Private health insurance excesses
Dear Department of Health,
I would like access to any documents, internal emails, briefings, notes, relating to the payment of “excess for children” on private health insurance policies, created within the last two months from the date of this request.
Yours faithfully,
Martin Bronx
Good morning Mr Bronx,
Acknowledgement of receipt of Freedom of Information request
I refer to your request received by the Department of Health and Aged Care
(the department) for access to documents under the Freedom of Information
Act 1982 (FOI Act). You have requested access to:
Any documents, internal emails, briefings, notes, relating to the payment
of “excess for children” on private health insurance policies, created
within the last two months from the date of this request.
The reference number for your request is FOI 5338. Please ensure that you
quote this number in future correspondence with us concerning this
request.
Timeframes
Your request was received on 14 August 2024. The statutory timeframe for
processing your request is 30 calendar days and you should expect to be
notified of a decision from the department on or before 13 September
2024. The period of 30 days may be extended if the department needs to
consult third parties or for other reasons. We will advise you if this
happens.
Other information
The department may impose a charge for the work involved in providing
access to the documents. If this request attracts a charge you will be
notified in writing.
Unless you advise otherwise:
· any draft and duplicate documents will be excluded from the scope
of your request, and
· any public service employee names below Senior Executive Service
level and direct telephone numbers of all staff will be excluded from the
scope of your request under s22(1)(a)(ii) of the FOI Act.
Please note that information released under the FOI Act may later be
published online on our disclosure log
[1]www.health.gov.au/resources/foi-disclosure-log, subject to certain
exceptions. (For example, personal information will not be published where
this would be unreasonable.)
You can contact the FOI team via email at [2][email address] or by phone
on 02 6289 1666, should you have any questions.
Kind regards,
FOI Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation Branch
Legal Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges First Nations peoples
as the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia, and their
continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to
them and their cultures, and to all Elders both past and present.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mr Bronx,
I refer to your request 5338.
The statutory due date for your request is currently 13 September 2024.
Request for extension of time
Section 15AA of the FOI Act permits the department to extend the statutory
processing timeframe, with your agreement, for a period of up to 30
calendar days.
The department has identified documents within the scope of your request.
To ensure the department takes all relevant steps to finalise its decision
and for the decision maker to make a well-balanced decision on access to
any such documents identified, we are seeking further extension of 14
calendar days.
If you agree to this extension, the statutory due date will then be 27
September 2024. The department will, however, continue to process your
request as quickly as possible.
It would assist if you could please advise by COB Tuesday 10 September
2024 if you agree to this extension of time. If we do not hear from you by
this date or if you do not agree to the extension, the department may
consider seeking an extension of time from the Office of the Australian
Information Commissioner (OAIC) under section 15AB of the FOI Act.
We thank you for your ongoing patience and cooperation as we continue to
process your request.
If you have any questions regarding any of the matters discussed in this
email, please do not hesitate to contact the FOI Section at
[1][email address].
Kind Regards,
Tritiya
Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation
Legal Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [2][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges the traditional owners
of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to
elders both past and present
From: FOI <[email address]>
Sent: Monday, August 19, 2024 10:16 AM
To: [FOI #11896 email]
Subject: TRIM: Freedom of Information Request 5338 – Acknowledgement of
Receipt [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Good morning Mr Bronx,
Acknowledgement of receipt of Freedom of Information request
I refer to your request received by the Department of Health and Aged Care
(the department) for access to documents under the Freedom of Information
Act 1982 (FOI Act). You have requested access to:
Any documents, internal emails, briefings, notes, relating to the payment
of “excess for children” on private health insurance policies, created
within the last two months from the date of this request.
The reference number for your request is FOI 5338. Please ensure that you
quote this number in future correspondence with us concerning this
request.
Timeframes
Your request was received on 14 August 2024. The statutory timeframe for
processing your request is 30 calendar days and you should expect to be
notified of a decision from the department on or before 13 September
2024. The period of 30 days may be extended if the department needs to
consult third parties or for other reasons. We will advise you if this
happens.
Other information
The department may impose a charge for the work involved in providing
access to the documents. If this request attracts a charge you will be
notified in writing.
Unless you advise otherwise:
· any draft and duplicate documents will be excluded from the scope
of your request, and
· any public service employee names below Senior Executive Service
level and direct telephone numbers of all staff will be excluded from the
scope of your request under s22(1)(a)(ii) of the FOI Act.
Please note that information released under the FOI Act may later be
published online on our disclosure log
[3]www.health.gov.au/resources/foi-disclosure-log, subject to certain
exceptions. (For example, personal information will not be published where
this would be unreasonable.)
You can contact the FOI team via email at [4][email address] or by phone
on 02 6289 1666, should you have any questions.
Kind regards,
FOI Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation Branch
Legal Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [5][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges First Nations peoples
as the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia, and their
continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to
them and their cultures, and to all Elders both past and present.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mr Bronx,
I refer to the email below.
In our acknowledgement email to you of 19 August 2024 we advised that
draft documents would be excluded from your request unless you advised
otherwise. Although you did not advise that you sought draft documents,
some documents relevant to your request are in draft form. We therefore
propose to interpret your request as including the most recent draft of a
document in existence as at the date of your request.
You can contact the FOI team via email at [1][email address] or by phone
on 02 6289 1666, should you have any questions.
Kind Regards,
Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation
Legal Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [2][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges the traditional owners
of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to
elders both past and present
From: FOI <[email address]>
Sent: Monday, August 19, 2024 10:16 AM
To: [FOI #11896 email]
Subject: TRIM: Freedom of Information Request 5338 – Acknowledgement of
Receipt [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Good morning Mr Bronx,
Acknowledgement of receipt of Freedom of Information request
I refer to your request received by the Department of Health and Aged Care
(the department) for access to documents under the Freedom of Information
Act 1982 (FOI Act). You have requested access to:
Any documents, internal emails, briefings, notes, relating to the payment
of “excess for children” on private health insurance policies, created
within the last two months from the date of this request.
The reference number for your request is FOI 5338. Please ensure that you
quote this number in future correspondence with us concerning this
request.
Timeframes
Your request was received on 14 August 2024. The statutory timeframe for
processing your request is 30 calendar days and you should expect to be
notified of a decision from the department on or before 13 September
2024. The period of 30 days may be extended if the department needs to
consult third parties or for other reasons. We will advise you if this
happens.
Other information
The department may impose a charge for the work involved in providing
access to the documents. If this request attracts a charge you will be
notified in writing.
Unless you advise otherwise:
· any draft and duplicate documents will be excluded from the scope
of your request, and
· any public service employee names below Senior Executive Service
level and direct telephone numbers of all staff will be excluded from the
scope of your request under s22(1)(a)(ii) of the FOI Act.
Please note that information released under the FOI Act may later be
published online on our disclosure log
[3]www.health.gov.au/resources/foi-disclosure-log, subject to certain
exceptions. (For example, personal information will not be published where
this would be unreasonable.)
You can contact the FOI team via email at [4][email address] or by phone
on 02 6289 1666, should you have any questions.
Kind regards,
FOI Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation Branch
Legal Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [5][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges First Nations peoples
as the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia, and their
continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to
them and their cultures, and to all Elders both past and present.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mr Bronx,
I refer to your request 5338.
We thank you for your ongoing patience and cooperation as we continue to
process your request.
The statutory due date for your request is currently Friday 27 September
2024.
Request for extension of time
Section 15AA of the FOI Act permits the department to extend the statutory
processing timeframe, with your agreement, for a period of up to 30
calendar days.
The department is close to finalising your request and this matter will be
referred to the department’s decision maker shortly. To ensure that the
decision maker is able to make a well-balanced decision on access to any
such documents identified, the department is seeking your agreement to an
extension of 7 calendar days.
If you agree to this extension, the statutory due date will then be Friday
4 October 2024. The department will, however, continue to process your
request as quickly as possible.
It would assist if you could please advise by Wednesday 25 September 2024
if you agree to this extension of time. If we do not hear from you by this
date or if you do not agree to the extension, the department may consider
seeking an extension of time from the Office of the Australian Information
Commissioner (OAIC) under section 15AB of the FOI Act.
We thank you for your ongoing patience and cooperation as we continue to
process your request.
If you have any questions regarding any of the matters discussed in this
email, please do not hesitate to contact the FOI Section at
[1][email address].
Kind Regards,
Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation
Legal Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [2][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges the traditional owners
of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to
elders both past and present
Dear Mr Bronx,
I refer to your FOI request 5338.
Please see attached a notice of decision and documents referred to within
that decision.
Should you have any questions, please contact FOI on the below details.
Kind Regards,
Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation
Legal Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [1][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges the traditional owners
of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to
elders both past and present