Basically the data matching process operates as follows:

• DH&FS download from their database, and transmit the data, identifying all current aged care residents;
• the data is sent to DVA who identifies DVA income support pensioner and DVA self-funded retirees matches;    More
• for those post 28 February 1998 residents identified as being DVA pensioners, or self funded retirees who receive disability pension and have qualifying service, an income figure is included on the data file;
• the data file is then sent to Centrelink who identify their pensioners and the remaining self-funded retirees and where appropriate include an income figure where there has been a change since the last transmission;
• the data is then transmitted to DH&FS who use the income figures on the file to calculate the aged care fees for each resident.
• DH&FS then advise the proprietor of the aged care facility how much to charge the resident.
• those pensioners identified by Centrelink as being unmatched DVA pensioners are referred back to DVA in the next transmission.  This aligns the DVA and DH&FS databases to ensure future matches;