C14/2001 ISSUE OF 2001/02 COMMONWEALTH SENIORS HEALTH CARD (CSHC)

DATE OF ISSUE:  10 AUGUST 2001

ISSUE OF 2001/02 COMMONWEALTH SENIORS HEALTH CARD (CSHC)

PURPOSE

To provide information about the bulk issue of the 2001/02 Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC).

HISTORY & CONCESSIONS PROVIDED

The CSHC was introduced on 1 July 1994 and currently provides entitlement to Commonwealth Concessions only.  This entitlement is currently limited to concessional pharmaceuticals listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).  Access to the Commonwealth Dental Program by the CSHC holders ceased on 1 January 1997 and eligibility for hearing services became unavailable from 1 July 1997.

The income test limits for the CSHC changed on 1 July 2001.  As at 1 September 2001, all CSHC holders will be eligible for Telephone Allowance (TA) with payment occurring on 20 September.  This will have a significant effect on the amount of CSHCs issued as many Gold Cardholders who were eligible for a CSHC but did not previously apply, may now apply in order to obtain the TA.

ELIGIBILITY

The CSHC is intended to assist those retirees and other eligible veterans of pension age who fail to qualify for pension due to assets or income in excess of the current limit.

To be eligible for the CSHC, a person must:

• be a veteran who has rendered qualifying service or the partner, non-illness separated spouse or widow(er) of such a veteran; and
• have reached pension age; and
• be an Australian resident living in Australia; and
• not be in receipt of service pension, income support supplement or a social security pension or benefit; and
• satisfy the CSHC income test.

Eligibility is determined manually by State Office staff.

PENSION AGE

Pension age for males is 60 years of age (or greater) with QS, and 65 years of age (or greater) without QS.

Pension age for female veterans is:

• 56.5 years of age for those born from 1 July 1943 and 31 December 1944
• 57 years for those born from 1 January 1945 to 30 June 1946.

Pension age for female non-veterans is:

• 61.5 years for those born from 1 July 1938 to 31 December 1939 and
• 62 years for those born from 1 January 1940 to 30 June 1941.

A detailed table of Pension Age can be found at section 5R and 5QB of the VEA.

THE CSHC INCOME TEST

The current CSHC taxable income test limits have been increased as a result of recent Budget changes and are as follows:

• single - $50,000
• partnered - $80,000
• illness separated - $100,000
• plus an additional amount per year for each dependant child - $639.60.

PRODUCTION, TIMING AND LOCATION

The bulk printing of the 2001-02 cards will commence on 22 August 2001.  The amount of cards as at 3 August was 5,504, however this number is expected to increase prior to the bulk run with the introduction of the TA that is available to CSHC holders.  The live data extract will be undertaken on 16 August and CSHC recipients should receive their cards no later than 14 September.

CARD NUMBERS

Following is the State by State breakdown of the expected numbers of CSHCs to be issued in the bulk run and the quantity of the blank stock to be supplied to the State Offices for daily card issue.  You will notice the blank supply for daily issue is very high in relation to the bulk issue amounts, this is to allow for the anticipated increase in new grants.

State	No. - Bulk issue	Blank supply for daily issue
NSW	1945	800
VIC	1309	800
QLD	826	500
WA	922	400
SA	409	400
TAS	93	300
TOTAL	5504	3200

FORMAT OF CARDS/ CARRIER

The card has not changed from last year.   The carrier will continue to be a single A4 cut sheet format stationery, printed on the front and back. The card and carrier is identical for each State.  However, during the personalising process, slightly different information will be printed on the carrier for each State.

EXPIRY DATE

The expiry date for all CSHCs will be 30 September 2002.

POST PRODUCTION REPORTS

A copy of the post-production schedule reports will be sent to each office by National Office.   IMU Branch will forward all reports to Business Operations & Support in National Office who will then forward them on to the respective State Office contacts.

DAILY ISSUES & SUPPLIES OF BLANK STOCK

The new templates for the daily issue are to be used from Friday 17 August.  The new templates have the expiry date of 30 September 2002. This means States will only need to issue one card for any new grants after 17 August 2001.  ie the card will show: “Valid from: 17 August 2001 to 30 September 2002.

The blank stock for the daily issue of CSHCs will be forwarded by SMS to the State Office's nominated officers by 15 August.

STATE	QUANTITY	CONTACT	PHONE	FAX
NSW	800	Sue Cooney	(02) 9213 7874	(02) 9212 7885
VIC	800	Peter Rogers	(03) 9284 6379	(03) 9284 6797
QLD	500	Carolyn Lindsay	(07) 3223 8842	(07) 3223 8533
WA	400	John Gliddon	(08) 9366 8417	(08) 9366 8239
SA	400	Maria Lewandowski	(08) 8290 0439	(08) 8290 0412
TAS	300	Bryon Kelly	(03) 6221 6684	(03) 6221 6601

REPORT DAILY ISSUE DIFFICULTIES

Any difficulties in relation to daily issues should be reported to the contact officers in National Office.

Robert Krajina                                          David Hollaway

Tel:  (02) 6289 6044          OR                Tel:  (02) 6289 6347

Fax:  (02) 6289 6553                               Fax: (02) 6289 6553

JEANETTE RICKETS

BRANCH HEAD

INCOME SUPPORT BRANCH

     August 2001