AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

AMENDMENT TO THE CANBERRA COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (CHARGES) REGULATIONS

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

No. 5 of 1964

	A side effect of the recent general increase in Commonwealth medical benefits would be, if no legislative changes were made, to automatically increase radiological charges at the Canberra Community Hospital.

	This position arises from the fact that radiological charges at the Hospital are fixed by regulation at three times the Commonwealth benefit payable for such services under the National Health Act.

	If no action were taken to amend the Regulations the radiological charges at the Canberra Community Hospital would rise on an average of some fifty per cent.

	It is not desired to increase the radiological charges at the Canberra Community Hospital and the proposed amendment incorporates a draft schedule to the Regulations to enable the charges to be retained at the same level as previously.

	The Parliamentary Draftsman prefers a schedule of charges rather than specifying charges to be determined by reference to the schedule to the National Health Act.