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18 March 2011

Private Health Insurance (Complying Product) Amendment Rules 2011 (NO. 2) and Private Health Insurance (Benefit Requirements) Amendment Rules 2011 (NO. 2)

The Private Health Insurance (Complying Product) Amendment Rules 2011 (No. 2) (the Complying Product Amendment Rules) and the Private Health Insurance (Benefit Requirements) Amendment Rules 2011 (No. 2) (the Benefit Requirements Amendment Rules) were registered with the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments (FRLI) on 18 March 2011(FRLI No: F2011L00449 and FRLI No: F2011L00448 respectively) and commenced on 20 March 2011.

The Rules amend the Private Health Insurance (Complying Product) Rules 2010 (No. 2) and the Private Health Insurance (Benefit Requirements) Rules 2010.

The Complying Product Amendment Rules amends the patient contribution rates for nursing-home type patients in each State except Western Australia (WA), the Northern Territory (NT) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and at private hospitals nationally. The existing rates for WA, NT and the ACT remain in force. The Complying Product Amendment Rules can be viewed on the ComLaw website.

The Benefit Requirements Amendment Rules amends Schedules 4 and 5 of the Private Health Insurance (Benefit Requirements) Rules 2010. The purpose of the amendments to Schedule 4 is to change the minimum benefits payable per night for nursing-home type patients at public hospitals in New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria, and at private hospitals nationally. The purpose of the amendments to Schedule 5 is to add eight facilities that are eligible for second tier default benefits and to update the name or address of twelve facilities. The Benefit Requirements Amendment Rules can be viewed on the ComLaw website.

Further information on the amendments is provided below.

Nursing-Home Type Patients

Nursing-home type patient contribution rates and minimum benefits are subject to review and change bi-annually, to reflect the indexation applied to the Adult Pension Basic Rate and maximum daily rate of rental assistance.

Changes to the Private Health Insurance (Benefit Requirements) Rules 2010

Amendments have been made to Schedule 4 to increase the minimum benefits payable for privately insured nursing-home type patients at public hospitals in New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria, and to decrease the minimum benefits payable at private hospitals. The changes to the minimum benefits payable for nursing-home type patients are as follows:

New South Wales	from $103.25	to $104.90
Tasmania	from $116.05	to $118.05
Victoria	from $103.65	to $105.65
Private hospitals	from $62.75	to $61.90

Changes to the Private Health Insurance (Complying Product) Rules (No. 2)

Amendments have been made to Rule 8A to increase the contribution rates payable by nursing-home type patients at public hospitals in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria, and at private hospitals. The changes to the nursing-home type patient contribution rates are as follows:

New South Wales	from $48.35	to $49.20
Queensland	from $48.35	to $49.20
South Australia	from $48.35	to $49.20
Tasmania	from $48.35	to $49.20
Victoria	from $48.35	to $49.20
Private Hospital	from $48.35	to $49.20

Second Tier Default Benefits

New Hospitals Added to Schedule 5

Eight hospitals have been added to Schedule 5 of the Benefit Requirements Rules. These hospitals will be eligible for Second Tier Default Benefits from 20 March 2011 until 30 June 2012. These hospitals are:

Name	Suburb	State
Ballina Day Surgery	Ballina	NSW
Macquarie St Day Surgery	Sydney	NSW
Nambour Day Surgery	Nambour	QLD
Nephrocare Newcastle Dialysis Clinic	Newcastle	NSW
Peninsula Eye Hospital	Redcliffe	QLD
Robina Procedure Centre	Robina	QLD
The Surgery Centre - Hurstville	Hurstville	NSW
Victor Harbor Private Hospital	Victor Harbor	SA

Hospitals with Continued Eligibility

The following hospitals, which are already listed in Schedule 5 of the Rules, have been approved to continue to be eligible for second tier default benefits until 30 June 2013.

Name	Suburb	State
Adelaide Day Surgery	Adelaide	SA
Allamanda Private Hospital	Southport	QLD
Ashford Private Hospital	Asford	SA
Bedford Day Surgery	Clovelly Park	SA
Bellbird Private	Blackburn South	VIC
Brindabella Endoscopy Centre	Garran	ACT
Brisbane Private Hospital	Brisbane	QLD
Brisbane Waters Private Hospital	Woy Woy	NSW
Campbelltown Private Hospital	Campbelltown	NSW
Chesterville Day Hospital	Cheltenham	VIC
Como Private Hospital	Parkdale	VIC
Cotham Private Hospital	Kew	VIC
Darwin Private Hospital	Tiwi	NT
Dee Why Endoscopy Unit	DeeWhy	NSW
Dorset Rehabilitation Hospital	Pascoe Vale	VIC
Flinders Private Hospital	Bedford	SA
Geelong Private Hospital	Geelong	VIC
Griffith Rehabilitation Hospital	Hove	SA
Hawkesbury District Health Service	Windsor	NSW
Hills Private Hospital	Baulkham Hills	NSW
Holy Spirit Northside	Chermside	QLD
Hurstville Private	Hurstville	NSW
Ipswich Day Hospital	Ipswich	QLD
John Fawkner Private Hospital	Coburg	VIC
Knox Private Hospital	Wantirna	VIC
Lady Davidson Private Hospital	North Turramurra	NSW
Mater Adult Hospital	South Brisbane	QLD
Mater Children's Hospital	South Brisbane	QLD
Mater Mother's Hospital	South Brisbane	QLD
Mater Private Hospital	South Brisbane	QLD
Mater Private Hospital Redland	Cleveland	QLD
Mater Women's & Children's Private Health Services	South Brisbane	QLD
Melbourne Private Hospital	Parkville	VIC
Memorial Hospital	North Adelaide	SA
Mosman Private Hospital	Mosman	NSW
Mount Hospital	Perth	WA
National Capital Private Hospital	Garran	ACT
Nepean Private Hospital	Penrith	NSW
Newcastle Private Hospital	New Lambton Heights	NSW
North Eastern Rehabilitation Centre	Ivanhoe	VIC
Northpark Private Hospital	Bundoora	VIC
Norwest Private Hospital	Bella Vista	NSW
Pacific Day Surgery Centre	Fortitude Valley	QLD
Pacific Private Day Hospital	Southport	QLD
Parkwynd Private Hospital	Adelaide	SA
Peninsula Private Hospital	Kippa Ring	QLD
Pine Rivers Private Hospital	Strathpine	QLD
Prince of Wales Private Hospital	Randwick	NSW
Ringwood Private Hospital	East Ringwood	VIC
Rivercity Private Hospital	Auchenflower	QLD
Sight Foundation Theatre	Sydney	NSW
South Coast Digestive Diseases Centre	Bundall	QLD
St Andrew's Toowoomba Hospital	Toowoomba	QLD
St Luke's Hospital	Potts Point	NSW
St Vincent’s Hospital Brisbane	Kangeroo Point	QLD
St Vincent’s Hospital	Toowoomba	QLD
Sunnybank Private Hospital	Sunnybank	QLD
Sydney Day Surgery (Prince Alfred)	Newtown	NSW
Sydney Southwest Private Hospital	Liverpool	NSW
The Geelong Clinic	St Albans Park	VIC
The Melbourne Clinic	Richmond	VIC
The San Day Surgery	Hornsby	NSW
The Sydney Clinic	Bronte	NSW
The Victoria Clinic	Prahran	VIC
Toowoomba Surgicentre	Toowoomba	QLD
Tweed Day Surgery	Tweed Heads	NSW

Hospital Address Changes on Schedule 5

The addresses of 11 hospitals have been changed on Schedule 5 to reflect their current State/Territory hospital licences as follows:

Name	Previous Address	New Address
Bellbird Private Hospital	198 Canterbury Road Blackburn VIC 3130	198 Canterbury Road Blackburn South VIC 3130
Chesterville Day Hospital	26-28 Chesterville Road Cheltenham VIC 3192	28 Chesterville Road Cheltenham VIC 3192
Como Private Hospital	152 Como Parade West Parkdale VIC 3194	152 Como Parade West Parkdale VIC 3195
Lady Davidson Private Hospital	Bobbin Head Road Turramurra NSW 2074	434 Bobbin Head Road North Turramurra NSW 2074
Nepean Private Hospital	Barber Avenue Penrith NSW 2750	Barber Avenue Kingswood NSW 2747
Newcastle Private Hospital	2 Lookout Road New Lambton NSW 2305	2 Lookout Road New Lambton Heights NSW 2305
North Eastern Rehabilitation Centre	134-142 Ford Street Ivanhoe VIC 3079	134-144 Ford Street Ivanhoe VIC 3079
Prince of Wales Private Hospital	Levels 5-7, Ambulatory Care Services Centre Building Prince of Wales Campus Barker Street Randwick NSW 2031	Levels 5-7, Ambulatory Care Services Centre Building Prince of Wales Campus Baker Street Randwick NSW 2031
Ringwood Private Hospital	36 Mount Dandenong Road East Ringwood VIC 3134	36 Mount Dandenong Road East Ringwood VIC 3135
The Sydney Clinic	22-24 Murray Street Waverley NSW 2024	22-24 Murray Street Bronte NSW 2024
Tweed Day Surgery	38-44 Boyd Street Tweed Heads NSW 2485	Suite 4, 38-44 Boyd Street Tweed Heads NSW 2485

Hospital Name Changes on Schedule 5

The name of one hospital has been changed on Schedule 5 to reflect its current State hospital licence as follows:

Previous Name	New Name	Suburb	State
Victorian Rehabilitation Centre	The Victorian Rehabilitation Centre	Glen Waverley	VIC

Next Second Tier Advisory Committee Meeting

The next meeting of the Second Tier Advisory Committee will be held on Friday 27 May 2011. The closing date for applications is 6 May 2011, however applications may be submitted as soon as they are ready.

Information which must be included in applications is outlined in the Sample Application For 2nd Tier Default Benefit Eligibility guide located on the Australian Private Hospitals Association website.

When gathering the required documentation, facilities are asked to be mindful that the Committee won’t be considering their applications until late May and they should check the expiry dates on their licences and accreditation certificates in that context.

Nine stapled copies of the application should be sent to:

Second Tier Advisory Committee Secretariat
c/o Department of Health and Ageing
MDP 401
GPO Box 9848
Canberra ACT 2601

For further information, please contact Ann Mulholland on 02 6289 9833.

If you require further information please telephone: (02) 6289 9853/24 hr answering machine or email the enquiry to Private Health Insurance Branch

For more information visit 2011 Private Health Insurance (PHI) Circulars.

Changing your e-mail address? No longer want circulars? Please email Private Health Insurance Branch