Clause 15

Upon an application made under section 13, the Hospital Medifund committee of an approved hospital may, if it thinks fit and subject to the availability of moneys in the Hospital Medifund Account, approve the application of any eligible patient and authorise in writing payments of such amount as it thinks fit out of the Hospital Medifund Account to the approved hospital to defray in whole or in part the hospital charges, fees and other expenses incurred by the eligible patient.

The Hospital Medifund committee shall, in considering any application and authorising payment, comply with any regulations made under section 27 and any directive and guideline issued by the Minister under section 9(2).

The Hospital Medifund committee may consider any other circumstances which, in the opinion of the committee, is relevant to the application.

Notwithstanding subsection (1), the Hospital Medifund committee of an approved hospital may authorise any person to approve the application by any eligible patient in exceptional circumstances and when the payment does not exceed such amount as may be specified in any directive issued under section 9(2).

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to require a Hospital Medifund committee or authorised person referred to in subsection (4) to approve the application of every patient who satisfies the requirements under section 13.