Queensland Bills Queensland Bills[Index] [Search] [Download] [Related Items] [Help]
This is a Bill, not an Act. For current law, see the Acts databases.
Queensland
MEDICARE PRINCIPLES
AND COMMITMENTS
ADOPTION BILL 1994
Queensland
MEDICARE PRINCIPLES AND
COMMITMENTS ADOPTION BILL 1994
TABLE OF PROVISIONS
Section Page
1 Short title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2 Interpretation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3 Medicare Principles and Commitments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
4 Act does not create legal rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
SCHEDULE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
MEDICARE PRINCIPLES
COMMITMENTS
1994
A BILL
FOR
An Act to adopt the Medicare Principles and Commitments specified
in section 26(2) of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (Cwlth) and for
another purpose
4
Medicare Principles and Commitments
Adoption
The Parliament of Queensland enacts-- 1
title 2
Short
This Act may be cited as the Medicare Principles and 3
Clause1.
Commitments Adoption Act 1994. 4
5
Interpretation
Clause2. Words used in this Act that are defined in the Health Insurance Act 6
1973 (Cwlth) have the same meanings in this Act. 7
Principles and Commitments 8
Medicare
The Medicare Principles and Commitments specified in 9
Clause3.(1)
section 26(2) of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (Cwlth) are established as 10
guidelines that will govern the delivery of public hospital services to eligible 11
persons in the State. 12
(2) A copy of the Medicare Principles and Commitments is contained in 13
the Schedule. 14
does not create legal rights 15
Act
Clause4. This Act does not create legal rights. 16
5
Medicare Principles and Commitments
Adoption
CHEDULE 1
¡S
section 3(2) 2
MEDICARE PRINCIPLES 3
The Commonwealth and the States are committed to the following 4
Principles in the provision of public hospital services-- 5
6
Explanatory note
7
The Principles focus on the provision of public hospital services to eligible persons,
8
but operate in an environment where eligible persons have the right to choose private
9
health care in public and private hospitals supported by private health insurance.
Choices of services 10
Principle 1 11
Eligible persons must be given the choice to receive public hospital 12
services free of charge as public patients 13
14
Explanatory notes
15
1. Hospital services include in-patient, out-patient, emergency services (including
16
primary care where appropriate) and day patient services consistent with currently
17
acceptable medical and health service standards.
18
2. At the time of admission to a hospital, or as soon as practicable after that, an
19
eligible person will be required to elect or confirm whether he or she wishes to be
20
treated as a public or private patient.
Universality of services 21
Principle 2 22
Access to public hospital services is to be on the basis of clinical need 23
6
Medicare Principles and Commitments
Adoption
1
Explanatory notes
2
1. None of the following factors are to be a determinant of an eligible person's
3
priority for receiving hospital services--
4
· whether or not an eligible person has health insurance;
5
· an eligible person's financial status or place of residence;
6
· whether or not an eligible person intends to elect, or elects, to be treated
7
as a public or private patient.
8
2. This principle applies equally to waiting times for elective surgery.
Equity in service provision 9
Principle 3 10
To the maximum practicable extent, a State will ensure the provision of 11
public hospital services equitably to all eligible persons, regardless of their 12
geographical location 13
14
Explanatory notes
15
1. This principle does not require a local hospital to be equipped to provide eligible
16
persons with every hospital service they may need.
17
2. In rural and remote areas, a State should ensure provision of reasonable public
18
access to a basic range of hospital services which are in accord with clinical
19
practices.
COMMITMENTS 20
In order to achieve Principles 1 to 3, the Commonwealth and States 21
make the following Commitments regarding public hospital services for 22
eligible persons-- 23
7
Medicare Principles and Commitments
Adoption
Information about service provision 1
Commitment 1 2
The Commonwealth and a State must make available information on the 3
public hospital services eligible persons can expect to receive as public 4
patients 5
6
Explanatory notes
7
1. The joint Commonwealth/State development of a Public Patients' Hospital Charter
8
for each State will be a vehicle for the public dissemination of this information.
9
2. The Charter will set out the public hospital services available to public patients.
Efficiency and quality in service provision 10
Commitment 2 11
The Commonwealth and the States are committed to making 12
improvements in the efficiency, effectiveness and quality of hospital service 13
delivery 14
15
Explanatory note
16
This includes a commitment to quality improvement, outcome measurement,
17
management efficiency and effort to integrate the delivery of hospital and other
18
health and community services.
19
© State of Queensland 1994
[Index] [Search] [Download] [Related Items] [Help]