subsection 99G(1)

Omit “Subject to subsection (1A), an”, substitute “An”.

20 Subsection 99G(1)

After “each year”, insert “after 2005”.

21 Subsections 99G(1A) and (1B)

Repeal the subsections.

22 Subsection 99G(2) (note)

Repeal the note, substitute:

Note: The Department can tell you what the current indexed amounts are.

23 Subsections 99G(3A) and (3B)

Repeal the subsections.

24 Transitional provision relating to section 99G

The indexed amount for an amount to be indexed under section 99G of the National Health Act 1953 on 1 January 2006 is to be worked out as if:

(a) the amount to be indexed were the current figure for the purposes of the formula in subsection (3) of that section; and

(b) the index number for the September quarter in 2004 were the previous index number for the purposes of the formula in subsection (4) of that section.

Part 2—Changes to general patient safety net

National Health Act 1953

25 Subsection 84C(1AA)

Omit “$600” (wherever occurring), substitute “$874.90”.

26 Subsection 84C(1AA) (note)

Omit “These amounts of $600”, substitute “The figures expressed in this subsection in dollars”.

27 Paragraphs 87(2)(b) and (c)

Omit “$600”, substitute “$874.90”.

28 Section 99F (definition of general patient safety net)

Omit “$600”, substitute “$874.90”.

[Minister’s second reading speech made in—

House of Representatives on 13 November 2002

Senate on 15 December 2002]

(244/02)