ABOUT THE CO-OP

A co-operative is an organisation which is owned and controlled by its members for a common benefit. Co-operatives can be profit making or not profit making.  Interchange Health Co-op is not profit making.  This means any surplus generated from the provision of care is ploughed back into the Co-op for the benefit of members.

Co-ops have to conform to national legislation and must be registered in the State in which they are located.  They are bound by Rules, must have a Board, hold an annual general meeting open to all members, and report to the Co-op registration authority each year on a range of matters,  including the Co-op’s finances.

 

Establishment

Interchange Health Co-op held its foundation meeting on 6 February 2019 and was registered by the ACT Registrar of Co-operatives on18 February 2019.  It was registered as a charity with ACNC on 3 April 2019.

 

MEMBERSHIP

There are no restrictions on membership except that members must have a Medicare Card.  In the case of families, each parent must have separate membership but minors under 18 are covered by either parent’s membership. 

Applications for membership must be accompanied by the membership fee.  However, people may make an appointment without first becoming a member.  In that case they must pay their membership fee when they arrive for the appointment.

 

RULES

The Rules of the Co-operative were adopted at its foundation meeting on 6 February. The rules cover such matters as conditions of membership, disputes and mediation, general meetings, resolutions and voting, board of directors, administrative matters, accounting and financial matters.

Amendment of the rules requires a special motion, passage of which requires the support of a two thirds majority of members

Members are entitled to receive a copy of the rules which may be obtained from the General Manager.

 

BENEFITS

There are two major benefits

  • Members are bulk billed for all consultations.  Bulk billing does not apply to a few special services such as skin cancer diagnosis and management.

  • top quality health care of the sort detailed on the website.

Also

  • members are owners of the Co-op and can help decide on its future: Members are the collective owners of the Co-op and can have a say in its future. Members have the right to be heard at and vote at the Annual General Meeting. They also have the right propose motions.

  • any profits are ploughed back into the co-op: the Co-op is a not for profit organisation and also a registered charity.  This means any operational surplus is ploughed back into the Co-op and used for the improvement of services and the benefit of members.

  • The Co-op is supported by the ACT Government which provided much of the funding which allowed it to start.

 

OBLIGATIONS

There is an annual membership fee of $120.  For people with an eligible health care card, the fee is $60. 

Members are obliged under Co-op rules to pay membership fees on time.  Membership fees are an important source of income for the Co-op without which it could not provide its high standard of care to members.   Failure to pay the relevant fee within 14 days of the due date will lead to the cessation of bulk billed treatment until payment has been made or the member has reached an agreement with the General Manager or her/his delegate about the date on which the fees will be paid.

If, after 2 months, a member is still in arrears, and has not reached an arrangement acceptable to the Co-op, membership will be terminated.

Members who engage in disruptive, abusive, intimidatory, violent or stalking behaviour put their membership at risk.