PHI 20/20 Private health insurance rules changes 20 March 2020

Private health insurance announcement.

Date published:
PHI circular type:
PHI announcement
Audience:
Health sector

Nursing-home type patient (NHTP) accommodation benefit and contribution changes

The Private Health Insurance Legislation Amendment Rules (No.2) 2020 (the Amendment Rules) amend the Private Health Insurance (Benefit Requirements) Rules 2011 (the Benefit Requirement Rules) and the Private Health Insurance (Complying Product) Rules 2015 (the Complying Product Rules).

The Amendment Rules were registered on the Federal Register of Legislation on 19 March 2020 and commence on 20 March 2020.

The Amendment Rules amend the Benefit Requirement Rules to change the:

  • minimum accommodation benefits payable by private health insurers per night for privately insured NHTPs accommodated in private hospitals nationally and public hospitals in some jurisdictions.

The Amendment Rules amend the Complying Product Rules to change the:

  • daily patient contribution payable by NHTPs towards the costs of their accommodation at private hospitals nationally and at public hospitals in some jurisdictions.

Read details of the individual amendments and the Explanatory Statement accompanying the Amendment Rules.

Historically, the Department of Health has also attached to the circular further summary of the amendments. To reduce the potential for inadvertent introduction of errors, please now refer to the explanation of the details which is included in the attachment that is part of every explanatory statement.