NATIONAL HEALTH FUND ACT

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

PART I
Preliminary

   1   Short title

   2   Interpretation

   3   Principal objects of Act

PART II
National Health Fund

   4   Establishment of the National Health Fund

   5   Functions of the Fund

   6   Establishment and function of Board of Management

   7   Beneficiaries of the Fund

   8   Policy directions

PART III
Financial Provisions

   9   Resources of the Fund

   10   Application of revenues

   11   Borrowing powers

   12   Power to invest moneys

   13   Guarantee by Minister of Finance for borrowing by Fund and repayment of sums issued to meet guarantees

   14   Accounts and Audit

   15   Annual Report

   16   Exemption from income tax

   17   Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure

   18   Claims to be determined by Board

PART IV
Miscellaneous

   19   Appointment of inspectors

   20   Powers of inspectors

   21   Assault and obstruction of inspectors

   22   Refusal or neglect to give information

   23   False declaration and statement

   24   Benefits from false declaration

   25   Breaches of this Act not otherwise provided for

      Minister may amend monetary penalties

   26   Regulations

   27   Act binds the Crown

      SCHEDULES

THE NATIONAL HEALTH FUND ACT

[Date of Commencement: 1st April, 2003]

Acts
23 of 2003,
6 of 2011,
7 of 2011.

PART I
Preliminary (sections 1-3)

1   Short title and commencement

   This Act may be cited as the National Health Fund Act.

2   Interpretation

   In this Act-

   "appointed day" means the date appointed by the Minister under section 1;

   "Board" means the Board of Management of the Fund;

   "chairman" means the chairman of the Board;

   "functions" includes powers and duties;

   "Fund" means the National Health Fund established under section 4;

   "registered medical practitioner" means a medical practitioner registered under the Medical Act;

   "resident" means a person who is ordinarily resident in Jamaica for a period or periods aggregating in the whole not less than six months in the calendar year;

   "specified diseases" and "specified medical condition" mean the diseases and medical conditions specified in the First Schedule.

3   Principal objects of Act

   The principal objects of this Act are to-

   (a)   provide prescribed health benefits to all residents, regardless of age, gender, health or economic status;

   (b)   provide greater access to medical treatment and preventative care for specified diseases and specified medical conditions;

   (c)   make pharmaceutical and medical supplies accessible and available to government-owned health facilities;

[6/2011 s 3(b).]

   (d)   secure improvement in the productivity of residents by reducing time lost on the job that is attributable to personal and family health, care problems;