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PHI 80/07

This circular issued by the Private Health Insurance Branch contains information for the Declaration of Hospitals under Subsection 121-5(6) of the Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act)

Printable version of PHI 80/07 (PDF 21 KB)

Attachment 1 - Part 121 of the PHI Act - Hospitals Declarations (PDF 76 KB)
Attachment 2 - Part 2 Section 5 of the PHI (Health Insurance Business) Rules 2007 (PDF 89 KB)
Attachment 3 - Hospital Information Request Form (PDF 67 KB)

14 December 2007

Declaration of Hospitals Under Subsection 121-5(6) of the Private Health Insurance Act 2007 (the Act)

To continue to be eligible for private health insurance benefits all hospitals (this now includes day hospital facilities) need to be declared by the Minister of Health & Ageing (or the Minister’s Delegate) as a hospital facility under the Act by 1 July 2008.

This circular is primarily addressed to existing private hospitals (and day hospitals).

With the introduction of the Act on 1 April 2007, all premises declared a private hospital under section 23EA or a public hospital under subsection 3(1) of the Health Insurance Act 1973 and all premises declared a day hospital facility under Section 5B of the National Health Act 1953 have been taken to be hospitals for the purposes of the new Act under Part 4 of the Private Health Insurance (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 2007. Each facility will now need to apply to be declared as a hospital under the Act.

In deciding whether to declare that a facility is a hospital, the Minister (or Minister’s Delegate) must have regard to section 121-5 (7) of the Act (Attachment 1) and Part 2, Section 5 and 7 of the Private Health Insurance (Health Insurance Business) Rules 2007 (Attachment 2).

Private Hospital Declaration Process

To assist the Commonwealth in considering these factors, the attached hospital information request form (Attachment 3) is to be completed by the facility’s Chief Executive Officer or other authorised person. The hospital information form, a covering letter from the CEO and copies of the current State or Territory licence and the accreditation certificate should be faxed to (02) 6289 9888 or emailed to privatehealth@health.gov.au. Please mark all applications to the attention of the Hospitals Section.

The closing date for these applications is 31 March 2008.

Any facilities that are not declared by the Minister (or Minister’s delegate) under the Act by 30 June 2008 will cease to be eligible for private health insurance benefits.

All hospital facilities that have been declared a private hospital after 1 April 2007 under the Act do not need to re-apply.
The new declarations will not affect the current hospital provider numbers.

Co-located Hospital Declaration Process

Where a private hospital is co-located with a public hospital, the Department will contact the private hospital and the public hospital or that hospital’s Health Authority for further information in regard to receiving assurances under Part 2, Section 5 of the Private Health Insurance (Health Insurance Business) Rules 2007 which is located at Attachment 2. The co-located private hospitals must still complete the hospital information request form at Attachment 3 by the due date of 31 March 2008.

Public Hospital Declaration Process

Acute Care Strategies Branch will be conducting a declaration process for public hospitals separate from but concurrent to the declaration of private hospitals. A specific application form will be used for this purpose. The process of contacting public hospitals will be coordinated between the Commonwealth and State and Territory Health Authorities.

If you require further information please telephone: (02) 6289 9853/24 hr answering machine or email the enquiry to PrivateHealth@health.gov.au
Internet: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/Publishing.nsf/Content/health-privatehealth-providers-circulars.htm
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Private Health Insurance Branch