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Health Insurance (Medicare Benefits Payable in Respect of Professional Services – General Practice Attendance for Assessing Patient Suitability for a COVID-19 Vaccine) 19(3) Direction 2021

Authoritative Version
This instrument enables Medicare benefits for the COVID-19 suitability assessment items to be claimed for services provided to staff.
Administered by: Health
Registered 11 Jun 2021
To be ceased 31 Dec 2021 23:59
Ceased by Self Ceasing

 

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

 

HEALTH INSURANCE ACT 1973

 

Health Insurance (Medicare Benefits Payable in Respect of Professional Services – General Practice Attendance for Assessing Patient Suitability for a COVID-19 Vaccine) 19(3) Direction 2021

 

 

I, Paul McBride, First Assistant Secretary, Medical Benefits Division, Health Resourcing Group, delegate for the Minister for Health and Aged Care, acting under subsection 19(3) of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (the Act), hereby:

DIRECT that Medicare benefit shall be payable in respect of a professional service to which all of the following apply:

(a)    the service is specified in an item of the Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services – General Practice Attendance for Assessing Patient Suitability for a COVID-19 Vaccine) Determination 2021[1], as in force from time to time; and

(b)   the service is rendered by or on behalf of a medical practitioner employed or engaged by an entity that:

(i)     has signed and provided the Department of Health with a Site Readiness and Declaration form for participation in the Australian COVID-19 Vaccine Roll-out Program; and

(ii)   is not a State or Territory, or an authority established by a law of a State or internal Territory; and

(c)    the service is not provided:

(i)     at or from a COVID-19 General Practitioner Led Respiratory Clinic, including a COVID-19 General Practitioner Led Respiratory Clinic that is operated by an Aboriginal Controlled Community Health Service; and

(ii)   by Sonic Healthcare, International SOS, Aspen Medical or HealthCare Australia pursuant to a Deed of Agreement with the Commonwealth to provide targeted and flexible vaccine administration support to ensure timely and safe access to COVID-19 vaccines for: 

                                                          A.      registered residential aged care residents and/or workers; and  

                                                           B.      residential disability setting residents and workers, 

This Direction shall have effect from the date of signature until 31 December 2021 inclusive, unless earlier revoked.

 

 

Dated this 11th day of June 2021

 

Paul McBride

First Assistant Secretary  

Medical Benefits Division

Health Resourcing Group

Department of Health 


[1] Health services specified in the Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services – General Practice Attendance for Assessing Patient Suitability for a COVID-19 Vaccine) Determination 2021 are treated as professional services for the purposes of the Act by the operation of subsection 3C(1) of the Act.