Quarterly supplement overseas absences 061-01070090

The quarterly supplement is not payable to people who are not Australian residents.

If a customer leaves Australia to live in another country, the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) and quarterly supplement are cancelled from the date the customer leaves Australia. Any payment accrued between the last test day and the date of departure will be automatically calculated and paid on the date of departure.

A customer who has stopped living in Australia will not be able to claim CSHC during any temporary returns to Australia.

The Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) quarterly supplement can be paid to a customer who is temporarily absent from Australia if they are the holder of a CSHC, are grandfathered for Energy Supplement and the test day falls within 6 weeks of the date of departure. Any payment accrued from the last test day up to 6 weeks after departure will be paid out 6 weeks after departure.

Quarterly supplement test days are 20 March, 20 June, 20 September and 20 December each year.

For more information about grandfathering for Energy Supplement, see Energy Supplement for Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders.

If a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) holder's temporary absence was for more than 6 weeks but less than 19 weeks, the quarterly supplement will automatically start to accrue from the date the customer returns to Australia.

If an overseas absence was for more than 19 weeks, the CSHC will cancel and the customer must reapply for a CSHC on their return to Australia. Cancellation of the CSHC will result in the loss of Energy Supplement grandfathering.

To re-apply for the CSHC, if the CSHC has been cancelled for more than:

• 13 weeks but less than 26 weeks, a re-claim form can be lodged
• 26 weeks, the customer will have to complete a new claim for the CSHC after they have returned to Australia

The Department of Home Affairs generally advises when a customer or child leaves or returns to Australia. The Centrelink system uses the information to assesses the portability of payments and concession cards. The assessment will happen regardless of whether the customer has told Services Australia their travel details. Note: do not cancel Department of Home Affairs datalink activities.

Where the customer gives evidence they travelled on different dates, the agency should consider using those different dates, if both the following apply:

• the new dates are logical
• the results will be a better outcome for the customer

This most often happens if a customer passes through Australian customs on one day but the flight leaves the next day.

In many cases, customers do not have to tell the agency if they are leaving Australia temporarily for less than 6 weeks, or when they have returned from a temporary absence.

When customers do need to tell us about a departure before leaving Australia or when they have returned to Australia they can use the Travelling outside of Australia service. This service is in their Centrelink online account. If the travel or portability assessment is complex the online service will ask them to contact the agency.

Services Australia website lists when customers must tell the agency they are leaving or returning to Australia. The Resources page has a link.

Portability of the quarterly supplement will be automatically assessed as long as the departure details are recorded correctly for the customer. Use the Portability Script - Departures and Returns if available, to assess portability of the CSHC as this will record the departure and correctly assess entitlement.