Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:C2025C00090:section:135aaa:p2
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:C2025C00090
Segment Type: section
Provision Reference: s 135AAA (pt 2/4)
Character Range: 602704–605203

and retain that number, or number and date, in order to facilitate the supply of pharmaceutical benefits at a later time or times;
 (iii) enabling the person or body to record and retain that number, or number and date, in order to complete the written version of a prescription that has been previously communicated;
the person or body commits an offence if, while the person or body is, or after the person or body ceases to be, such an approved supplier, the person or body directly or indirectly makes an unauthorised disclosure or an unauthorised use of that number or that date.
Penalty: 50 penalty units or imprisonment for 2 years, or both.
 (4) For the purposes of subsection (3):
 (a) the disclosure by a person or body referred to in that subsection of a medicare number, or of the expiry date in relation to a medicare number, to another person is an unauthorised disclosure of that number or that date; and
 (b) the use by a person or body referred to in that subsection of a medicare number or of the expiry date in relation to a medicare number is an unauthorised use of that number or that date;
if that disclosure or use is not made or undertaken:
 (c) in the performance of the duties, or in the exercise of the powers or functions, of the person or body as an approved supplier under this Act in relation to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme; or
 (d) for the purpose of enabling a person to perform functions in relation to a medicare program in relation to that Scheme.
 (5) If a medicare number, or a medicare number and the expiry date in relation to that number, are provided:
 (a) to a person who is employed or engaged by:
 (i) a PBS prescriber; or
 (ii) a company that provides services in support of a PBS prescriber;
  solely for a purpose or purposes referred to in paragraph (1)(b); or
 (b) to a person who is employed or engaged by:
 (i) an approved supplier; or
 (ii) a company that provides services in support of an approved supplier;
  solely for a purpose or purposes referred to in paragraph (3)(b);
that person is, while the person is, and after the person ceases to be, so employed or engaged, subject to the same obligations and liabilities as apply under subsection (1) or (3), as the case requires, in relation to the person or body by whom the person is or was so employed or engaged.
 (6) A person to whom a medicare number, or a medicare number and the expiry date in relation to that number, are disclosed in contravention of subsection (1), (3) or (5)