Commonwealth Numbered Acts

Health Acts Amendment Act 1981 No. 118 of 1981 - SECT 52

52. Section 13 of the Principal Act is amended-

   (a)  by inserting after sub-section (1) the following sub-sections:

''(1A) Where a person who resides in an isolated area has been referred by a
medical practitioner or a dental practitioner to an approved dental
practitioner for the rendering to the person of a service that, by virtue of
paragraph (b) of the definition of ''professional service'' in sub-section (1)
of section 3 of the Health Insurance Act 1973, is a professional service for
the purposes of that Act, an application, in accordance with a form approved
by the Minister, may be made to the Permanent Head by, or on behalf of, the
person for the approval by the Permanent Head of the person as an approved
patient in relation to the rendering of that professional service.

''(1B) The reference in sub-section (1A) to an approved dental practitioner
shall be read as a reference to a dental practitioner who-

   (a)  is approved by the Minister for the purposes of the definition of
''professional service'' in sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Health 
Insurance Act 1973 ; and

   (b)  is approved by the Permanent Head for the purposes of this
        sub-section.

''(1C) Where a referred dental patient resides in an isolated area, an
application, in accordance with a form approved by the Minister, may be made
to the Permanent Head by, or on behalf of, the referred dental patient for the
approval by the Permanent Head of the referred dental patient as an approved
patient in relation to the rendering to him by the accredited dental
practitioner to whom he has been referred of a service that, by virtue of
paragraph (ba) of the definition of ''professional service'' in sub-section
(1) of section 3 of the Health Insurance Act 1973, is a professional service
for the purposes of that Act.'';

(b) by inserting in sub-section (2) '', (1A) or (1C)'' after ''sub-section
(1)'';

   (c)  by omitting from paragraph (2) (c) ''or consultant physician'' and
        substituting '', consultant physician or dental practitioner'';

(d) by inserting in sub-section (3) '', (1A) or (1C)'' after ''sub-section
(1)''; and

   (e)  by omitting paragraph (b) of sub-section (3) and substituting the
        following paragraph:

''(b) the specialist, consultant physician or dental practitioner concerned
is, or was at the relevant time, the nearest suitable specialist, consultant
physician or dental practitioner, as the case may be, with respect to the
patient; and''.