AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
HEALTH INSURANCE ACT 1973
Health Insurance (Medicare Benefits Payable in Respect of Professional Services – Palm Island New Company & Palm Island Community Company) Direction 2021
I, Greg Hunt, Minister for Health and Aged Care, acting under subsection 19(2) of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (the Act) hereby:
(1) DIRECT that, subject to clause (2), medicare benefits shall be payable in respect of:
(a) a non-referred professional service provided by, or on behalf of, a salaried medical practitioner, participating midwife or participating nurse practitioner; and
(b) a referred professional service provided by a salaried allied health professional, dental health professional, optometrist, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioner or Aboriginal health worker;
employed or engaged by the Palm Island New Company Ltd (ABN: 14 640 793 728) or the Palm Island Community Company Ltd (ABN: 64 126 800 682).
(2) This Direction does not apply to a professional service
(a) specified in an item in 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) provided at or from a COVID-19 General Practitioner Led Respiratory Clinic, including a COVID-19 General Practitioner Led Respiratory Clinic that is operated by the Palm Island New Company Ltd (ABN: 14 640 793 728) or the Palm Island Community Company Ltd (ABN: 64 126 800 682).
Note: A number of expressions used in this Direction are defined in the Act, including:
This Direction shall have effect from the date of signature until 30 June 2024 inclusive, unless earlier revoked.
Dated this 30th day of June 2021.
The Hon Greg Hunt
Minister for Health and Aged Care
[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 Health Insurance Act 1973 by the operation of subsection 3C(1) of the Health Insurance Act 1973.