C10/2014 2015 Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC)

Purpose

To provide information about the annual bulk issue of the 201 — 5 C — ommonwealth Seniors Health Card (C — SHC).

Background

The CSHC was introduced on 1 July 1994.  The card is re-issued annually and entitles the card holder to pharmaceuticals listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme at a concessional rate, the Medicare Safety Net threshold and concessional fare — s on the Great Southern Rail service.  In addition, CSHC holders may be entitled to further state/territory concessions on presentation of their card to the relevant department or authority.

CSHC holders may also be entitled to a quarterly payment from DVA.

Eligibility

The CSHC is intended to assist eligible veterans and their partners (including widow/widowers, and war widow/widowers) of pension age who fail to qualify for income support due to assets or income in excess of the current limit.  Eligibility is determined manually by state office staff.

Eligibility for residents of Norfolk Island

Residents of Norfolk Island are regarded as Australian residents for the purposes of determining eligibility for a CSHC.  This is due to changes to [glossary:section 5Q VEA which includes Norfolk Island in the definition of Australia, allowing access to various income support payments and benefits including the CSHC.

Residents of Norfolk Island may therefore be issued with a CSHC if all of the eligibility criteria are met.

CSHC Carrier

The 2015 CSHC will be issued on a CSHC Carrier sheet which sets out information about the card and the cardholder's obligations.

A copy of the CSHC Carrier is included at Attachment A.

CSHC Adjusted Taxable Income

The CSHC income test is based on the annual adjusted taxable income.  Annual adjusted taxable income is the total of:

• Taxable income as noted on the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) Notice of Assessment; and
• Employer provided fringe benefits in addition to salary that are over $1,000; and
• Foreign income where tax is not paid to the ATO; and
• Net loss from rental property; and
• Net loss from financial investments such as shares and managed investments; and
• Reportable superannuation contributions made by an employer as part of a salary package and personal superannuation contributions for which a person can claim a tax deduction.

CSHC Income Limit

The CSHC income limits are as follows:

• $50,000 if single;
• $80,000 (combined), if a member of a couple;
• $100,000 (combined), if accepted as being separated due to ill health or respite care.

The limits are increased for each dependent child by $639.60.

Legislation is before Parliament to index the CSHC income limits in September each year.  Due to the uncertainty around the passage of this legislation, income limits are not included on the CSHC Carrier this year.

Income limits will be re-instated on the Carrier when legislation is passed and indexed limits are known.

Change of Validity Period

Previously the validity period of the CSHC ended on 30 September.  Commencing with the 2015 annual bulk issue, the card will remain valid up to and including 31 December.

Move Production to November

With the change of validity period to 31 December, the CSHC production will be moved  to November 2015 for the 2016 annual bulk issue.

The change to the production schedule will allow sufficient time to include the indexed income limits on the Carrier.

Numbers

T — he number of cards and carriers to be produced for the bulk issue is estimated to be 5,3 — 00.

Dates

The following dates apply to the 201 — 5 annual bulk issue:

Task

Date

P — roduction data extract

28 August 2014

Implement changes to daily template

6:00 pm

28 August 2014

Produce reports for states

29 August 2014

Mailing house commence printing, enveloping and lodg — e — ment of cards

1 September 2014

Final lodgement date with Australia Post

5 September 201 — 4

Reports

Summary and Non-Issued Reports will be emailed to State Contacts and SSO on Friday, 29 August 2014.

In addition, status reports regarding the progress of the printing, enveloping and lodgement of cards will be provided to the State Contacts, the Client Contact Performance Team and DVA VANQISH as appropriate.

Daily Template

Changes to the daily template will be implemented on Thursday, 28 August 2014 at 6pm Eastern Standard Time.

Testing of the new daily template was conducted by the State Contacts and ICTSB prior to implementation.

Following implementation, State Contacts are to provide samples of the CSHC output to the project coordinator for quality assurance purposes.  The samples should include a new grant and a replacement for every state and territory.

Disposal of Old CSHC Stock

For 2015, as there will be changes to the text, all old CSHC stock must not be used after Thursday 28 August 2014.  The old stock should be disposed of securely.

State Contacts are to notify the project coordinator the number of CSHC stock to be discarded.  This information will be used to work out the stock requirements for the following year.

New CSHC Stock

New CSHC stock has been sent to State Contacts.  The stock is an accountable item and should be stored securely.

Additional stock in batches of one hundred will be provided on request.  State Contacts should email the stock request to the Cards and Advices team in Sydney.

Daily Issues

State locations can commence using the new CSHC stock from Friday 29 August 2015 for daily issue.

Location Contacts

The CSHC State Contacts are.

Location

Contact

NSW / ACT

Roula Bayon / Paul Fisher

QLD

Sharon Golden

VIC

Daniel Luba

SA / NT

Bee Measham / Marion Colliver

WA

Margarete Mumme / Michelle Pauly

TAS

Guy Siberry

Project Coordinator

The project coordinator for the bulk issue of the 2015 CSHC is:

Elis Lam

Cards & Advices

Income Support & Grants

Phone:  (02) 9213 7244

E-mail:  Elis.Lam@dva.gov.au:LEGIS/VEA/section 5Q]