FAIRER PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE INCENTIVES BILL 2012E FAIRER PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE INCENTIVES (MEDICARE LEVY SURCHARGE) BILL 2012E FAIRER PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE INCENTIVES (MEDICARE LEVY SURCHARGE—FRINGE BENEFITS) BILL 2012

Order of the day read for the adjourned debate on the motion of the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Senator Ludwig)—That these bills be now read a second time.

Debate resumed.

Limitation of debate: The time allotted for the consideration of these bills expired.

Question—That these bills be now read a second time—put.

The Senate divided—

AYES, 34

Senators—

Bilyk

Bishop

Brown, Bob

Cameron

Carr, Bob

Carr, Kim

Collins

Conroy

Crossin

Di Natale

Farrell

Furner

Gallacher

Hanson-Young

Hogg

Ludlam

Ludwig

Lundy

Marshall

McEwen (Teller)

McLucas

Milne

Moore

Polley

Pratt

Rhiannon

Sherry

Siewert

Singh

Stephens

Thistlethwaite

Urquhart

Waters

Wright

NOES, 30

Senators—

Abetz

Back

Bernardi

Birmingham

Bushby (Teller)

Cash

Colbeck

Cormann

Edwards

Eggleston

Fawcett

Fierravanti-Wells

Fifield

Fisher

Heffernan

Humphries

Johnston

Kroger

Macdonald

Madigan

Mason

McKenzie

Nash

Payne

Ronaldson

Ryan

Scullion

Sinodinos

Williams

Xenophon

Question agreed to.

Bills read a second time.

The following amendments in respect of the Fairer Private Health Insurance Incentives Bill 2012 circulated by Senator Xenophon were considered:

 Schedule 1, page 16 (after line 11), after item 17, insert:

 17A Section 169-5 (heading)

  Repeal the heading, substitute:

169-5 Information to be given annually to the Council and the Productivity Commission

 17B After subsection 169-5(1)

  Insert:

  (1A) A private health insurer must, within 3 months after the end of each financial year, or within such further time as the Productivity Commission allows, give to the Productivity Commission such information (including financial accounts and statements) in respect of that year as the Productivity Commission requires to be given for use in preparing the report referred to in section 333-1A.

 17C Subsection 169-5(2)

  Omit "such accounts or statements", substitute "accounts or statements referred to in subsection (1) or (1A)".

 Schedule 1, page 20 (after line 9), after item 21, insert:

 21A Before section 333-1

  Insert:

333-1A Annual report by Productivity Commission

  (1) The Productivity Commission must, as soon as practicable after 30 September in each year, give the Minister a report, for presentation to the Parliament, relating to changes in the composition of the persons insured under insurance policies issued by each private health insurer during the financial year ending on 30 June in that year.

   Note: See also section 34C of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901, which contains extra rules about periodic reports.

  (2) The report must include:

 (a) information about the number of persons who have ceased to be insured, and the number of persons who have downgraded their level of insurance, under insurance policies that *cover *hospital treatment during that financial year; and

 (b) information about the number of persons who have ceased to be insured, and the number of persons who have downgraded their level of insurance, under insurance policies that cover *general treatment during that financial year; and

 (c) information about the age and income tax bracket of those persons who have ceased to be insured, or who have downgraded their level of insurance, under insurance policies that cover hospital treatment or general treatment during that financial year; and

 (d) any recommendations from the Productivity Commission for addressing:

 (i) reductions in the number of persons insured under insurance policies that cover hospital treatment or general treatment; and

 (ii) people electing to downgrade their level of insurance under insurance policies that cover hospital treatment or general treatment.

  (3) However, the report must not include any information that would enable an individual to be identified.

  (4) The Minister must publish on the Department's website the report, and a written response to the report, within 60 days after the first day on which the report is laid before a House of the Parliament in accordance with section 34C of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901.

Question—That the amendments be agreed to—put.

The Senate divided—

Question negatived.

Question—That the remaining stages of these bills be agreed to and these bills be now passed—put.

The Senate divided—

Question agreed to.

Bills read a third time.