Confirming concession card entitlement and issuing interim vouchers 101-06070000

A customer who is a custodial parent with entitlement to a concession card can contact to request an additional concession card for the non-custodial parent.

Is the custodial parent contacting to request an interim voucher for the non-custodial parent?

• Yes. If the custodial parent is contacting via:
• smart centre, tell the customer to collect an interim voucher from their local service centre. Record details of the advice given to the customer on a DOC. Procedure ends here
• service centre, go to Step 4
• No, go to Step 2

Go to the Medicare Number Details (MND) screen to check the customer’s Medicare card number has been recorded.

See Recording Medicare card numbers for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and Medicare Safety Net.

The customer's residence qualification will be automatically assessed if the residence information is correctly recorded.

Activate the Immigration datalink and ensure the residency details are up to date.

Go to Task Selector > Confirm concession entitlement to view current and historical concession entitlement details.

Expand the displayed card to show the dependants listed on the card

Go to Step 3.

Go to Task Selector > Confirm concession entitlement:

• when the Concession entitlement correspondence screen displays, select a valid concession card > select Refresh
• for the Would you like to issue Concession entitlement correspondence? question, select:
• No, if a letter is not needed
• Yes - print centrally, for a letter to issue overnight
• Yes - print locally, to print and give to the customer immediately. Note: this option is not available for customers who have a correspondence nominee
• the concession entitlements will refresh and will re-transmit relevant data overnight to Medicare Australia (and subsequently be available to pharmacies)
• select Submit to display the Successfully refreshed entitlements for the concession card message
• an auto Note/DOC will generate advising the concession has been refreshed

Issue a replacement priority concession card if required.

Does the customer require an interim voucher?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, procedure ends here

An interim voucher:

• may be issued to the customer while waiting for their original or replacement card to arrive in the mail
• should not be issued to a customer in a different name to that recorded on the system. The system defaults to display the recorded current LGL name on a concession card

Go to Customer First to:

• check the Customer Person Detail Summary (CPDS) screen for the current legal (LGL) name recorded. See Alias and other names and make any updates before issuing a replacement card or interim voucher, and
• view entitlement details on the Concession Entitlement Summary (MCCS) screen. The priority concession for the customer is listed first (followed by a blank line and the next concession entitlement)

Run the Concession Card Reissue guided procedure to issue a printed interim card/voucher:

• Service Officers must ensure it is:
• signed by the Service Officer and customer, and
• date stamped on the appropriate card illustration
• the printed interim card/voucher will be recorded on the system and no further action is required. Procedure ends here
• local printing issues may occur if the user's default printer on ESSentials is different to the printer identified on the User's Profile (OAUP) screen in the Income Security Integrated System (ISIS). If the interim card/voucher is not received at the local printer:
• go to the History Summary (HS) screen and locate the COMSS055 letter, and
• send the letter to Local Print

If the Concession Card Reissue guided procedure is unavailable, go to Step 5.

Otherwise, procedure ends here.

If the Concession Card Reissue guided procedure is unavailable, Service Officers must:

• first verify the customer's current concession entitlement via the Concession Entitlement Summary (MCCS) screen
• only issue a manual Confirmation of Concession Card Entitlement (SS055) form when a system failure or declared emergency situation results in no print facility available to staff
• complete the SS055 accountable form by hand

Go to the Concession Card Issue Summary (CCIS) screen to record the SS055 form has been issued manually:

• key 'I' next to the concession card required
• when the Concession Card Interim Voucher (CCIV) screen displays, complete these fields:
• Serial no, key the serial number shown on the SS055 form
• Valid To, default is 14 days. Can be extended for a maximum period of 3 months from the date of issue (subject to the expiry date)
• Reason for Issue, use field help ('?') for a list of valid values
• complete the Source and DOR fields
• print the completed CCIV screen. Give the printout to the Accountable Forms Officer as proof of the issue
• press [Enter]. The system updates the customer’s record to show the issue of an interim voucher on the CCIS screen:
• ensure only the appropriate card illustration is date stamped and all applicable boxes on the form are filled
• the Date of Grant of concession card can be found on the MCCS screen
• tell the customer the Please note provisions at the bottom of the SS055 and that they must sign the SS055 immediately
• the Service Officer must then sign the SS055 before issuing the completed form to the customer. There are special requirements for what fields are to be completed for interim vouchers to be issued to custodial parents for use by non-custodial parents
• finalise the activity and record the details on a DOC

Note: if this process is applied, a requested replacement card may arrive at the same time, or even earlier than the interim voucher. If necessary, issue an auto replacement card via the CCIS screen.

Procedure ends here.