Rebecca White
Lyons · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“The bill will enable this information to be requested regarding any approved medicine, not just reportable medicines. This is important, as shortages of any approved medicine can have a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of people in Australia.”
“The existing clause'or as soon as practicable after the decision is made' will be maintained, acknowledging that unforeseen circumstances can impact a sponsor's ability to report a discontinuation 12 months in advance.”
“This amendment will ensure that the list of critically important medicines specified in the instrument remains as current as possible at all times, for the purposes of mandatory reporting requirements and timeframes.”
“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. Today, I introduce the Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Medicines Shortages and Other Measures) Bill 2026.”
“This bill introduces legislative changes designed to address key challenges raised by stakeholders across the medicines supply chain in their consultation feedback.”
“Medicine supply chains are complex global systems and there are numerous points in the supply chain where problems can cause a medicine supply disruption, each requiring a different response.”
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“I'm thrilled to see the early results and also really proud to be part of a government that supports paid prac. We will see the benefits not only for those individuals but also for our health workforce, our teaching workforce and our allied health workforce in the years to come as these young students and people embarking on a career change graduate and are able to participate in our community. I commend the member for bringing this matter to the House so that we can talk about it in more detail.”
“You might be the first in your family to embark on a career in one of these areas, or, if you're a carer or a parent, you might be furthering your own career to support your family. I acknowledge how hard that can be and what a juggle that's been for many Australians. That's why it's so pleasing to see that, from 1 July this year, 67,000 Australians have already made an application to the paid prac program and that tens of thousands of Australians have already benefited, and it's been operating for only four months. The review is in three years, as you well understand because you were such a strong advocate to include it. But I think it's important to recognise that this is just the start. There is, of course, more work that needs to happen.”
“I am very proud of the work our government is doing to make sure that we have paid prac for the first time. I have spoken to many young Australians, mostly in my electorate in Tasmania, who have shared their stories of trying to manage a job and sometimes manage the responsibilities of having a family and paying bills while undertaking prac and not being paid for that. It can be incredibly difficult. It can be very exhausting, not only financially but mentally and emotionally, when you're trying to juggle all of those responsibilities. You might be doing that because you're trying to progress and further your own career, but, in many instances, you might also be doing it for your family.”
“That was launched today. They've got a proud track record of delivering scholarships of this type, and I'm really excited to see a new round open up to invite 80 applicants to put their hand up. That's going to provide financial support to students undertaking a health degree from First Nations communities. It is direct financial support to assist them. Alongside things like paid prac, there are other programs that our government supports that are supporting those embarking on a medical degree and other allied health professions to ensure that people from rural and remote Indigenous communities can access higher education to pursue their dreams of becoming health professionals and address some of the workforce challenges across the country in a range of areas, particularly in health care.”
“This was something that happened last year, and the government wiped a further $3 billion of HELP debt and capped the HELP indexation rate to the lower of either the consumer price index or the wage price index, and this has made system better and fairer and ensures that HELP debt can never increase faster than wages. Today, I had the privilege, as the Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health, to also launch a new scholarship program for Indigenous health students which provides scholarships for First Nations health students. About 80 are issued annually. It provides $1 million over three years, and it's being delivered by our co-sector—the Indigenous allied health association is running that program. It's part of our Closing the Gap initiatives—to transfer responsibility of these initiatives to the First Nations community.”
“This will benefit three million Australians and wipe $16 billion in HELP and other student debt, and an individual average HELP debt will see $5,500 wiped from that debt. This is going to make a massive difference for those students, and we know, as the education minister said, tomorrow 1.5 million young Australians will have their debt cut by 20 per cent, and another 1.5 million young Australians will have their debt cut next week. It is the biggest cut in student debt in Australian history. We promised it; we delivered it. The other example I'd like to give how we fixed HELP debt inflation.”
“In addition to that, further consideration will be given to other recommendations in the accord, including that the government work with tertiary education providers, state and territory three governments, industry, business and unions to consider further support by employers to mitigate the risk of financial hardship and placement poverty for students in other fields. As the Minister for Education has said, the accord is not a plan for one budget, but a blueprint for the next decade and beyond. While I can, I would also like to reflect on some of the other steps our government is taking to support people who are going through higher education or VET training. As we heard from the education minister today, 20 per cent off the HECS debt is making a huge difference to those who have started studying in our country.”
“We are giving future teachers, nurses, midwives and social workers a chance to gain the qualifications to pursue their dream careers without having to worry about whether they can afford to do that. The review that is built into the legislation—I acknowledge the comments that were made by the honourable member—does mean that, after three years of operation, the program will look at how it is working, whether it's been effective and what might need to change. It will consider the effectiveness of the payments provided to students and the appropriateness of the expanding payments to other courses, including allied health.”
“Almost every Australian will interact, at some point in their life, with a nurse, a teacher, a social worker or a midwife, and they are critical to the wellbeing of so many across our community. In 2025, the payment, which began on 1 July, is $331 per week, which is benchmarked to the single Austudy rate, and I've been advised that over 67,000 applications from higher education students have already been received in the first four months of the program. That is very, very good news. More than 80 per cent of those applicants have been processed, and more than 80 per cent of those have been approved. This shows we are tackling placement poverty head on.”
“These payments will help the students who need it most, by giving them the extra bit of financial support they need so they could focus on their studies, and we know that's important, because, for far too long, students just like the examples you gave have had to juggle work, study, care responsibilities and other commitments they have in their life, and it can sometimes mean that they don't complete their education, they don't complete their studies, and they don't go on to have the career that they dreamt of. No-one should have to choose, and that's why this first step on 1 July has been so important. We are starting with students studying teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work, which was recommended by the Australian Universities Accord.”
“We expect that with the support provided from 1 July this year that 68,000 eligible higher education and 5,000 VET students will complete their practical training each year, so we are talking about a significant cohort of students who will benefit from these changes. It is practical support for people while they are completing their practical training.”
“I rise on this matter of public importance and thank the honourable member for her contribution and for the work she did in the previous parliament to advocate for paid prac for these important student placements. I am really proud to be a part of a government that on 1 July this year provided paid prac, made it a reality for the first time for students studying teaching, nursing, midwifery as well as social work, because we understand that we need to be able to support these students to learn the skills of a new career. A lot of the time they have been doing that and have not been paid for it and it has placed an enormous financial burden on them.”
“It is built on creativity, care and confidence, because, when we uplift young people, we uplift the whole of Tasmania, and I'd like to thank each of them for participating in the speech competition.”
“These ideas show us that our young people are observant, thoughtful and proud of where they live. They're paying attention and they believe in the power of community to make things better. Their voices remind us that opportunity shouldn't be determined by where you grow up. Whether you live in the heart of Sydney, in Hobart or in the Derwent Valley, every child should be able to learn, work and dream close to home. Their voices remind us of how important it is to listen to these young people. To Ella, Sophie, Cooper, Jaidah, Olive, Adam, Billy, Alex and Emillia: thank you for your honesty, your ideas and your love for your community. You've given us a glimpse of the future of regional Tasmania.”
“Jaidah called for more jobs for young people, not just for spending money but to help her family and learn independence. That's the spirit of regional Tasmania—practical, hardworking and community minded. Olive suggested more after-school programs, from sport to art and sewing, to keep kids active and engaged. Adam and Billy thought big about the future of the Derwent Valley, imagining new industries and workplaces that create jobs locally while protecting the environment. Alex wrote about wanting more opportunities in New Norfolk—new places to work, eat and play and even dirt-bike tracks that could host events and bring people together. Emillia spoke with passion about learning. She wants more teachers and specialists in music, art and languages so kids in regional Tasmania have the same opportunities as kids elsewhere.”
“I'd like to take the opportunity today to speak on behalf of a group of remarkable young people who wrote to me as part of the My First Speech competition. Students from across the Derwent Valley took the time to share their ideas for making our community stronger, fairer and more vibrant. From horseriders to skaters and musicians to future business owners, these young Tasmanians are showing us what it means to dream big for rural and regional Tasmania. Ella and Sophie raised concerns about litter and pollution along the Derwent river and our bush tracks. They see the beauty of our region and they want to protect it for generations to come. Cooper asked for a bigger skate park in New Norfolk because he knows that, when young people have places to gather safely, communities thrive.”
“That is delivering much better outcomes already, including cheaper medicines and access to more therapies for women right across this country, and better outcomes from investment in our pelvic pain clinics and more investment in mental health, with $1 billion committed, which is the largest increase that we've ever seen in this country's history. When it comes to their health, people can trust Labor. They can trust that we'll invest in and strengthen Medicare. I'm proud of this budget. Proposed expenditure agreed to.”
“We've made a $617 million investment in this budget that will see more Australians accessing health professionals closer to where they live. We've seen an increase in the number of graduates who are participating in our medical programs through our universities—a record number this year. That has built on the back of a record number last year, and I'm hopeful we'll see a record number again next year—more doctors and more nurses. We have cheaper medicines, and, from 1 January, they'll be cheaper again. The cost of a script on the PBS will be just $25. We haven't seen a cost like that since 2004. That's being delivered by this government. There'll be more choice, lower costs and better health care for women with our record investment of nearly $800 million in the women's health package.”
“From 1 November this year, we are going to see a further increase in bulk-billing rates across the country. Again, that will be good for the hip pockets of Australians needing to see their GPs. I've talked about spin from the opposition. How about we talk about the facts? Labor is proud of our investment in Medicare. We created it. We have made record investments in health and health care. I will talk about some of those, in addition to what my colleagues have, in the time I have left. We have more bulk-billing. We've seen more Medicare urgent care clinics. We promised to deliver 50 at the election in 2022 and we delivered 87. At this election we committed to building another 50, and I'm proud that we've already seen some of those come online. We committed to deliver more doctors and more nurses.”
“They claimed that it came from a high of 88 per cent, but that is completely misleading—and it's not just me saying that. It was the College of General Practitioners who said that bulk-billing was in freefall and at a tipping point under the former government. The previous government likes to inflate their bulk-billing figures by relying on massive numbers of COVID related bulk-billed visits during the pandemic, like for PCR swab tests and vaccines, and they tried to fudge their figures by magically producing a bulk-billing figure of 88 per cent on the eve of the 2022 election. How politically convenient. Now they use that as a point in time to compare bulk-billing figures today. I'm proud that bulk-billing numbers are increasing. Every state and territory across the country has seen an increase in bulk-billing. That is good for patients.”
“We've delivered that, and now we're making the single largest investment in Medicare since its creation over 40 years ago. By 2030 this will mean 18 million additional bulk-billing visits each year. Nine in 10 visits to see a GP will be free and bulk-billed. Around 4,800 GP practices will be fully bulk-billed, which is triple the current number, and $859 million will be saved by Australian patients every single year. Now, that is something to be proud of. Compare that to the coalition. When the honourable member Sussan Ley was health minister, she increased Medicare rebates by how much? Zero—there was absolutely not a single dollar increase in the Medicare rebate. We heard the coalition talking about bulk-billing. It was in freefall under them.”
“They said, 'While many Australians already contribute to the cost of a visit to their GP, from 1 July next year the government will ask all Australians to contribute to their own healthcare costs.' The coalition announced the end of bulk-billing when they were in government, but now, conveniently, they very much forget their own history. But we will never forget. Australians will never forget. I think we can see, from the outcome of this election, that Australians know that Labor can be trusted with Medicare. This election was a vote for Labor to continue to strengthen Medicare, and that is what we'll get on and deliver. We have seen bulk-billing increase in every state and territory. The Albanese Labor government has had the three largest Medicare rebate increases in history.”
“Undoubtedly, all of us want people across our country to be able to access the services they deserve, whether it's health care or, as a health professional, being supported to deliver their care to patients. I thank all members for their contributions, particularly those on this side who've spoken about some of the excellent measures contained in the budget and the support that's providing to Australians, but I also want to talk about some of the contributions from the other side of the chamber. Australians should never forget that the coalition wanted Australians to pay more to see a GP. When they were in government they called the Medicare system unsustainable.”
“This bill would give them more time, and I would expect and hope that all members of this parliament would be endeavouring to support our GPs and GP practices so that they can take full advantage of bulk-billing provisions to support patients across the country. I thank everyone who made a contribution to this bill. It is clear how important affordable access to health care is right across this country, and it was reflected in all of the contributions on this bill. Our government is working very hard to deliver on our commitment to strengthen Medicare, and this bill is another step in that endeavour. I thank members for their contributions. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time. Message from the Governor-General recommending appropriation announced.”
“There are some key dates that we need to address so that we can commence this to alleviate some of the pressure on medical students or those who have started a medical degree but haven't finished and have a debt raised against them, not only to streamline and simplify the processes for those who are in the Bonded Medical Program but also to deal with some of those other bulk-billing matters by the automation of some of our systems. That will allow more time for our general practitioners to have the software in place so that they can commence appropriately from the middle of next year, rather than the start of next year, which is what the timeline currently allows for.”
“There are record numbers this year compared to last year, and we are hopeful that next year we will see an intake that is even greater than the record numbers we've seen this year. Our government is very committed to training more health professionals, including more doctors; to providing more bulk-billing and more access to urgent care clinics; and, of course, to providing cheaper medicines to Australians. I understand that the department has offered a briefing to members opposite to support them in getting more information about the Bonded Medical Program. I hope this provides them with further answers to the questions that were raised so that we can have the support of this parliament for this bill.”
“They'll be distributed by a competitive process for universities with existing medical schools, and a further 50 new commencing CSPs per year will be on offer from 2028 and open to universities that do not currently possess a medical school. We also made two commitments in the 2025 federal election to support up to 68 additional medical places at the University of Tasmania and Queensland University of Technology by converting some of their non-medical CSPs. The University of Tasmania will be allowed to provide 20 commencing medical places based in Launceston from 2026, and Queensland University of Technology will be allowed to provide 48 commencing places from 2027, subject to AMC accreditation of its proposed medical school. We are training more doctors than we have ever before.”
“We've had 80 new commencing CSPs per year and funding for end-to-end rural medical training across six medical schools; 20 new commencing CSPs per year and funding for James Cook University's Cairns medical school; and 40 new commencing CSPs per year and $27.4 million in funding to establish the Charles Darwin University medical school. And, in the 2025-26 budget, the Australian government committed a further $48.4 million for up to 150 new primary care focused medical student places as one element of our $606 million GP workforce package. There are also the 100 CSPs currently out for tender now that we heard the Minister for Health and Ageing speak about in question time today.”
“As a member who also represents a regional electorate, I can empathise with the concerns that were raised by the member for Nicholls and appreciate his interest in ensuring that we provide access to health care to Australians no matter where they live. He will be very pleased to know that, alongside the good work of the Murray-Darling medical school that he spoke about, our government has also seen an increase in the number of medical students studying right around the country. Since 2022 the government has invested in over 140 new medical Commonwealth supported places, with a focus on training in rural communities. In 2022 we had 3,095 commenced CSPs; we are looking to increase that to 3,450 by 2028.”
“As the member for Macarthur spoke about in his contribution, these changes to the Bonded Medical Program will make it more flexible and aid any uptake of rural bonded scholarships as an option for medical students. We understand that there isn't as great an uptake as we would like of the rural bonded medical program because there is an inflexibility to the scheme, which we are seeking to address through making these changes which provide for greater consistency and simplification. Our government is very committed to providing greater access to health services and health care for all Australians, no matter where they live.”
“For example, there was a legacy scheme that ran between the years of 2016 and 2019 or thereabouts wherein there was only a need to do one year of a rural placement as part of the return-of-service obligation. What we are doing here is acknowledging that there are different lengths of time. We are trying to simplify and also be consistent, with a three-year requirement for the return-of-service obligation for those medical students. The explanatory memorandum, in 'Part 3—Bonded Medical Program rules', does explain in detail the reason for this change, which is about more fairly recognising work completed by bonded participants, and I draw the member's attention to that section of the explanatory memorandum.”
“However, the impact on them is enormous when they are faced with a student debt of $100,000 or more and they have no qualification to show for it. So we propose this amendment through this legislation to ensure this is fairer. There were questions raised by the member for Nicholls about concerns that doctors won't have to work for as long in rural areas under the changes proposed. This amendment bill aims to simplify the Bonded Medical Program. The department administers, I understand, about 36 different contracts and different contract types due to the legacy schemes for bonded medical students across a range of different schemes over the last couple of decades.”
“We have circumstances where somebody hasn't completed their medical degree but, under this program, they have a debt raised against them, which could be between $100,000 and $140,000, that they've been asked to repay. This change recognises that, if a student hasn't completed their degree, they shouldn't be required to pay this debt, and this is due to the acknowledgement that personal circumstances change. There might be a person who is 17 or 18 and commits to a medical degree. They might be embarking on a bonded medical program, thinking that they could continue to complete that degree at that placement, and circumstances change for them. I can update the House and let you know that the cohort is very small with regard to the types of medical students we're talking about here who don't complete their degrees.”
“There were questions around further clarification of what this means. We know that, due to the specialisation of some doctors, there is a risk they have breached and, as a consequence, have a ban of six years from billing under Medicare. This is bad not only for them but for patients who might be in need of services that they have been providing, so we are removing this consequence. We also know that currently, if a medical student withdraws before the census date in their second year, they avoid any debt. What we intend to do, if this bill successfully passes, is to extend that grace period, which would mean that any withdrawal after this date—the census date in year 2 of their medical degree—up until they finish would be regarded as within the period where, if they incurred a debt, it could be waived.”
“Modernising, simplifying and making assignment of benefit easier for patients and providers will strengthen Medicare now and into the future. I think it's important to note some of those timelines included in this particular bill and the importance of progressing this legislation. Schedule 4 of the bill amends part VD of the Health Insurance Act 1973 to enhance elements of the Bonded Medical Program. I would like to acknowledge the questions that were put by the member for Nicholls in his contribution, and I provide some answers to those questions that I hope will provide further information. The bill ensures consequences for breaching a condition or for withdrawing from the program and balances the personal circumstances of the bonded participant with the broader interests of the community.”
“For bulk-billing, the bill will enable the completion of regulations for enduring agreements to complement the government's primary care payment reforms, such as MyMedicare. It also provides for a new legislative instrument to be delegated to the Minister for Health and Ageing and Minister for Disability and the National Disability Insurance Scheme to make service information simpler for patients and to inform an assignment decision. Amending the commencement date to 1 July 2026 will be welcomed by stakeholders, who will now have additional time to adopt modern and simplified assignments that benefit the processes, including through updating their software products which are used to manage clinical businesses.”
“Schedule 3 of the bill makes changes to the Health Insurance Act 1973 and Health Insurance Legislation Amendment (Assignment of Medicare Benefits) Act 2024 to allow finalisation of regulations to modernise and digitise the assignment of Medicare benefits and to delay commencement of the new processes from 9 January 2026 to 1 July 2026 to provide industry more time to ensure the necessary software and system changes can be made. For simplified billing, the bill enables any eligible person covered by a private health insurance policy to assign Medicare benefits and reduces the administrative burden on providers of privately insured services associated with mandatory notification, without reducing patient access to this information.”
“This bill supports a key recommendation from the review to automate the issuance of Medicare provider numbers. Schedule 1 also confirms the conditions that applicants must meet to be issued an MPN, ensuring the highest standards of healthcare provision are maintained. I would like to let the House know that Services Australia, the Department of Social Services and the Department of Veterans' Affairs were consulted as part of the drafting of the bill and support this streamlining process. Schedule 2 of the bill amends the Private Health Insurance Act 2007. This is to support processes for claiming the private health insurance rebate upfront through the premium reduction scheme. The self-assessment process will be supported by postpayment compliance activities.”
“Schedule 1 also confirms that any Medicare provider numbers issued by automation remain valid so there is no impact on health practitioners or their patients for services previously provided. Our government is committed to ensuring that there is a sufficient and sustainable health workforce to meet the healthcare needs of Australians. The Australian government, together with state and territory governments, has committed to implementing all health related recommendations from the independent review of Australia's regulatory settings relating to overseas health practitioners. This will help to ease the shortage in the health workforce by removing unnecessary barriers and improving and expediting regulatory processes for more overseas health practitioners to commence working in the Australian health system sooner.”
“First, I thank all members for their contributions to the debate on this bill. The Health Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures No. 1) Bill 2025 does streamline Medicare provider number administrative processes so that health practitioners receive their Medicare provider number sooner. Schedule 1 of this bill will amend the Health Insurance Act 1973 to enable the Chief Executive Medicare to approve the use of a computer program to make decisions to allow Medicare provider numbers, including validating Medicare provider numbers that were previously issued by a computer program. This will only apply to positive decisions to issue a Medicare provider number, and any decision requiring assessment of a discretionary factor will still be mainly processed by a service officer.”
“Specifying the responsible person in the rules will allow limitations in the Private Health Insurance Act 2007 to be addressed. Provisions have been included to validate past levy collections. I commend the bill to the chamber. Debate adjourned.”
“The purpose of the Private Health Insurance (National Joint Replacement Register Levy) Amendment Bill 2025 is to provide that the person responsible for payment of the levy under the act is the person specified in the rules made under section 8 of the act. The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has always charged the levy consistent with the policy intent. That is, the person who is responsible for a medical device listed on the prescribed list of medical devices and human tissue products on the levy imposition day is responsible for paying the levy. Currently, the act only recognises the person responsible at the time of the listing of a device, and not any subsequent person who is responsible for that listing over time due to business or other changes.”
“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. The National Joint Replacement Registry is currently administered by the Australian Orthopaedic Association. The registry collects information from all relevant hospitals in Australia to define, improve and maintain the quality of care of individuals receiving joint replacement surgery. The Australian Orthopaedic Association receives funding to operate the registry through a Commonwealth grant agreement. The cost of the grant is efficiently recovered through the imposition of a levy on sponsors of joint replacement devices under the Private Health Insurance (National Joint Replacement Register Levy) Act 2009.”
“Schedule 4 to the bill will amend part VD of the Health Insurance Act 1973 to ensure the consequences for bonded medical program participants who withdraw from the program or fail to complete their 'return of service obligation' are fair. The changes balance the personal circumstances of the bonded participant with the broader interests of the community. The bill provides capacity to make rules to ensure that past work completed by bonded participants—delivering health services in regional, rural and remote locations in Australia—can be fairly and consistently counted towards their 'return of service obligation'. I commend this bill to the chamber. Debate adjourned.”
“The amendments will support simplified and streamlined billing for privately insured hospital systems, so they do not have to deal with bills from multiple providers. The bill will clarify wording to ensure that any eligible person covered under a private health insurance policy can assign their own Medicare benefits, not just the person in whose name the policy is held. It also amends mandatory notification requirements to reduce the administrative burden and cost for providers. The bill will delay the commencement of new assignment-of-benefit arrangements from 9 January 2026 to 1 July 2026. This will provide stakeholders with an additional six months to prepare before the new arrangements commence.”
“Access to bulk-billed medical care helps with cost-of-living pressures and ensures every Australian receives the best health care they deserve. This bill provides for regulations to specify the circumstances in which enduring bulk-billing agreements can be made. This will streamline the administration of MBS claiming, when services are bulk-billed by a preferred provider or organisation. The bill will also enable the minister to issue a legislative instrument to categorise professional services for application in bulk-billing assignment agreements. This will support the use of pre-assignment agreements, giving patients simple yet meaningful information to assign their benefits before services have been provided.”
“Last year, the parliament passed the Health Insurance Legislation Amendment (Assignment of Medicare Benefits) Act 2024, providing for generational change to modernise and simplify how patients assign their Medicare benefits. These changes recognised that patients and healthcare providers are no longer using paper based processes that existed when Medicare was first set up over 40 years ago. This bill will build on these changes and remedy minor issues identified during the drafting of supporting regulations for the Health Insurance Legislation Amendment (Assignment of Medicare Benefits) Act 2024. It will also extend the time available for software vendors to build and test new digital solutions, and for medical industry providers and patients to prepare for the changes. Bulk-billing is vital for timely and equitable access to health care.”
“Under the scheme, the insurer reduces the premium payable by the policyholder by the amount of the rebate and then claims reimbursement of that amount through a system administered by Services Australia. As a result of systems limitations, some elements of the registration and claims-processing system were being administered inconsistently with the requirements of the act. Schedule 2 of the bill will therefore amend the Private Health Insurance Act 2007 to: A participating insurer will continue to be subject to regular post-payment compliance activities to ensure the integrity of the payment process. Schedule 3 to the bill will make essential changes to allow regulations to be made to modernise assignments of the Medicare benefits process. This process underpins Medicare bulk-billing.”
“Internationally qualified health practitioners currently supplement the domestic workforce and aid in addressing workforce shortages, making for a more sustainable health workforce overall. Schedule 2 to the bill will amend chapters 2, 5 and 6 of the Private Health Insurance Act 2007 to support the process for claiming the private health insurance rebate under the premiums reduction scheme. The private health insurance rebate is an initiative designed to make private health insurance more affordable for Australians by funding part of their premiums. The premium reductions scheme allows eligible people to choose to get the rebate at the time they pay their private health insurance premiums, rather than pay the full cost of the premium, and then claim a deduction back through their tax return at the end of the financial year.”
“Growing and supporting the health workforce is a priority for our government. Having the right workforce with the right skills in the right place is critical to the success of the government's agenda to strengthen Medicare. We are working with state and territory governments, education providers and regulators to implement the recommendations of the Kruk review. This will ease shortages in the health workforce by removing unnecessary barriers and expediting regulatory processes to bring more skilled health practitioners to Australia. The efficiencies that can be realised through implementation of this bill will lead to reduced processing times and allow health practitioners to provide services to the Australian community more quickly.”