DATE OF ISSUE: 14 AUGUST 2000
ISSUE OF 2000/01 COMMONWEALTH SENIORS HEALTH CARD (CSHC)
PURPOSE
To provide information about the bulk issue of the 2000/01 Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC).
HISTORY & CONCESSIONS PROVIDED
The CSHC was introduced on 1 July 1994 and has since been issued in bulk each financial year. CSHC 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 for the CSHC changed on 1 January 1999 from assessing ordinary income to taxable income.
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; and
- be 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 is currently:
- 60 years of age (or greater) for a male veteran, and 56.5 years of age (or greater) for a female veteran; and
- 65 years of age (or greater) for the male partner of a veteran, and 61.5 years of age (or greater) for the female partner of a veteran.
THE CSHC INCOME TEST
The current CSHC taxable income test limits have been increased as a result of recent GST changes and are as follows:
- single - $41,000
- partnered - $68,676
- illness separated - $75,230
- plus an additional amount per year for each dependant child - $639.60.
PRODUCTION, TIMING AND LOCATION
Processing of the bulk issue of approximately 5,310 CSHC cards will take place on 21/8/2000, following the extract of client data on 14/8/2000. CSHC recipients should receive their cards in the first week of 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.
State |
No. - Bulk issue |
Blank supply for daily issue |
NSW |
2111 |
400 |
VIC |
1332 |
400 |
QLD |
889 |
300 |
WA |
435 |
200 |
SA |
425 |
150 |
TAS |
118 |
150 |
TOTAL |
5310 |
1600 |
FORMAT OF CARDS/ CARRIER
The card has changed from last year. The card will now be consistent with other IS cards and is the same make-up as the TC1 & PCC. 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 2001.
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 Tuesday 15 August. The new templates have the expiry date of 30 September 2001. This means States will only need to issue one card for any new grants after 14 August 2000. ie the card will show: “Valid from: 15 August 2000 to 30 September 2001.
The blank stock for the daily issue of CSHCs will be forwarded by SMS to the State Office's nominated officers as listed below immediately after the bulk issue.
STATE |
QUANTITY |
CONTACT |
PHONE |
FAX |
NSW |
400 |
Sue Cooney |
(02) 9213 7874 |
(02) 9212 7885 |
VIC |
400 |
David Price |
(03) 9284 6379 |
(03) 9284 6797 |
QLD |
300 |
Gaynor Corlis |
(07) 3223 8842 |
(07) 3223 8533 |
WA |
200 |
Clyton Aitkon |
(08) 9366 8417 |
(08) 9366 8239 |
SA |
150 |
Maria Lewandowski |
(08) 8290 0439 |
(08) 8290 0412 |
TAS |
150 |
Judith Makedos |
(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
A/G BRANCH HEAD
INCOME SUPPORT BRANCH
August 2000