Medicare Principles and Commitments Adoption Act 1994

Queensland MEDICARE PRINCIPLES AND COMMITMENTS ADOPTION ACT 1994 Reprinted as in force on 18 May 1994 (Act not amended up to this date) Reprint No. 1 This reprint is prepared by the Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel Warning—This reprint is not an authorised copy

Information about this reprint This Act is reprinted as at 18 May 1994. Minor editorial changes allowed under the provisions of the Reprints Act 1992 have been made to use aspects of format and printing style consistent with current legislative drafting practice (s 35). See Endnotes for— • details about when provisions commenced; and • any provisions that have not commenced and are not incorporated in the reprint.

Queensland MEDICARE PRINCIPLES AND COMMITMENTS ADOPTION ACT 1994 TABLE OF PROVISIONS Section Page 1 Short title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 Interpretation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3 Medicare Principles and Commitments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4 Act does not create legal rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 SCHEDULE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 MEDICARE PRINCIPLES COMMITMENTS ENDNOTES 1 Index to Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 2 Date to which amendments incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 3 List of legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

s1 3 s4 Medicare Principles and Commitments Adoption Act 1994 MEDICARE PRINCIPLES AND COMMITMENTS ADOPTION ACT 1994 [reprinted as in force on 18 May 1994 2 ] An Act to adopt the Medicare Principles and Commitments specified in section 26(2) of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (Cwlth) and for another purpose ˙ Short title 1. This Act may be cited as the Medicare Principles and Commitments Adoption Act 1994 3 . ˙ Interpretation 2. Words used in this Act that are defined in the Health Insurance Act 1973 (Cwlth) have the same meanings in this Act. ˙ Medicare Principles and Commitments 3.(1) The Medicare Principles and Commitments specified in section 26(2) of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (Cwlth) are established as guidelines that will govern the delivery of public hospital services to eligible persons in the State. (2) A copy of the Medicare Principles and Commitments is contained in the Schedule. ˙ Act does not create legal rights 4. This Act does not create legal rights.

4 Medicare Principles and Commitments Adoption Act 1994 ¡ SCHEDULE section 3(2) † MEDICARE PRINCIPLES The Commonwealth and the States are committed to the following Principles in the provision of public hospital services— Explanatory note The Principles focus on the provision of public hospital services to eligible persons, but operate in an environment where eligible persons have the right to choose private health care in public and private hospitals supported by private health insurance. Choices of services Principle 1 Eligible persons must be given the choice to receive public hospital services free of charge as public patients Explanatory notes 1. Hospital services include in-patient, out-patient, emergency services (including primary care where appropriate) and day patient services consistent with currently acceptable medical and health service standards. 2. At the time of admission to a hospital, or as soon as practicable after that, an eligible person will be required to elect or confirm whether he or she wishes to be treated as a public or private patient. Universality of services Principle 2 Access to public hospital services is to be on the basis of clinical need

5 Medicare Principles and Commitments Adoption Act 1994 SCHEDULE (continued) Explanatory notes 1. None of the following factors are to be a determinant of an eligible person’s priority for receiving hospital services— • whether or not an eligible person has health insurance • an eligible person’s financial status or place of residence • whether or not an eligible person intends to elect, or elects, to be treated as a public or private patient. 2. This principle applies equally to waiting times for elective surgery. Equity in service provision Principle 3 To the maximum practicable extent, a State will ensure the provision of public hospital services equitably to all eligible persons, regardless of their geographical location Explanatory notes 1. This principle does not require a local hospital to be equipped to provide eligible persons with every hospital service they may need. 2. In rural and remote areas, a State should ensure provision of reasonable public access to a basic range of hospital services which are in accord with clinical practices. † COMMITMENTS In order to achieve Principles 1 to 3, the Commonwealth and States make the following Commitments regarding public hospital services for eligible persons—

6 Medicare Principles and Commitments Adoption Act 1994 SCHEDULE (continued) Information about service provision Commitment 1 The Commonwealth and a State must make available information on the public hospital services eligible persons can expect to receive as public patients Explanatory notes 1. The joint Commonwealth/State development of a Public Patients’ Hospital Charter for each State will be a vehicle for the public dissemination of this information. 2. The Charter will set out the public hospital services available to public patients. Efficiency and quality in service provision Commitment 2 The Commonwealth and the States are committed to making improvements in the efficiency, effectiveness and quality of hospital service delivery Explanatory note This includes a commitment to quality improvement, outcome measurement, management efficiency and effort to integrate the delivery of hospital and other health and community services.

7 Medicare Principles and Commitments Adoption Act 1994 † ENDNOTES ´ 1 Index to Endnotes Page 2 Date to which amendments incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 3 List of legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 ´ 2 Date to which amendments incorporated This is the reprint date mentioned in the Reprints Act 1992, section 5(c). However, no amendments have commenced operation on or before that day. Future amendments of the Medicare Principles and Commitments Adoption Act 1994 may be made in accordance with this reprint under the Reprints Act 1992, section 49. ´ 3 List of legislation Medicare Principles and Commitments Adoption Act 1994 No. 19 date of assent 10 May 1994 commenced on date of assent © State of Queensland 1998