C38/2002 ISSUE OF 2002/03 COMMONWEALTH SENIORS HEALTH CARD (CSHC)

DATE OF ISSUE:  13 AUGUST 2002

ISSUE OF 2002/03 COMMONWEALTH SENIORS HEALTH CARD (CSHC)

PURPOSE

To provide information about the bulk issue of the 2002/03 Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC).

HISTORY & CONCESSIONS PROVIDED

The CSHC was introduced on 1 July 1994 and currently provides entitlement to Commonwealth Concessions for 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. However, certain States (WA & SA) are now offering additional state specific concessions to CSHC holders.

From 1 September 2001, CSHC holders, who are eligible telephone subscribers, became eligible for Telephone Allowance (TA) payable quarterly.  CSHC holders can also access discounted rail travel (50% of the economy fare) on Great Southern Railway services: The Ghan, The Overland and The Indian Pacific.

ELIGIBILITY

The CSHC is intended to assist eligible veterans, and their partners, widows and widowers, 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 male veterans with QS and war widowers is 60 years of age (or greater), and for non-veterans and veterans without QS is 65 years of age (or greater).

Pension age for female veterans and war widows 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 sections 5QA and 5QB of the VEA.

THE CSHC INCOME TEST

The CSHC income test is based on adjusted taxable income.  The current CSHC income limits are as follows:

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

PRODUCTION, TIMING AND CARD NUMBERS

The bulk printing of the 2002-03 cards will commence on 22 August 2002.

As at 9 August there are 7,427 cards to be printed (5,504 in 2001-02). 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.

State	No. - Bulk issue	Blank supply for daily issue
NSW	2671	1000
VIC	1715	1000
QLD	1152	500
WA	1179	500
SA	586	500
TAS	124	500
TOTAL	7427	4000

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 are 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 2003.

POST PRODUCTION REPORTS

IMU will forward all reports to the respective State Office contacts.

DAILY ISSUES & STATE OFFICE CONTACTS

The new templates for the daily issue are to be used from Monday 19 August.  The new templates have the expiry date of 30 September 2003. This means States will only need to issue one card for any new grants after 19 August 2002.  ie the card will show: “Valid from: 19 August 2002 to 30 September 2003.

STATE	CONTACT	PHONE	FAX
NSW	William Berridge	(02) 9213 7874	(02) 9212 7885
VIC	David Price	(03) 9284 6379	(03) 9284 6797
QLD	Geraldine Howard	(07) 3223 8842	(07) 3223 8533
WA	John Gliddon	(08) 9366 8417	(08) 9366 8239
SA	Maria Lewandowski	(08) 8290 0439	(08) 8290 0412
TAS	Bryon Kelly	(03) 6221 6684	(03) 6221 6601

FACT SHEETS WITH NEW GRANTS

States are required to insert a CSHC Fact Sheet with all new grants.  This info is necessary to fully explain the nature of the income that is taken into account to determine whether a person meets the seniors health card income test.

REPORT DAILY ISSUE DIFFICULTIES

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

Robert Krajina

Tel:  (02) 6289 6044

Fax:  (02) 6289 6553

ROGER WINZENBERG

BRANCH HEAD

INCOME SUPPORT

12 August 2002