Health Legislation Amendment (Improved Medicare Integrity and Other Measures) Bill 2025

The majority voted against the request for amendment (1) on sheet 3372, as moved by Victorian Senator Lidia Thorpe (Independent), which meant it failed.

Amendment text

(1) Page 31 (after line 28), after Schedule 2, insert:

Schedule 2A—Medicare benefit payable for services provided to persons in places of detention

Health Insurance Act 1973

1 After subsection 19(2)

Insert:

(2A) Despite subsection (2), a medicare benefit is payable in respect of a professional service if:

(a) the professional service has been rendered by, or on behalf of, or under an arrangement with:

(i) the Commonwealth;

(ii) a State;

(iii) a local governing body; or

(iv) an authority established by a law of the Commonwealth, a law of a State or a law of an internal territory; and

(b) the professional service has been rendered in relation to a person who is in prison or another place of detention or has been recently released from prison or another place of detention; and

(c) the professional service is of a kind specified in an instrument made under subsection (2B).

(2B) The Minister must, by legislative instrument, specify one or more kinds of professional services for the purposes of paragraph (2A)(c).

(2C) The first instrument made under subsection (2B) must be made by the end of the period of 12 months beginning on the day this subsection commences.