50Specialist Hearing Services

50 Specialist Hearing Services

(1) If a contracted service provider knows or reasonably believes that a person who asks it for hearing services is a voucher‑holder and is eligible for specialist hearing services for the purposes of the Australian Hearing Services (Declared Hearing Services) Determination 2019, the contracted service provider must: (a) notify the Department that a voucher‑holder who is eligible for specialist hearing services is requesting hearing services; and (b) explain to the voucher‑holder the specialist hearing services that may be available to him or her from AHS; and

Note: In 2024, information about Specialist Hearing Services could be viewed at: https://www.health.gov.au/hear

(c) allow at least 10 business days from the time at which the explanation under (1)(b) was provided before contacting the voucher‑holder to ask whether he or she has decided whether to receive specialist services from AHS; and
(d) not provide further hearing services to the voucher‑holder until the person advises the contracted service provider that he or she has made an informed decision not to receive specialist services from AHS; and
(e) retain evidence on the voucher‑holder’s record of the advice given to the voucher‑holder and the voucher‑holder’s decision.

(2) Paragraphs (b), (c), (d) and (e) do not apply where the contracted service provider is AHS.

Note: The Act defines AHS to mean Australian Hearing Services.