Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2015L01339:body:0:p3
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2015L01339
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 7301–10575

meaning it has in the MRCA Treatment Principles.

         Principles means the current MRCA Private Patient Principles determined by the Commission under paragraph 286(1)(b) of the Act that sets out, among other things, the circumstances in which treatment may be provided to entitled persons as private patients.

         prior approval means:
                (a) in relation to treatment—approval by the Commission for treatment before the treatment was given or commenced to be given; and
                (b) in relation to admission to a hospital—approval by the Commission for admission to that hospital before the person is admitted.

         private hospital means premises that have been declared to be:
                (a) a private hospital for the purposes of the Health Insurance Act 1973; or
                (b) a day hospital facility for the purposes of the National Health Act 1953.

         private patient has the meaning given by subsection 286(7) of the Act.

         private health insurer has the meaning it has in the Private Health Insurance Act 2007.

         public hospital means a hospital operated by a State or Territory or by the Commonwealth.

         Repatriation Commission means the body continued in existence by section 179 of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.

         Repatriation Private Patient Principles means the principles determined by the Repatriation Commission under section 90A of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.

         veteran partnering private hospital means a contracted private hospital that is described as a "veteran partnering private hospital" in its arrangement with the Commission.

Note:  other Tier 1 status hospitals which have similar partnering arrangements are public hospitals and former Repatriation Hospitals.

1.3 Private patient status

An entitled person is to receive hospital care as a private patient — which entitles the person to:

         (a) the patient's choice of doctor, subject to the doctor having practising rights at the relevant hospital; and
    (b) shared accommodation; or
         (c) if medically necessary, private accommodation; or
         (d) private accommodation, if available, where the person's private health insurer will pay the difference between the cost of shared accommodation and the cost of private accommodation for the person; or
         (e) on and after 1 July 2016, private accommodation, if available, in a contracted private hospital.

2. Order of preference for admission to hospital

2.1 Order of preference

Preference for admission is to be in accordance with the following table:

Level                    Preference  Hospital
Tier 1                   first       former Repatriation Hospital, public hospital, or veteran partnering private hospital
Tier 2                   second      The Contracted private hospital is not required to seek prior approval for a referral for services specified in the contract, chargeable to DVA, from a Tier 1 hospital.  The Contracted private hospital must seek prior approval for all other admissions.
(special authorisation)
Tier 2                   second      Contracted private hospital
Tier 3                   third       Non-Contracted private hospital

2.2 Objective

The main