MEDICAL SERVICE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24104, 24 October 1941, Page 8

MEDICAL SERVICE

RULES UNDER NEW ACT SERVICES AND FEES BEGINNING NEXT MONTH (0.C.) WELLINGTON, Thursday Payment for "general medical services" by the Social Security I'und is provided for in the Social Secuiitj (General Medical Services) Regulations, 1911, which were gazetted to-night. The regulations are to come into force on November 1. A number of different services rendered by the doctors, of which the most important is specialist services, have been excluded from this term by the Social Security Amendment Act recently passed by Parliament. The regulations further limit the term "general medical services" by excluding the following services given by doctors: (a) Medical services for the purpose of obtaining a medical certificate for production to some other person other than certificates required for monetary benefits under the Social Security Act or sickness benefits from friendly societies; (b) treatment of venereal disease in a communicable form, •) extraction of teeth by a doctor; (a) services given to a person who has a claim for workers' compensation or damages; (e) services covered by tnc. X-rav Regulations. Fees Recoverable 'The ordinary fee which a doctor is entitled to receive from the Social Security Fund under the Act is <s 6d, hut if he attends a person in response to an urgent request on a Sunday or between the hours of 9 p.m. and / a.m. on a week day he may receive 12s bd Power is given also to the medical officer (if health to authorise a iee ot more than 7s Cd in cases where consultations last for more than .W minutes. Forms will be provided enabling a doctor to claim direct from the fund or enabling person,s to claim a refund after they have paid the doctor. These forms will be distributed to doctors and will also be obtainable at all chief post offices. The date and places where service was given must be shown and any other particulars which justify a higher fee than 7s 6d. Penalty for Late Claims A patient or someone on his behalf must certify that the service was given and any refusal to sign a certificate will entitle a doctor to recover fees from the patient as if the Act had not been passed. All claims, whether by the doctor or patient, not. made within two months after the services were given or the doctor was paid by the patient, as the case may be, may be reduced by 10 per cent. Where, in accordance with the Act. a claim for mileage is disallowed on the ground that the travelling could have been avoided the doctor is entitled to recover the amount so disallowed from the patient. The regulations detail how mileage claims are to be made. Rules for Patients If any patient fails to conform to the following rules he is to be liable for a penalty equal to the amount of the ices paid or payable out of the fund to any doctor in respect to the particulars of which the default relates: (a) Refrain from making unnecessary demands on the services of a doctor; (b) arrange wherever practicable to attend at the doctor's surgery; (c) except in cases of emergency to notify the doctor when a visit to the home is necessary not later than 10 a.m. of the day of the visit; (d> to sign all forms required to enable the doctor to claim a fee from the fund: (e) to furnish any information required to enable payment to be made to the doctor. Disallowance of Claims The medical officer of health-may require a doctor to furnish an explanation of any claim made by a doctor, and oil failure to do so the matter is to be referred to the Minister, who, after consultation with a committee to be set up under the terms of the Social Security Act. may direct that, that claim or any claim made under the regulations by that doctor be disallowed either wholly or in part, or may authorise the recovery of claims already paid to that doctor. A doctor who refuses or fails to sign a receipt required to enable a patient to obtain a refund of fees paid by him to the doctor or to supply any information required by a medical officer of health in respect of any claim is liable ' to a fine of £lO.