NEW laws introduced today will allow an additional $260 million to flow into the ACT public hospital system from the Federal Government.

The Health (National Health Funding Pool and Administration) Bill 2012, introduced in the Legislative Assembly today, is the result of an agreement between the ACT Government and the Commonwealth through last year’s COAG’s National Health Reform Agreement.

“The reform this Bill represents is the most significant change to federal financial arrangements in public hospital funding seen for decades,” Chief Minister and Minister for Health Katy Gallagher said.

“The agreement with the Commonwealth means that the ACT will get an additional $260 million in health funding over the period 2014-15 to 2019-20 and put in place the processes which allow for the health funds to flow to the ACT with greater accountability.

‘The NHRA will provide a sustainable funding base for our public hospital system over the long term, with the Commonwealth Government committed to meeting half of any future increases to costs associated with providing public hospital services in the ACT.

‘This Bill not only enables these new funding arrangements to be implemented, but also delivers unprecedented transparency and accountability for public hospital funding.

“National auditing, reporting and accounting, will mean that for the first time ever, all Australians will know where each and every public hospital dollar is being spent.”