2013‑2014

The Parliament of the

Commonwealth of Australia

THE SENATE

Presented and read a first time

Private Health Insurance Amendment (GP Services) Bill 2014

No.      , 2014

(Senator Di Natale)

A Bill for an Act to amend the Private Health Insurance Act 2007, and for related purposes

Contents

1............ Short title............................................................................................. 1

2............ Commencement................................................................................... 1

3............ Schedule(s)......................................................................................... 2

Schedule 1—Private Health Insurance Act 2007                                                3

A Bill for an Act to amend the Private Health Insurance Act 2007, and for related purposes

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

1  Short title

                   This Act may be cited as the Private Health Insurance Amendment (GP Services) Act 2014.

2  Commencement

                   This Act commences on the day after this Act receives the Royal Assent.

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                   Each Act that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect according to its terms.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—Private Health Insurance Act 2007

1  At the end of Chapter 3

Add:

Part 3‑7—GP services

Division 105—GP services

105‑5  GP services

             (1)  A private health insurer must not enter into an agreement or arrangement that provides for:

                     (a)  GP services to be rendered to persons insured under *private health insurance policies issued by the private health insurer; or

                     (b)  persons insured under private health insurance policies issued by the private health insurer to have preferential access to GP services;

Example: Access to a GP out of hours, when uninsured patients do not have access to the GP out of hours.

unless the Private Health Insurance (Health Insurance Business) Rules provide otherwise.

             (2)  A GP service is a service rendered in Australia by a general practitioner (within the meaning of the Health Insurance Act 1973):

                     (a)  that is *general treatment (disregarding subsection 121‑10(3)); and

                     (b)  for which *medicare benefit is payable.

2  Subsection 333‑20(1) (table item 6, column headed “Chapter/Part/section”)

Omit “Part”, substitute “Parts 3‑7 and”.

3  Dictionary in Schedule 1

Insert:

GP service has the meaning given by subsection 105‑5(2).