{"id":"F2022L00070","name":"Social Security (Essential Medical Equipment Payment – Essential Medical Equipment) Specification 2022","slug":"social-security-essential-medical-equipment-payment-essential-medical-equipment-specification-2022","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":441185,"registerId":"F2022L00070-fast-fetch-1775956548061","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Social Security (Essential Medical Equipment Payment – Essential Medical Equipment) Specification 2022","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\nmeta-keywords: \"[SEC=OFFICIAL:Sensitive]\"\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![Commonwealth Coat of Arms of Australia](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nSocial Security (Essential Medical Equipment Payment – Essential Medical Equipment) Specification 2022\n\nI, Anne Ruston, Minister for Families and Social Services, make the following Specification.\n\nDated 21 January 2022   \n\nAnne Ruston\n\nMinister for Families and Social Services\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\n1  Name\n\n2  Commencement\n\n3  Authority\n\n4  Definitions\n\n5  Essential Medical Equipment\n\n \n\n \n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Social Security (Essential Medical Equipment Payment – Essential Medical Equipment) Specification 2022.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n (1) Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.\n\n \n\n- Commencement information\n- Column 1 Column 2 Column 3\n- Provisions Commencement Date/Details\n- 1. The whole of this instrument 1 April 2022\n\n\nNote: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.\n\n (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under paragraph 917C(3)(a) of the Social Security Act 1991.\n\n4  Definitions\n\n  In this instrument:\n\nAct means the Social Security Act 1991.\n\n5  Essential Medical Equipment\n\n1.   Each of the following items of equipment is specified essential medical equipment, to the extent it is used in circumstances specified (if any) for the purposes of paragraph 917C(1)(a) of the Act:\n\n\n1.     Home Dialysis Machine;\n2.     Home Ventilator;\n3.     Home Respirator;\n4.     Home Parenteral or Enteral Feeding Device;\n5.     Oxygen Concentrator;\n6.      Heart Pump;\n7.     Suction Pump;\n8.     Infant Apnoea Monitor, in circumstances it is prescribed by a medical practitioner following apnoeic episodes;\n9.       Nebuliser, in circumstances it is used daily;\n10.       Positive Airways Pressure Device;\n11.     Phototherapy Equipment;\n12.       Airbed Vibrator;\n13.   Electric Wheelchair;\n14.     Insulin Pump.\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument performs exactly the narrow function authorised by section 917C(3)(a) of the Social Security Act 1991: specifying which medical equipment qualifies for the Essential Medical Equipment Payment. It has not expanded beyond this original purpose."},"complexity_factors":["Extremely short document (only 5 sections, approximately 1 page)","Only 1 defined term ('Act') in the interpretation section","Simple list structure with no nested conditions or cross-references beyond the parent Act","Minimal conditional logic—only 2 items have usage restrictions (items 8 and 9)","No amendments, schedules, or transitional provisions","Straightforward delegation: merely specifies equipment types as authorised by the parent Act"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument sets out which home medical devices qualify for the Essential Medical Equipment Payment, a Centrelink supplement for people (and some carers) whose prescribed life-saving or life-support equipment substantially raises their energy costs.  \n\nBy specifying eligible devices and any special conditions, it gives claimants and administrators a clear, consistent basis for who can get extra help with household electricity bills."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This specification merely enumerates devices treated as essential medical equipment for the purpose of paragraph 917C(1)(a) of the Social Security Act (see section 5). It does not itself amend eligibility rules, payment rates, or assessment processes in the Act; any substantive change to scope or mechanics would require amendment of the Act or related instruments (see section 3)."},"complexity_factors":["Single-purpose, short instrument that only lists 14 device types (see section 5).","Depends on and must be read with the Social Security Act: made under paragraph 917C(3)(a) and operative for paragraph 917C(1)(a) (see section 3 and section 5).","Commencement is fixed and explicit (whole instrument from 1 April 2022) which creates a clear implementation date (see section 2).","Drafting phrase \"to the extent it is used in circumstances specified (if any)\" creates limited interpretive scope that may require administrative guidance (see section 5 introductory text).","Two items include conditional use tests that require factual verification: Infant Apnoea Monitor (prescribed by a medical practitioner following apnoeic episodes) and Nebuliser (used daily) (see section 5, items 8 and 9).","The instrument does not set eligibility assessment procedures, verification standards, payment amounts or administrative processes — those remain in the Act/regulations, leaving implementing agencies discretion and potential compliance burden for claimants (implicit from section 3 and the instrument’s limited scope).","Low statutory complexity but potential operational complexity where medical certification or usage evidence is needed to meet the listed conditions (see section 5 items cited)."],"plain_english_summary":"Specifies which medical devices count as \"essential medical equipment\" for the Essential Medical Equipment Payment under the Social Security Act (para 917C(1)(a)). It lists 14 device types and records limited circumstance conditions for some items. The instrument affects social security recipients who use those devices by defining which equipment can trigger the payment and so determines who may be eligible for that specific benefit."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/social-security-essential-medical-equipment-payment-essential-medical-equipment-specification-2022","history":"/api/acts/social-security-essential-medical-equipment-payment-essential-medical-equipment-specification-2022/history","analysis":"/api/acts/social-security-essential-medical-equipment-payment-essential-medical-equipment-specification-2022/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/social-security-essential-medical-equipment-payment-essential-medical-equipment-specification-2022/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/social-security-essential-medical-equipment-payment-essential-medical-equipment-specification-2022/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/social-security-essential-medical-equipment-payment-essential-medical-equipment-specification-2022/documents"}}