NATIONAL HEALTH AMENDMENT ACT 1978 No. 88, 1978 - SECT 3 Interpretation

NATIONAL HEALTH AMENDMENT ACT 1978 No. 88, 1978 - SECT 3

3. Section 4 of the Principal Act is amended-

(a) by inserting in sub-section (1), after the definition of ''approved'', the
following definitions:

'' 'approved hospital benefits plan' means a hospital benefits plan, within
the meaning of section 73E, that-

   (a)  complies with the guidelines applicable to a hospital benefits plan
        that are prescribed by regulations under section 73E; and

   (b)  is authorized by the rules of the organization;

'approved medical benefits plan' means a medical benefits plan, within the
meaning of section 73E, that-

   (a)  complies with the guidelines applicable to a medical benefits plan
        that are prescribed by regulations under section 73E; and

   (b)  is authorized by the rules of the organization;''; and

(b) by inserting in sub-section (1), after the definition of ''restricted
membership organizations'' the following definitions:

'' 'standard hospital benefits table' or 'standard table' means, in relation
to a registered hospital benefits organization in respect of a State or
Territory-

   (a)  benefits of the following kinds:

        (i)    in respect of hospital treatment provided to persons as
               in-patients of a hospital in that State or Territory-benefits
               equal to the fees charged for the provision of hospital
               treatment in a recognized hospital in that State or Territory
               in respect of a private patient in other than a single room,
               being a patient who is not entitled to receive compensation or
               damages in respect of the costs of that hospital treatment;

        (ii)   in respect of hospital treatment provided to persons as
               in-patients of a hospital in any other State or
               Territory-benefits equal to-

                (A)  the fees charged for the provision of hospital treatment
                     in a recognized hospital in the State or Territory to
                     which the table relates in respect of a private patient
                     in other than a single room, being a patient who is not
                     entitled to receive compensation or damages in respect of
                     the costs of that hospital treatment; or

                (B)  the fees charged for the provision of hospital treatment
                     in a recognized hospital in the State or Territory in
                     which the hospital is situated in respect of such a
                     patient,

whichever are the greater;

        (iii)  in respect of professional services rendered to persons as
               in-patients of a recognized hospital, whether situated in the
               State or Territory to which the table relates or elsewhere, by
               medical practitioners employed by, or under arrangements made
               by, the hospital-benefits equal to the charges made by the
               hospital for the provision of those services to patients who
               are not entitled to receive compensation or damages in respect
               of the cost of those services;

        (iv)   in respect of out-patient services provided to persons by a
               hospital in a State or Territory in which recognized hospitals
               make charges for the provision of out-patient services-

                (A)  if that hospital is a recognized hospital-benefits equal
                     to the charges made by that hospital for the provision of
                     those services to persons who are not entitled to receive
                     compensation or damages in respect of the cost of those
                     services; or

                (B)  if that hospital is not a recognized hospital-benefits
                     equal to the charges made by that hospital for the
                     provision of those services or the charges made by
                     recognized hospitals in that State or Territory for the
                     provision of services of that kind to persons who are not
                     entitled to receive compensation or damages in respect of
                     the cost of those services, whichever are the less; and

        (v)    such other benefits (if any) as are prescribed for the purposes
               of this paragraph in relation to registered hospital benefits
               organizations or a class of registered hospital benefits
               organizations in which the organization is included; or

   (b)  the range of benefits payable under an approved hospital benefits
        plan,

and includes benefits of the kind referred to in sub-section (1) of section
73C;

'standard medical benefits table' or 'standard table' means, in relation to a
registered medical benefits organization in respect of a State or Territory-

   (a)  a range of benefits corresponding to the medical benefits payable, in
        respect of services rendered to eligible persons, under Part II of the
        Health Insurance Act 1973, and such other benefits (if any) as are
        prescribed for the purposes of this paragraph in relation to
        registered medical benefits organizations or a class of registered
        medical benefits organizations in which the organization is included;
        or

   (b)  the range of benefits payable under an approved medical benefits
        plan;''; and

   (c)  by omitting from sub-section (1) the definitions of ''the standard
        hospital benefits table'' or ''the standard table'' and ''the standard
        medical benefits table'' or ''the standard table''.