Health Insurance (Medicare Benefits Payable in Respect of Professional Services – Council of Australian Governments’ Improving Access to Primary Care in Rural and Remote Areas – COAG s19(2) Exemptions Initiative – South Australia) Direction (No. 1) 2025 (Cth)

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND AGED CARE HEALTH INSURANCE ACT 1973 Health Insurance (Medicare Benefits Payable in Respect of Professional Services – Council of Australian Governments' Improving Access to Primary Care in Rural and Remote Areas – COAG s19(2) Exemptions Initiative – South Australia) Direction (No. 1) 2025 I, Nigel Murray, Assistant Secretary, MBS Policy and Specialist Programs Branch, Medicare Benefits and Digital Health Division, Health Resourcing Group, delegate for the Minister for Health and Aged Care, acting under subsection 19(2) of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (the Act), hereby:

1. REPEAL the Health Insurance (Medicare Benefits Payable in Respect of Professional Services – Council of Australian Governments' Improving Access to Primary Care in Rural and Remote Areas – COAG s19(2) Exemptions Initiative – South Australia) Direction (No. 3) 2024; and 2. DIRECT that Medicare Benefits shall be payable in respect of: 1. A professional service (as defined in Section 3 of the Act) which has been agreed to be provided under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Department of Health and Aged Care (ABN: 83 605 426 759) and South Australia (ABN: 52 786 403 404) dated 19 May 2022 as part of the Council of Australian Governments' Improving Access to Primary Care in Rural and Remote Areas – COAG s19(2) Exemptions Initiative relating to primary care services for which: 1. items specified in Schedule A of this Direction; and of the general medical services table (means the table prescribed under subsection 4(1) of the Act), diagnostic imaging services table (means the table prescribed under subsection 4AA(1) of the Act) or pathology services table (means the table prescribed under subsection 4A(1) of the Act) relates; and 2. Where the professional service is provided to: 1. an eligible person (as defined in Section 3 of the Act); and 2. a patient who is not part of an episode of hospital treatment (as defined in Section 121-5 of the Private Health Insurance Act 2007); and 3. The professional service referred to in paragraph (2)(a): 1. is provided at an approved Modified Monash Model 5-7 area (as defined in Section 7.1.1 of the general medical services table) practice location specified in Schedule B; and 2. is either: 1. a professional non-referred service provided by a state remunerated prescribed medical practitioner, participating midwife, or participating nurse practitioner; or 2. a professional referred service provided by a state remunerated allied health professional or dental practitioner. 1. DECLARE that this Direction commences on 24 January 2025 and ceases to have effect at the end of 30 June 2025 unless earlier revoked. Note, a number of expressions used in this direction are defined in the below instruments: * Health Insurance Act 1973: the meaning of dental practitioner, participating midwife, participating nurse practitioner, and professional service; and * Health Insurance (General Medical Services Table) Regulations 2021: the meaning of prescribed medical practitioner. * Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services – Allied Health Services) Determination 2024: the meaning of allied health professional.