Hospital declarations

Learn about the hospital declaration process, including how to apply, what it means once the Minister for Health and Aged Care declares a hospital for health insurance business. View the current list of declared hospitals.

The hospital declaration process

The Minister for Health and Aged Care declares facilities to be hospitals for health insurance business under section 121–5(6) of the Private Health Insurance Act 2007. The declaration takes effect on the date the minister signs it – we cannot backdate it.

State and territory governments license and regulate all facilities that have been declared as hospitals for health insurance business.

Hospitals must also meet the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards. This process is known as accreditation.

When granting or revoking a hospital declaration, the minister must consider:

  • whether the relevant state or territory authority has approved the facility
  • the nature of the facility
  • the range and scope of services the facility provides, or plans to provide
  • whether the facility has met accreditation requirements
  • any issues the facility has providing information to private health insurers, as specified in the Private Health Insurance (Health Insurance Business) Rules (PHI Rules)
  • when deciding to revoke a declaration, any failure to meet required conditions
  • any other matters specified in the PHI Rules.

It takes about 10 business days to process a fully completed and correct hospital declaration request.

How to apply

To receive private health insurance benefits the Minister for Health and Aged Care must declare a facility (public or private) as a hospital:

  • before it starts to operate
  • when it joins with one or more existing hospitals.

Facilities must supply supporting evidence to help the minister decide whether to declare them a hospital for private health insurance business.

Public hospitals

Facilities applying for declaration as a public hospital for private health insurance business must:

  • complete the public hospital declaration form
  • provide a letter or email from their state or territory health department advising of a new public hospital, or any updates
  • provide a copy of an accreditation certificate, or evidence that they have applied for accreditation.

Private hospitals

Facilities applying for declaration as a private hospital for private health insurance business must:

  • complete the private hospital declaration form
  • provide a copy of their state or territory hospital licence, or any updates
  • provide a copy of their accreditation certificate, or evidence that they have applied for accreditation, or any updates.

What it means when a hospital is declared

Once the minister declares a facility to be a hospital for health insurance business it:

Updating hospital details

Hospitals must email us with updated details including:

  • name
  • address
  • ownership
  • bed numbers
  • new or amended licence
  • new or amended accreditation.

List of declared hospitals

View the current list of declared hospitals for health insurance business.

List of declared hospitals

The Minister for Health and Aged Care must declare a facility to be a hospital under section 121–5(6) of the Private Health Insurance Act 2007. View the current list of declared hospitals.

See all our hospital announcements.

Contact

Hospital declarations contact

Contact us (Health and Aged Care) for more information about the hospital declaration process, submit your application, update your details or advise us of a hospital closure. Contact Services Australia with any questions on provider numbers.
Services Australia
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