Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024N00570:front:0:p1
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024N00570
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AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND AGED CARE

HEALTH INSURANCE ACT 1973
Health Insurance (Medicare Benefits Payable in Respect of Professional Services –Commonwealth Urgent Care Clinic Program - Queensland Primary Care Pilot) Direction 2024
I, Nigel Murray, Assistant Secretary, MBS Policy and Specialist Programs Branch, Medicare Benefits and Digital Health Division, Health Resourcing Group, delegate for the Minister for Health and Aged Care, acting under subsection 19(2) of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (the Act), hereby:

    (1)     REVOKE the Health Insurance (Medicare Benefits Payable in Respect of Professional Services –Commonwealth Urgent Care Clinic Program –Queensland Primary Care Pilot) Direction (No. 3) 2023 made under subsection 19(2) of the Act that was signed on 25 November 2023; and
    (2)     DIRECT that Medicare Benefits shall be payable in respect of:
     (a)     A professional service (as defined in section 3 of the Act) which has been agreed to be provided:
        (i)       under a Schedule to the Federation Funding Agreement executed on 13 June 2023 between the Commonwealth (represented by the Department of Health and Aged Care, ABN: 83 605 426 759) and the State of Queensland (represented by the Queensland Department of Health, ABN: 66 329 169 412); and
        (ii)     as part of the Commonwealth Urgent Care Clinic Program for which items specified in Schedule A of this Direction and of the general medical services table (means the table prescribed under subsection 4(1) of the Act) and pathology service table (means the table prescribed under section 4A of the Act) relates: and
     (b)     Where the professional service is provided to:
        (i)       an eligible person (as defined in section 3 of the Act);
        (ii)     a patient who is not receiving the service as part of an episode of hospital treatment (as defined in section 121-5 of the Private Health Insurance Act 2007);
        (iii)   a patient who also is not receiving a service which attracts a payment through the 2020-2025 Addendum to the National Health Reform Agreement for a service rendered to a public patient; and
     (c)     The professional services referred to in paragraph (2)(a) must be provided:
        (i)       at a practice location specified in Schedule B of this Direction; and
        (ii)     by a general practitioner, prescribed medical practitioner or participating nurse practitioner who is registered to provide services with Services Australia under the Commonwealth Urgent Care Clinic program mentioned in paragraph (2)(a).

DECLARE that this Direction commences on 29 June 2024 and ceases to have effect at the end of 30 June 2026 unless earlier revoked.

Date this 17 day of June 2024

Nigel Murray
Assistant Secretary
MBS Policy and Specialist Programs Branch
Medicare Benefits and Digital Health Division
Health Resourcing Group
Department of Health and Aged Care

SCHEDULE A
MEDICARE BENEFITS SCHEDULE ITEMS