Commonwealth Numbered Acts

NATIONAL HEALTH AMENDMENT ACT 1978 No. 88, 1978 - SECT 9

9. After section 73D of the Principal Act the following section is inserted:
Guidelines for medical and hospital benefits plans
''73E. (1) In this section, unless the contrary intention appears-

'hospital benefits plan' means a plan for the provision by a registered
hospital benefits organization to contributors to a hospital benefits fund
conducted, or to be conducted, by the organization of benefits in respect of
services, treatment or care rendered to those contributors or to their
dependants, being a plan that, in the opinion of the Minister, is intended by
the organization to function as part of a standard hospital benefits table;

'medical benefits plan' means a plan for the provision by a registered medical
benefits organization to contributors to a medical benefits fund conducted, or
to be conducted, by the organization of benefits in respect of services,
treatment or care rendered to those contributors or to their dependants, being
a plan that, in the opinion of the Minister, is intended by the organization
to function as a standard medical benefits table;

'plan' does not include a plan under which the benefits payable are the
benefits set out in paragraph (a) of the definition of 'standard hospital
benefits table' or 'standard medical benefits table' in sub-section (1) of
section 4.

''(2) The regulations may prescribe guidelines for the formulation of medical
benefits plans and hospital benefits plans.

''(3) In this section-

   (a)  a reference to a registered hospital benefits organization shall be
        read as including a reference to an organization that has made an
        application for registration under this Part as a registered hospital
        benefits organization; and

   (b)  a reference to a registered medical benefits organization shall be
        read as including a reference to an organization that has made an
        application for registration under this Part as a registered medical
        benefits organization.''.