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Hospital Circular 02/2003

Date Issued: 4 February 2003

Publication: 02/2003

Distribution: Subscribers (Acute Health Circular 7/2001 refers

Attention: Public Hospitals, Extended Care Centres, Metropolitan Health Services, Regional Offices

Enquiries: Regional Office

Subject: Fees and charges

  1. Nursing Home Type Patients (NHTPs) in public hospitals-change in patient contribution and default benefit
  2. Patient classification for fund benefits purposes
  3. Day Only Arrangements
    1. Type B and Type C lists
    2. Overnight Certification of Day only Type B Procedures
  4. Care Plans and Case Conferencing
  5. DVA Funding arrangements
  6. Commonwealth Circulars
  7. Fees Manual updates

1. Nursing Home Type Patients (NHTPs) in public hospitals - change in patient contribution and default benefit

Commonwealth Circulars HBF 797 and HBF 801 respectively note that:

  1. the Victorian Department of Human Services (DHS) daily patient contribution charge for NHTPs in public hospitals is $31.10 effective 20 September 2002; and
  2. the default benefit for NHTPs in public hospitals is $83.15 per day effective 27 September 2002.

2. Patient classification for fund benefits purposes - changes

The dollar threshold for the classification of patients for the purposes of basic health insurance benefits, increased effective 1 November 2002. The threshold amounts are:

3. Day Only Arrangements - changes

  1. Type B and Type C lists

    Amendments to the Type B (Day Only) and Type C (Exclusion) Lists effective 1 November 2002 are in Commonwealth Circular HBF 806

  2. Overnight Certification of Day only Type B Procedures - changes

    Commonwealth Circular HBF 785 advises that following pilot trials conducted during 2000 and 2001, a professional employed by a hospital, other than the treating medical practitioner can now sign the overnight certification for patient access to overnight accommodation health insurance benefits in private and public hospitals in all States and Territories.

    The Commonwealth Department notes in addition:

    1. heath funds needs requiring to be satisfied by hospitals; and
    2. it is expected that the certifying professional in the majority of cases will be an appropriate nurse practitioner, as was the case in the trials.

4. Care Plans and Case Conferencing - changes

See HBF 807 for amendments to Schedule 7 of the Basic Default table.

5. DVA Funding arrangements - clarification

The DVA Funding Arrangements in The Fees and Charges for Acute Health Services in Victoria: A Handbook for Public Hospitals ('State's Fees Manual'), has been rewritten for clarification.

6. Commonwealth Circulars distribution- update

See HBF Circular 803 for review of Commonwealth HBF Circular Distribution.

Commonwealth HBF Circulars referred to in this Circular are available from the Private Heath Industry Branch, Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing website.

7. Fees Manual updates

  1. Pharmaceuticals

    The State's Fees Manual has been updated consistent with DHS Circular 38/2002

  2. Other Updates

    The Fees and Charges for Acute Health Services in Victoria: A Handbook for Public Hospitals ('State's Fees Manual'), has been updated in accordance with this Circular advice. To view these updates please refer to:

    SECTION A: FEES FOR ADMITTED PATIENTS:

    3. Private Admitted Patients

    3.1 Overnight Stay Patients
    Patient classification

    4. Department of Veterans' Affairs Patients

    4.1 DVA Funding Arrangements

    9. Nursing Home Type Patients

    10. Pharmaceutical Fees

    SECTION B: FEES FOR NON-ADMITTED PATIENTS:

    3. Pharmaceutical Fees

    SECTION C: FEES FOR OTHER SERVICES:

    5. Preventative Health Care and Maintenance

    APPENDICES:

    Appendix C: Patient Classification Schedule
    Appendix D: Type-B (day only) and Type C (exclusion) Lists

Shane Solomon
Executive Director
Metropolitan Health and Aged Care Services

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