25Provision of emergency services

25 Provision of emergency services

(1) The following are prescribed functions of the Chief Executive Medicare: (a) to provide a service, benefit, program or facility to a person affected by an emergency (an emergency service); (b) to participate in disaster policy and planning activities, including activities undertaken by disaster policy and planning committees. (2) Without limiting subsection (1), the Chief Executive Medicare may perform the functions mentioned in that subsection for, or under an arrangement with, a State or Territory body. (3) The function mentioned in paragraph (1)(a) in relation to an emergency includes the following: (a) establishing and maintaining a register of persons affected by the emergency; (b) receiving, processing, investigating, deciding and paying claims for assistance; (c) operating a telephone enquiry line; (d) operating an online enquiry service; (e) providing call centre assistance; (f) providing online assistance; (g) making arrangements for health assessments and other assistance in relation to health care; (h) referring a person to another organisation if the person requires assistance provided by that organisation; (i) working with, and providing information to, other government and non‑government bodies in relation to the provision of assistance; (j) providing information to a State or Territory body about a person affected by the emergency that will assist the State or Territory body to provide a payment, benefit or other assistance to the person; (k) undertaking action (including starting legal proceedings) to recover payments that should not have been made; (l) disclosing statistical information (including de‑identified information from the register mentioned in paragraph (a)) about assistance provided; (m) undertaking compliance, audit, review, investigation, enforcement and recovery services ancillary to the emergency service. (4) Use or disclosure of personal information under this regulation is authorised for the purposes of paragraph 6.2(b) of Australian Privacy Principle 6 set out in Schedule 1 to the Privacy Act 1988. (5) If the Chief Executive Medicare provides an emergency service to a person, or the person makes a request for an emergency service, the Chief Executive Medicare may: (a) collect information about the person or the person’s family, including personal information; and (b) maintain records about the emergency service or the request.