Commonwealth Numbered Acts

MEDICARE AGREEMENTS ACT 1992 No. 226, 1992 - SECT 8

8. After Schedule 2 to the Principal Act the following Schedule is inserted:
                               "SCHEDULE 2A               Section 24

HEADS OF AGREEMENT
1. The Agreement is to relate to a specified period but may provide
for the extension of that period.
2. The Agreement is to list the hospitals in the State that are to be
recognised hospitals for the purposes of the Agreement but may provide
for the making of alterations to the list.
3. The Agreement is to provide for the payment by the Commonwealth to
the State of amounts for the purposes of:

   (a)  assisting the State in meeting the costs of providing public
hospital services;

   (b)  providing incentives to the State to encourage the more effective
provision of health services;

   (c)  providing bonus payments to improve access by public patients to
public hospital services;

   (d)  assisting the State to meet the costs of reforming mental health
services;

   (e)  assisting the State in meeting the costs of providing other
nominated health services subject to agreed outcomes measures.
4. The Agreement is to provide for the Commonwealth to vary the amount
of its payments to take account of movements in costs, utilisation of
hospital and other health services and population changes.
5. The Agreement is to provide for the State to ensure that public
hospital services of a kind specified in the Agreement will be
available, in hospitals, to all eligible persons without charge as
public patients.
6. The Agreement is to provide for State commitment to the Medicare
Principles and Commitments which will be applied in the provision of
public hospital services under the Agreement.
7. The Agreement is to make provision for certain charges to apply in
recognised hospitals.
8. The Agreement is to provide for the Commonwealth and the State to
agree, during the first year of the Agreement, on national health goals
and targets and a timetable for their continuing development and
implementation over the life of the Agreement.
9. The Agreement is to provide for the creation of consultative bodies
to consider matters relating to the Agreement.
10. The Agreement is to make provision in relation to the provision by
the State to the Commonwealth of statistical and other information.
11. The Agreement is to authorise the Commonwealth to vary the amount
of its payments:

   (a)  if the State fails to comply with conditions specified in the
Agreement or in Part 3; or

   (b)  in accordance with any further agreement between the Commonwealth
and the State providing for such variation.
12. The Agreement will provide for specific reference to conditions in
respect of the various payments.
13. The Agreement will provide for a Memorandum of Understanding
relating to a Public Patients' Hospital Charter that will describe the
application of the Medicare Principles to public hospital services
including the operation of a complaints mechanism overseeing the
provision of those services.".