Commonwealth of Australia
 
National Health Reform Act 2011
 
DIRECTION
TO THE INDEPENDENT HOSPITAL PRICING AUTHORITY ON THE PERFORMANCE OF ITS FUNCTIONS (No. 1 of 2012)
 
I, TANYA PLIBERSEK, Minister for Health and Ageing, acting under subsection 226(1) of the National Health Reform Act 2011 (“the Act”), having consulted with the Standing Council on Health DIRECT that the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority make the determination set out in Item 1 of Schedule 1 of this instrument, and have regard to the matters set out in Item 2 of Schedule 1 of this instrument.
Citation
1.       This Direction may be cited as the Ministerial Direction to the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority on the Performance of its Functions (No. 1 of 2012).
Commencement
2.       This instrument takes effect on the day after it is registered in the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.
 
Dated: 28 November 2012
Tanya Plibersek
 
TANYA PLIBERSEK
Minister for Health and Ageing
 
 
 
 
Schedule 1
1.  Functions
 
(i)                  By 30 June 2013, the Pricing Authority must determine the national efficient price for a list of standard items (provided to it by the National Health and Medical Research Council) associated with conducting clinical trials in Australia.
 
(ii)                At the first meeting of the Standing Council on Health after 30 June 2013, the Pricing Authority must provide a report on its performance of the activity referred to in Item 1(i) of this Direction to the Minister for Health and Ageing and to the Minister having responsibility for health in each State and Territory.
 
 
2. Matters the Pricing Authority is to have regard to
 
(i)                  In performing the activity described in Item 1 of this Schedule, the Pricing Authority must have regard to the matters set out in subsection 131(3) of the Act.
 
(ii)                In addition, the Pricing Authority may, so far as the Act permits, have regard to the following matters:
(a)                    The actual activity of each item;
(b)                   Principles of cost-recovery; and
(c)                    Submissions from relevant parties, including clinical trial sponsors and private hospitals.