Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:C2004A00739:clause:1_8
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:C2004A00739
Segment Type: clause
Provision Reference: sch 1 cl 8
Character Range: 26447–28290

8  After subsection 88(3)
Insert:

 (3A) A medical practitioner or a participating dental practitioner, when writing or communicating a prescription for the supply of a pharmaceutical benefit to a person, may:
 (a) request the provision of a medicare number applicable to the person and of the expiry date in relation to that number; and
 (b) if a medicare number (whether with or without the expiry date in relation to that number):
 (i) is so provided as a number applicable to the person; or
 (ii) is retained as such a number in the practitioner's records in accordance with section 88AA;
  endorse the medicare number on a prescription written for that person (including, in the case of a communicated prescription, a subsequent written version of that communicated prescription).

 (3B) A medical practitioner or a participating dental practitioner must not inform an approved supplier of a medicare number, or a medicare number and an expiry date in relation to that number, in the circumstances described in subsection 86D(2), unless:
 (a) the person in respect of whom the number was provided; or
 (b) the legal guardian of that person; or
 (c) another person identified in a determination made by the Minister under section 86D or 88AA as capable of authorising the recording and retention of such number or number and date;
authorises the practitioner to inform the approved supplier of that number, or number and date.

 (3C) Nothing in this section implies that a person is under any obligation:
 (a) to provide a medicare number, or a medicare number and the expiry date in relation to that number, to a medical practitioner or a participating dental practitioner; or
 (b) to authorise such a practitioner to inform an approved supplier of such a number, or number and date, in the circumstances described in subsection 86D(2).