7.8.5 MRCA Supplement

The MRCA Supplement is a fortnightly payment that replace — d Telephone (and Internet) Allowance and Pharmaceutical Allowance to eligible MRCA claimants with effect from 20 September 2009.  The MRCA Supplement is provided to a wholly dependent partner of a deceased member where:

• l — iability for the deceased member's death has been accepted; or
• t — he deceased member met the criteria for a SRDP safety net payment at some time during his or her life; or
• t — he deceased member's permanent impairment is assessed as being 80 points or more, immediately before his or her death.

Refer to 9.3  for more information on the MRCA Supplement

When the MRCA Supplement is not payable

The MRCA supplement cannot be paid if the wholly dependent partner is already receiving one under the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) or the Social Security Act 1991.  However, if the person receives the supplement at a lower amount under the VEA than the rate they would be entitled to under the MRCA, then the supplement is payable under the MRCA and the VEA allowance needs to be cancelled.

Note: The current system does not automatically cancel the VEA allowance or alert the processing delegate to the need to arrange a changeover. Manual changeover to MRCA payability may need to be implemented. Until systems support is available, delegates will need to check whether the client is receiving a supplement under the VEA.

Wholly dependent partners are only entitled to one supplement under the MRCA even if they qualify under more than one provision of the Act.

Wholly dependent partners cannot be paid the MRCA supplement if they are living overseas or are away from Australia on a temporary basis for longer than 26 weeks.