26. Application for advance subsidy

(1) A contractor may apply to the Chief Executive Medicare to be paid an advance subsidy on behalf of an eligible member for a premium period beginning on or after 1 January 2004.

(2) An application for an advance subsidy to be paid on behalf of an eligible member for a premium period must be made no later than 2 months after the end of that premium period. In this subsection, ‘premium period’ does not include part of a premium period.

Note If a contractor does not make an application for an advance subsidy under this Part based on estimated income an application may be made under Part 6 when the member’s actual income is known, but an application under Part 6 cannot be made later than 12 months after the end of the premium period.

(3) If an application is made under section 32, an application cannot be made under this section in respect of the same member for the same period.

(4) An application must be in a form, or in another manner, approved by the Chief Executive Medicare.