ATTACHMENT C - EXAMPLE LETTER ADVISING AGED CARE RESIDENTOF SUCESSFUL QUALIFYING SERVICE CLAIM

							Commonwealth Department of Veterans' Affairs
						VICTORIAN STATE OFFICE
Contact			Telephone				300 Latrobe St
Reference			Facsimile				Melbourne   VIC   3000
							Postal Address:
							GPO Box 87A
							Melbourne   VIC   3001
							Telephone:  (03) 9284 6000
							Country residents:   1800 113 304
							Facsimile: (03) 9602 5709
							29 August 1997

Dear

I am writing to you about the application for service pension qualifying service which you have made for the purposes of exempting your disability pension from assessment as income for aged care fee purposes.

OUTCOME OF YOUR CLAIM

On (enter date) a delegate of the Repatriation Commission decided that you are an eligible veteran and have rendered qualifying service as required by the Veterans' Entitlement Act 1986.

EXEMPTION OF DISABILITY PENSION FROM
ASSESSMENT OF AGED CARE FEES

As you have qualifying service, your disability pension will not be assessed as income in determining the level of fees you have to pay to the (enter “nursing home” or “hostel”) where you live.

SUMMARY OF ASSESSED INCOME

Based on the information held by this Department your income is (enter amount)per fortnight with effect from (enter date).  This is made up as follows:

Income Source	Income per fortnight
Total	$

ONLY EXCESS INCOME USED
TO CALCULATE FEES

Not all of this income will be assessed to calculate the income tested component of your fees.  The Department of Health & Family Services will only assess income in excess of (enter relevant $OIFA) (the pension income free area) to calculate your fees.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & FAMILY SERVICES
WILL ADVISE RATE OF DAILY FEES

The Department of Health & Family Services will write to you separately to advise you of your rate of daily fees.

CHANGES OF CIRCUMSTANCE

Please advise the Department of Veterans' Affairs if there are any changes to your income or personal circumstances.

The Department of Veterans' Affairs will then advise the Department of Health

and Family Services of any changes that may affect the amount of residential care fee you pay.

YOUR RIGHT OF REVIEW

If you do not agree with this income assessment, you may apply to have it reviewed by a Review Officer at this office.

TIME LIMIT FOR REVIEW

If you decide to apply for review of this income assessment you must do so within three months of being advised of this variation.  A request for review must be in writing and set out your reasons for seeking a review.

CONTACT NUMBERS

If you have any questions about any of the above matters, please contact me on the telephone number at the top of this letter, or if you reside outside the metropolitan area, toll free on 1800 (enter number).  If you telephone, we may ask you to confirm information in writing or to send us certain documents that are related to the matter.

Yours Sincerely

(enter name)

for DEPUTY COMMISSIONER