Senator FORSHAW (1:02 PM) —The Health Legislation Amendment Bill 1998 seeks to make a number of amendments to a number of health related acts covering the following areas: firstly, approval of hedging contracts entered into by the Health Insurance Commission; secondly, the electronic payment of Medicare benefits; thirdly, enabling optometrists to charge fees above the scheduled fee; fourthly, the delivery of Medicare benefits in respect of services rendered outside Australia; fifthly, certain matters dealing with medical practitioners receiving payment for the provision of public hospital services; and, finally, the provision of pharmaceuticals by private hospitals and residential aged care services. The opposition does not oppose the bill.

I wish to draw attention to one aspect which has been a matter of concern and which we note the legislation seeks to deal with. That is, instances have arisen where medical practitioners have offered inducements to public hospital patients for the purposes of queue jumping, and, in doing so, have sought payment for such situations. The amendment will provide a penalty to be levied on medical practitioners who engage in that practice. That is something that we are strongly supportive of as that practice undermines the principles of Medicare. The opposition does not oppose the passage of the bill.