Health Insurance Legislation Amendment Regulation 2012 (No. 1)1
Select Legislative Instrument 2012 No. 57
I, QUENTIN BRYCE, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, make the following regulation under the Health Insurance Act 1973.
Dated 19 April 2012
QUENTIN BRYCE
Governor-General
By Her Excellency’s Command
TANYA PLIBERSEK
Minister for Health
Contents
                        1      Name of regulation                                                          2
                        2      Commencement                                                              2
                        3      Amendment of Health Insurance (Diagnostic Imaging Services Table) Regulations 2011          2
                        4      Amendment of Health Insurance Regulations 1975            2
Schedule 1                  Amendments of Health Insurance (Diagnostic Imaging Services Table) Regulations 2011 3
Schedule 2                  Amendment of Health Insurance Regulations 1975         7
 
 
1              Name of regulation
                This regulation is the Health Insurance Legislation Amendment Regulation 2012 (No. 1).
2              Commencement
                This regulation commences on 1 May 2012.
3              Amendment of Health Insurance (Diagnostic Imaging Services Table) Regulations 2011
                Schedule 1 amends the Health Insurance (Diagnostic Imaging Services Table) Regulations 2011.
4              Amendment of Health Insurance Regulations 1975
                Schedule 2 amends the Health Insurance Regulations 1975.
Schedule 1        Amendments of Health Insurance (Diagnostic Imaging Services Table) Regulations 2011
(section 3)
 
[1]           Schedule 1, paragraph 1.2.5 (1) (a)
omit
Division 2.1 to 2.5
insert
Divisions 2.1 to 2.4
[2]           Schedule 1, subclause 1.2.5 (3)
omit
subsection 10 (2)
insert
paragraph 10 (2) (aa)
[3]           Schedule 1, clause 1.2.5, note
omit
regulation 6EF
insert
subparagraph 6EF (b) (ii)
[4]           Schedule 1, after clause 1.2.5
insert
1.2.5A     Bulk-billing—magnetic resonance imaging
         (1)   This clause applies if:
                (a)    a service that is mentioned in an item in Division 2.5 of this table is provided; and
               (b)    the service is not provided in a hospital; and
                (c)    the service is bulk‑billed.
         (2)   The fee for the service is 100% of the fee mentioned in this table for the service.
         (3)   For paragraph 10 (2) (aa) of the Act, the benefit payable is the amount calculated under subclause (2).
Note   Under subparagraph 6EF (b) (ii) of the Health Insurance Regulations 1975, the medicare benefit payable is 100% of the amount calculated under subclause (2).
[5]           Schedule 1, clauses 2.5.1 and 2.5.2
substitute
2.5.1       MRI and MRA services—eligible services
                Items 63001 to 63482 apply to an MRI or MRA service performed:
                (a)    at the request of a specialist or consultant physician in accordance with clause 2.5.2; and
               (b)    in a permissible circumstance mentioned in clause 2.5.3; and
                (c)    using eligible equipment mentioned in clause 2.5.5.
2.5.2       MRI and MRA services—request
                For paragraph 2.5.1 (a), a request must:
                (a)    be made in writing; and
               (b)    identify the clinical indications for the service.
[6]           Schedule 1, Clause 2.5.3
omit
clause 2.5.1,
insert
paragraph 2.5.1 (b),
[7]           Schedule 1, clauses 2.5.4 and 2.5.5
substitute
2.5.4       MRI and MRA services—eligible provider
                For paragraph 2.5.3 (a), the table sets out eligible providers for an MRI or MRA service.
Item
Person

   1
A specialist in diagnostic radiology who satisfies the Chief Executive Medicare that he or she is a participant in the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists’ Quality and Accreditation Program

2.5.5       MRI and MRA services—eligible equipment
         (1)   For paragraph 2.5.1 (c), the table sets out eligible equipment for an MRI or MRA service.
Item
Equipment

   1
Equipment that:
   (a)  is located at premises of a comprehensive practice; and

 
  (b)  is made available to the practice by a person:

 
         (i)   who is subject to a deed with the Commonwealth that relates to the equipment; and

 
        (ii)   for whom the deed has not been terminated

         (2)   For the table in subclause (1), a comprehensive practice is a medical practice, or a radiology department of a hospital, that provides x-ray, ultrasound and computed tomography services (whether or not it provides other services).
[8]           Schedule 1, clause 2.5.6
omit
Schedule 2        Amendment of Health Insurance Regulations 1975
(section 4)
 
[1]           Subparagraph 6EF (b) (ii)
substitute
                         (ii)    to which clause 1.2.5 or 1.2.5A of Schedule 1 to the Health Insurance (Diagnostic Imaging Services Table) Regulations 2011 applies.
Note
1.       All legislative instruments and compilations are registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments kept under the Legislative Instruments Act 2003. See www.comlaw.gov.au.