The proposal would provide one‐off payments to the states and territories (the states) to help
eliminate public hospital surgery waiting lists for particular categories of clinical urgency. These
payments would be spread over two years from 1 July 2019, with 80 per cent paid in the first year.

The payment would be based on the number of patients on elective surgery waiting lists who have
been waiting longer than clinically indicated for their category as at 30 June 2019. All patients in
clinical urgency categories 1, 2 and 3 would be eligible.

The payment rate per patient would be based on the national efficient price for each category of
surgery as per the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority’s cost determinations.

The proposal would commence on 1 July 2019.