DATE OF ISSUE: 19 December 1991
1992 BULK ISSUE - PRINTING, DESPATCH AND PROCEDURES
INDEX
The following index will assist readability of this Departmental Instruction.
Page Subject
1 INTRODUCTION
1 PERIOD CONTRACT
1 TIMETABLE
2 PRODUCTION OF SCHEDULES
2 SUMMARY OF INCLUSIONS
3 MACHINE DAMAGED OR INCORRECTLY ADDRESSED
DOCUMENTS
3 - 5 TRC VOUCHERS
- Design
- Production and Despatch
- Acceptance Dates
- Daily Issues
- Manual Issues
- Clients returning vouchers
- Possible DSS & DVA dual issues
5 - 6 GENERAL INFORMATION SHEET
6 WW1 INFORMATION SHEET
6 - 8 PENSIONER HEALTH BENEFITS (PHB) CARDS
INCORPORATING TRAVEL CONCESSION (TC) CARDS
- Branch Office Accountability Procedures
for PHB Cards
- Design
- Production and Despatch
- Date of Effect
- Daily Issues
- Manual Issues
- Special Register and Overseas Cases
- ACT use of NSW Travel Concessions
- NSW & QLD Free Rail Travel vouchers
9 PHARMACEUTICAL BENEFITS CONCESSION (PBC) CARDS
- Design
- Production and Despatch
- Date of Effect
- Daily Issues
- Manual Issues
9 - 10 WAR WIDOWS TRANSPORT CONCESSION CARDS
(NSW, VIC, SA)
- Design
- Production and Despatch
- Date of Effect
- Daily Issues
- Manual Issues
- Error identified during system testing
10 PHARMACEUTICAL ALLOWANCE INSERT
10 SA CHANGE OF ADDRESS INSERT
11 OFFICE OF AUSTRALIAN WAR GRAVES PAMPHLET
11 CONTACTS FOR NOTIFICATION OF ADP AND OTHER
PROBLEMS
ATTACHMENTS
1
INTRODUCTION
1. The production of bulk issues of 1992 Pensioner Health Benefits (PHB) cards, Transport Concession (TC1) cards, Pharmaceutical Benefits Concession (PBC) cards, associated travel cards, Telephone Rental Concession (TRC) vouchers, and various inserts, commenced in the week beginning 18 November 1991. All material was scheduled to be despatched to clients on 6 December 1991.
2. There has been a considerable amount of work done throughout the year to rectify problems that have plagued these issues in previous years. In particular, the "Bulk Card and TRC Voucher Issue" process has been re-worked and earlier problems have been eliminated. In addition a period contract has been let for the complete production (including mailing) of the items included in this year's Bulk Issue.
3. This year's Bulk issue has not been without problems. A summary of these will be included in a post implementation report to be completed next year. Meanwhile, staff are
encouraged to contact the officers nominated in the Departmental Instruction if any problems arise. Branch views will be sought separately on the perceived success of the
exercise.
PERIOD CONTRACT
4. As mentioned previously, this year a 12 month period contract was let which enabled the various tasks to be undertaken by the one company. One exception was the offset printing of State specific War Widows Travel Concession cards arranged by the respective States. Another example was the preparation of artwork for the PHB and PBC cards done by the Department of Social Security (DSS). All other tasks related to this project were completed at the NCC, within Central Office or by the chosen company.
5. The company selected by tender for this issue (and future mail exercises) was R. L. POLK who have premises at 597 Church Street, RICHMOND VIC, 3121. The 12 month contract entered into by DVA and POLK reduced the need for time spent in the quotation process and also enabled a level of continuity not previously achieved. A review of the success of this method will be included in the post implementation report.
TIMETABLE
6. The National Computer Centre (NCC) extracted the tapes and schedules of listings over the weekend 16 and 17 November 1991 and these were sent to the mailing company (R. L. Polk) on Monday 18 November 1991. All stock of non personalised documents required to be used for Daily Issues was delivered to the NCC on Monday 25 November 1991. As stated previously the bulk mail-out was scheduled to be completed on 6 December 1991.
This timetable coincides with that proposed by DSS.
PRODUCTION OF SCHEDULES
7. The listings to be used for concession cards were produced in alphabetical order and with a composite split (where appropriate). The headings on reports were descriptive. The following listings were produced:
a) PHB/TC1 cards issued;
b) PBC/VA1 cards issued;
c) beneficiaries who receive PHB cards and who have been included with your State run but are paid by another State (the paying State is indicated by N,V,Q,S,W or T); and
d) beneficiaries who do not receive any card, together with a brief explanation of why they did not receive a card (e.g. too many characters in the address).
8. Other listings may be produced for various categories not able to be picked up automatically and requiring despatch by Branches. These are covered under separate heading and include : certain World War 1 (WW1) allies, Special Register cases and a number of War Widows. Systems have also advised that a listing of `Carers' will also be produced.
SUMMARY OF INCLUSIONS
9. The following documents were mailed in various combinations in this 1992 Bulk Issue and a copy can be found at the listed Attachment :
Document — Attachment
a) Telephone Rental Concession (TRC) Vouchers — A
(value $12-95);
b) World War 1 Telephone Rental Concession (TRC)B
Vouchers (value $38-85);
c) General Information Sheet about Telephone — C
Allowance (TA);
d) World War 1 Information Sheet about WW1 TA;D
e) Pensioner Health Benefits (PHB) Cards;E
f) Pharmaceutical Benefits Concession (PBC) Cards;F
g) War Widows Transport Concession Cards — G
(NSW, SA, VIC);
h) Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme Insert;H
i) South Australia Change of Address Insert; and — I
j) Office of Australian War Graves pamphlet.J
MACHINE DAMAGED OR INCORRECTLY ADDRESSED DOCUMENTS
10. R. L. POLK will put aside any machine damaged or incompletely addressed documents from the 1992 Bulk Issue and these will be sent to respective Branches for manual despatch.
TRC VOUCHERS
11. This year is the last time the TRC vouchers will be produced as part of the Bulk Issue. From 1 July 1992 assistance with telephone rental will be paid to eligible pensioners in the form of a quarterly payment. It is for this reason that ONLY TWO (2) TRC vouchers will be despatched in this bulk issue. A Departmental Instruction on Telephone Allowance will be provided prior to implementation on 1 July 1992.
12. This final issue of TRC vouchers also includes an increase to the World War 1 vouchers to make them equivalent to the annual telephone rental charge. Information on this increase is contained in a separate Departmental Instruction.
DESIGN
13. As mentioned previously the major design change has been to produce two vouchers instead of the usual four. Vouchers included in the Bulk Issue were produced "two up" on A5 sized paper with one perforation which meant that there was no wastage and no need to overprint any vouchers with "cancelled".
14. The other immediately noticeable change is the new green colour. This was chosen to assist in identification of the DVA 1992 vouchers.
15. Although the wording has also changed slightly, the other important change to note is that the value has increased to $12-95 (and $38-85 for World War 1 veterans). The WW1 voucher is also quite distinctive having large white WW1 letters on the front of the voucher. The file number on both vouchers now appears on the front under the text block.
16. The redesigned TRC vouchers have been tested on Telecom readers prior to despatch and copies are at Attachment A.
PRODUCTION AND DESPATCH
17. The following Department of Veterans' Affairs pensioners are to receive TRC vouchers in this Bulk Issue if they are telephone subscribers (ie they pay rent for a telephone connected in their name, in their home):
a) World War 1 Veterans;
b) War Widows;
c) Permanently blind pensioners;
d) Totally and permanently incapacitated (TP&I) pensioners; and
e) Service pensioners who are eligible for pensioner health benefits.
18. The system has facilitated issue of TRC vouchers to the above pensioners if a `Y' appeared against the Telephone Subscriber Indicator (TSI) field on the TRC IQ screen. Please note that the last two groups currently have to satisfy a Household Income Limit (HIL) test before they can use these vouchers.
19. Extract tapes have been provided to R. L. Polk to enable matching, processing and mailing of the TRC vouchers as part of the bulk issue.
ACCEPTANCE DATES
20. Pensioners becoming eligible for TRC in the period to 31 December 1991 will be issued with a manual 1991 voucher. The expiry date of 1992 TRC vouchers in this bulk issue is 30 September 1991 and is printed on the actual voucher. No vouchers will be honoured after this date.
DAILY ISSUES
21. R. L. Polk have supplied a quantity of non-personalised TRC vouchers to the NCC for use in automatic daily issues. Amendments have been made to the Daily Issues system to ensure the majority of World War 1 veterans can be provided with a daily issue if necessary. Amendments to the actual Advice paragraphs were completed in the week ending 22 November 1991, however the daily advices were held up for an extra few days pending additional programming amendments.
MANUAL ISSUES
22. As mentioned above, Branches will need to manual issue 1991 vouchers for the period to 31 December 1991. Distribution of 1991 vouchers will be co-ordinated by the Benefits ADP Section in Central Office and Senior Systems Officers can request these from Ms Tracey Cunningham on(06) 289 6398.
23. Please note that the following are three primary instances after this 1992 Bulk Issue where manual issue is warranted :
a) remaining 1991 TRC vouchers for the period to 31 December 1991;
b) incompletely addressed or machine damaged vouchers produced during the 1992 Bulk Issue; or
c) World War 1 allied veterans not correctly identified during the 1992 extraction.
If, for any other reason (such as a system problem), Branch staff decide a manual issue is warranted, the Senior Systems Officer should request this through Benefits ADP Section in Central Office.
24. Manual issues of TRC vouchers are to be recorded on the TRC UP screen on the system. Branches may be asked to provide an estimate of the numbers of manuals issued in the last year prior to the replacement of the voucher system, therefore it is important to record these issues.
CLIENTS RETURNING VOUCHERS
25. As commonly known, some of the information contained on the CDB will be incorrect at the time of the Bulk Issue (e.g. incorrect address or beneficiary has died). It is expected that some vouchers will be returned to the Department for this reason. It is important that where this occurs the error is rectified and the CDB is immediately updated.
POSSIBLE DSS AND DVA DUAL ISSUES
26. There is a small possibility that some DVA households may receive TRC vouchers from both DVA and DSS. The most common scenario would be a World War 1 veteran married to an Age Pensioner in which case a DSS voucher of $12-95 and a DVA voucher of $38-85 may be received. There is currently no legislative authority to preclude receipt of these dual vouchers and (of course) no overpayments are to be raised. DSS and DVA are currently reviewing ways to avoid double payments of Telephone Allowance.
DEATH PROCESSING IMPLICATIONS
27. There are no death processing implications for this last issue of the TRC vouchers as death processing advices will carry the same wording as that currently in production (see Attachment K).
GENERAL INFORMATION SHEET
28. A General Information Sheet was included in the envelopes despatched to clients receiving a TRC voucher. This sheet contains information relating to the replacement of the voucher system on 1 July with quarterly Telephone Allowance payments.
29. Any surplus stock following the Bulk Issue will be sent to Branches to assist with later enquiries from pensioners regarding the new Telephone Allowance. Branch staff can rule through the sections relating to TRC vouchers and can then provide a copy if requested.
30. A copy of the General Information Sheet is at Attachment B.
WORLD WAR 1 INFORMATION SHEET
31. A WW1 Information Sheet was included in the envelopes despatched to clients receiving a World War 1 TRC voucher. This sheet contains information relating to the increase in value of the WW1 TRC voucher as well as the replacement of the voucher system on 1 July with quarterly Telephone Allowance payments.
32. As with the General Information Sheet, any surplus stock following the Bulk Issue will be sent to Branches to assist with later enquiries from pensioners regarding the new Telephone Allowance. Branch staff can rule through the sections relating to TRC vouchers and can then provide a copy if requested.
33. A copy of the World War 1 Information Sheet is at Attachment C.
PENSIONER HEALTH BENEFITS (PHB) CARDS INCORPORATING TRANSPORT CONCESSION (TC) CARDS
34. As in previous years, artwork for these 1992 cards was provided by DSS. R. L. Polk then produced and `personalised' them and delivered the non personalised cards to the NCC on 25 November 1991 for use in daily issues.
BRANCH OFFICE ACCOUNTABILITY PROCEDURES FOR PHB CARDS
35. The information contained in Part 8 of the General Orders Service Pension (GOSP) refers to the procedures to follow up when issuing the accountable PHB and PBC cards. These procedures will be amended to streamline the process, however they should be followed until new procedures are available. Comments from Branch Offices on the suitability of existing procedures will be sought separately.
DESIGN
36. Only minor design changes were made to these cards. The State Rail Authorities in each State have been contacted in relation to the Travel Concession portion. Copies are at Attachment D.
PRODUCTION AND DESPATCH
37. Extract tapes have been provided to RL Polk to enable matching, processing and mailing of the cards as part of the bulk issue.
DATE OF EFFECT
38. The date of effect, 1 January 1992, will be printed only on cards produced automatically at the time of bulk issues. 1992 cards issued manually at the time of the bulk issue are also to show the date of effect as 01/01/92.
DAILY ISSUES
39. Non personalised stock was delivered to the NCC on Monday 25 November 1991 for use in production of Daily Issues.
40. From 25 November 1991, the NCC will print all daily automatic issues on 1992 concession cards. Pensioners becoming eligible for fringe benefits from 25 November will require 1991 concession cards to be issued manually over the period to 31 December 1991.
MANUAL ISSUES
41. As stated previously, the manual issue of Pensioner Health Benefits Cards (PHB) is described in Attachment J. These forms are accountable documents and their receipt and
issue will be controlled in accordance with Treasury Directions.
42. Concession cards are not issued to the address maintained in the CDB. For example, a NSW postcode will produce a NSW PHB card regardless of the paying state. For this reason there should be no need to make a manual issue of cards in border town cases.
SPECIAL REGISTER AND OVERSEAS CASES
43. Concession cards for Special Registers will be reclaimed by R. L. Polk after printing and sent to relevant Branch Offices for despatch.
44. Concession cards for clients handled by a Trust Office will be reclaimed by R. L. Polk after printing and sent to relevant Branch Offices for despatch to Trust Offices.
45. Pensioners living or travelling overseas are not entitled to pensioner health benefits or pharmaceutical benefits and are not to be issued with concession cards while outside Australia. Pensioners living overseas who return to Australia are entitled to benefits for which they qualify and the appropriate card is to be issued manually. Pensioners travelling overseas for a short holiday are not required to return concession cards.
46. Testing carried out during the 1991 Bulk Issue Tape preparation phase did not identify any Overseas cases. Any cases subsequently identified will be reclaimed by R. L. Polk after printing and sent to Tasmanian Branch Office.
ACT USE OF NSW TRAVEL CONCESSIONS
47. These procedures remain the same as for previous years in that PHB (TC) recipients living in the ACT will receive NSW cards. This is because NSW cards can still be used by ACT pensioners for travel within NSW if they wish. For travel within the ACT (eg on ACT Buses) these pensioners are not required to produce the cards.
NSW AND QLD FREE FRAIL TRAVEL VOUCHERS
48. Concessional rail travel vouchers will once again be sent by the Department to pensioners living in NEW SOUTH WALES and QUEENSLAND. The vouchers form part of the composite PHB/TC card.
49. Where a pensioner is granted or becomes eligible for "Fringe Benefits" subsequent to bulk issue, a complete set of cards including the rail vouchers is to be issued.
50. If a NEW SOUTH WALES pensioner seeks a replacement issue of either the PHB or the TC1 component of the concession card, replacement rail vouchers will be issued up to 28 February 1992. From 1 March 1992 replacement cards generated by the ADP on-line system will have the rail voucher component over-printed with the word "CANCELLED". All "CANCELLED" rail vouchers are to be detached from the set and are not to be issued to the pensioner. In these circumstances the client is to de directed to the State Rail Authority for issue of replacement vouchers.
51. If a QUEENSLAND pensioner seeks a replacement issue of either the PHB or TC1 component of the concession card, replacement rail vouchers ARE to be issued.
52. New grants, reviews and/or transfers-in with entitlement to fringe benefits will NOT have the rail voucher component cancelled by the ADP system as pensioners are entitled to the free vouchers in these circumstances. In any case where the pensioner is known to have transferred-in or has been granted fringe benefits more than once in a year, more than two travel vouchers should not be issued.
53. Copies of PHB cards (including the NSW and QLD versions) are included at Attachment E.
PHARMACEUTICAL BENEFITS CONCESSION (PBC) CARDS
54. As in previous years, artwork for these 1992 cards was provided by DSS. R. L. POLK then produced and `personalised them and delivered non personalised cards to the NCC on 25 November 1991 for use in daily issues.
DESIGN
55. Only minor design changes have been made to these cards. A copy is at Attachment F.
PRODUCTION AND DESPATCH OF PBC CARDS
56. Extract tapes have been provided to RL Polk to enable matching, processing and mailing of the cards as part of the bulk issue.
DATE OF EFFECT ON AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED CARDS
57. The date of effect, 1 January 1992, will be printed only on cards produced automatically at the time of bulk issues. 1992 cards issued manually at the time of the bulk issue are also to show the date of effect as 01/01/92.
DAILY ISSUES
58. Non personalised stock was delivered to the NCC on Monday 25 November 1991 for use in production of Daily Issues.
59. From 25 November 1991, the NCC will print all daily automatic issues on 1992 concession cards. Pensioners becoming eligible for PBC cards from 25 November will require 1991 concession cards to be issued manually over the period to 31 December 1991.
MANUAL ISSUES
60. Branch Offices will be supplied with copies of blank concession cards from the NCC in December 1991 for manual issues. The consecutive numbers of blank cards received are accountable and subsequent manual issues are to be recorded.
WAR WIDOWS TRANSPORT CONCESSION CARDS (NSW, VIC, SA)
61. War Widow's Travel Cards for New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia were printed by each respective State and provided to R. L.Polk for personalisation and despatch as part of the 1992 Bulk Issue.
DESIGN
62. Copies are at Attachment G.
PRODUCTION AND DESPATCH
63. As stated previously R. L. Polk will personalise anddespatch these cards as part of the 1992 Bulk Issue.
DATE OF EFFECT
64. NSW, VIC and SA Transport Concession cards are issued with effect from 1 January 1992 and are valid for use until 31/12/92.
DAILY ISSUES
65. In NSW & SA, these cards are automatically issued in the same manner as the PHB cards. In VIC the cards are issued manually.
MANUAL ISSUES
66. Manual Issue also incorporates the same general procedure as for PHB cards.
ERROR IDENTIFIED DURING SYSTEM TESTING
67. System testing undertaken as part of the 1992 Bulk Issue identified that in some instances only a file number was recorded on the database (not the name or address). It was thought at the time that this was an error not corrected at last year's issue.
68. This situation will be investigated and a SAS program will be written enabling the NCC to print these extra cards out in a block. The cards will then be sent to the respective Branch Offices for despatch. It is expected that the total for the three States will be less than 1000 cases.
PHARMACEUTICAL ALLOWANCE INSERT
69. A flier relating to Pharmaceutical Allowance has been included with all envelopes despatched as part of the 1992 Bulk Issue as the recipients would not have otherwise received this information. This flier explains the availability of the new Pharmaceutical Allowance advances scheme and includes some information about the new rates of charging for pharmaceuticals and for the Pharmaceutical Allowance. A copy of this insert is at Attachment H.
SA CHANGE OF ADDRESS INSERT
70. As the SA Branch Office moved recently, it was agreed to include a change of address notification in the SA 1992 Bulk Issue envelopes. A copy of this notice is at Attachment I.
OFFICE OF AUSTRALIAN WAR GRAVES PAMPHLET
71. A late inclusion in some of the 1992 Bulk Issue envelopes was a pamphlet produced by the Office of Australian War Graves entitled `Services Provided by Office of Australian War Graves'. The reason for its inclusion as part of the 1992 Bulk Issue was what this Issue was seen by the Office of Australian War Graves as a timely way to reach some of their targeted group. As available stock was limited the pamphlet was not included in all envelopes, however a large proportion of Bulk Issue recipients will receive a copy. A copy of the pamphlet is at Attachment J.
CONTACTS FOR NOTIFICATION OF ADP AND OTHER PROBLEMS
72. Notification of major ADP system problems should be made as an OIM system request providing specific details of the cases involved. Contact Officers for systems related issues are Tracey Cunningham on (06) 289 6398.
73. Any other immediate problems should be notified by telephone and fax to Colette Woodford Income Support on PH : (60) 289 6684 or Fax : (06) 285 2669.
KAY GRIMSLEY
ASSISTANT SECRETARY
INCOME SUPPORT