2002-2003
THE PARLIAMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HEALTH INSURANCE AMENDMENT
(DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING, RADIATION ONCOLOGY AND OTHER MEASURES) BILL 2002
SUPPLEMENTARY EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
Amendments to be Moved on Behalf of the Government
(Circulated by authority of the Minister for Health and Ageing,
Senator the Hon. Kay Patterson)
PARLIAMENTARY AMENDMENTS
HEALTH INSURANCE AMENDMENT
(DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING, RADIATION ONCOLOGY AND OTHER MEASURES) BILL 2002
OUTLINE
The Health Insurance Amendment (Diagnostic Imaging, Radiation Oncology and Other Measures) Bill 2002 contains a number of amendments to the Health Insurance Act 1973, in relation to the payment of Medicare benefits for diagnostic imaging services, (that is, diagnostic radiology, ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and nuclear medicine imaging) and radiation oncology services.
There are provisions in the Bill requiring diagnostic imaging and radiation oncology practices to be registered in order for Medicare benefits to be payable, which apply from 1 May 2003.
An amendment is required to the application date of these and related provisions to allow sufficient time for practices to register, so that they will be able to comply with the legislation.
FINANCIAL IMPACT STATEMENT
NOTES ON AMENDMENTS
Amendments 1 and 2
These items amend the application dates of subsection 16D(1) and sections 23DZZF, 23DZZG and 23DZZH, which are new provisions to be inserted into the Health Insurance Act 1973 by this Bill.
Subsection 16D(1) provides that unless the Minister otherwise directs, no Medicare benefit is payable in respect of diagnostic imaging services rendered using diagnostic image procedures (ie the capturing of the images) undertaken by unregistered diagnostic imaging practices.
Sections 23DZZF and 23DZZG provide that proprietors of unregistered diagnostic imaging practices commit an offence if they do not either give the patient notice in writing, or display a sign, that no Medicare benefit will be payable for services rendered using procedures undertaken by the practice.
Section 23DZZF refers to diagnostic imaging premises and section 23DZZG refers to bases for mobile diagnostic imaging equipment.
Section 23DZZH provides that, if the Minister makes a direction under subsection 16B(1) to pay a Medicare benefit for services rendered using procedures undertaken by unregistered practices, and the proprietor of the premises has not informed the patient or displayed a sign that no benefit would be payable, the amount of the benefit becomes a debt recoverable by the Commonwealth.
The new application dates will be either:
· a date to be fixed by Proclamation; or
· 6 months after Royal Assent to the Bill if a date has not been proclaimed within that time.
Amendments 3 and 4
These amendments mirror Amendments 1 and 2 in respect of unregistered radiation oncology practices.