AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

HEALTH COMMISSION (CHARGES) REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

No. 2 of 1985

The Health Commission (Charges) Regulations have been amended in accordance with the provisions of the Medicare arrangements.  These new arrangements require an increase in charges for certain types of hospital accommodation.

Persons effected by the increases in hospital accommodation charges are divided into four categories:-

(i)	Persons who elect to be treated by a doctor of their choice and accommodated in a shared ward.

(ii)	Persons who elect to be treated by a doctor of their choice and are accommodated in a single bed ward otherwise than by their own choice.

(iii)	Persons who elect to be treated by a doctor of their choice and accommodated in a single bed ward.

(iv)	Persons who elect to be treated by a doctor of their choice and who are accommodated in a hospital for a period of less than eight hours.

The increases do not effect compensable patients.  Compensable patients are those whose medical expenses are covered by workers compensation or civil damages or both.

For private patients who stay either in a multiple-bed room, or a single-bed room otherwise than at the patient’s request, the fees are increased from $80.00 to $95.00 per day.  For a private patient staying in a single-bed room at the patient’s request, the fee is increased from $130.00 to $150.00.  For short-stay private patients the charge is increased from $40.00 to $47.50 per day.