Assessing Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) claims 065-06030000

For claims, request or search for the claim work item via Inbox.

Select the work item to view the Customer and Activity Information table on the Transaction Summary (TS) screen.

For new claims, Service Officers must stream the claim on the day allocated and a progress of claim note must be created and/or updated, if the claim cannot be immediately finalised.

See the Progress DOC for details.

Has the claim been previously streamed?

• Yes, see Processing Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) claims
• No, go to Step 2

The claim status must be In Process before it can be processed.

Is the claim status ‘In Process’?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No,
  • for claim status definitions and action to take, see Process Direct navigation, common screens and functions
  • to reassess a previously rejected claim, if rejected FSD, FRC or POI, see Request to reassess a rejected claim
  • to re-index the claim, see Indexing, re-indexing and cancelling claim activities

Note: the claim should not be re-opened until the customer provides all requested information.

Check the customer's benefit status line.

If the customer's benefit status is SHC/CUR indicating that the claim assessment has already been completed, update the claim status to Not Required via the Status icon. Procedure ends here.

To review the information provided by the customer in the online claim or ACC:

• Select and to view the Claim Summary in a new window
• If it is blank, press [F5] to refresh the page

To view paper claims and scanned supporting documents:

• select links at the bottom of the expanded Claim Summary, or
• select Documents from the Icon Menu

Check the date the document was scanned. There may also be older documents not related to the claim.

Check customer tasks, DOCs and Notes by selecting the relevant icons.

Check the type of CSHC claim that has been allocated.

• When an online claim or ACC is submitted, an CSHC claim work item is created in Process Direct containing the claim information
• If 2 separate individual claims are received for a partnered couple these should be processed as individual claims. If the partner’s claim has not been allocated for processing, locate the partner’s claim via WLM and assess the claim as appropriate

Service Officers must check the date of submission of all ACC and if necessary, correct the Date of Receipt (DOR).

To identify the correct date the ACC was submitted, view the Claim Progress DOC:

• Check the ‘Document created by SAPAPP on DDMMYY’ date
• Check the ‘Receipt Date’

If the ‘Document created by SAPAPP’ date is:

• the same as the ‘Receipt Date’ - no further action is required
• later than the ‘Receipt Date’ - DOR must be corrected to the ‘Document created by SAPAPP on DDMMYY’ date (this is the actual date of claim submission)

To correct the Date of Receipt (DOR) within the claim, select > Update DOR. See Process Direct navigation, common screens and functions and VOD – changing the Date of Receipt when it is incorrect. See Resources.

• Combined claims (sometimes referred to as 'dual claims') are allocated as a single work item
• Do not process an CSHC combined partner online claim as 2 separate individual claims as the data for the partner claim may be lost
• To identify a CSHC combined partner online claim:
  • A specific message will display in the claim header in Process Direct 'This claim is Customer Partner Combined claim'
  • Check for a keyword of DUALCLM
  • View the claim note or SHC OLC Claim Progress DOC, where the words 'Awaiting partner review' will display within the text

• If an SA296a has been supplied, see Re-claim for a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC), to determine if the correct form has been received. If re-claim is not applicable, customer will need to provide a full claim either via online services, an Assisted Customer claim or completing an SA296
• When an SA296 or SA296a is scanned to the customer's record, a SOA shell work item is generated. SOA shells contain no claim information apart from the CRN, personal details and receipt date. Add the claim information into the SOA shell using the scanned claim and documentation
• If both the customer and partner have claimed on the same claim form, the single SOA shell should be transformed to a combined customer-partner claim by using > Combined claim switch > select Switch to combined claim. This is to make sure correct assessment of the claim and any items that impact both parties. This action can be reversed to return the claim to an individual claim if 'switched' in error
• If the same paper claim is scanned to both customer and partner records, 2 SOA shells are created. Once one of the SOA shells has been switched to a combined claim, the other SOA needs to be set to 'Not required'. If the partner's claim has not been allocated for processing, locate the partner's claim via WLM and assess the claim as appropriate

If the customer has indicated in the claim they are in a crisis this can be confirmed by checking the:

• Keyword icon for vulnerable (URGVULN) or in financial hardship (URGFINH)
• claim and customer record to see if there is evidence of a crisis situation. See Identifying customer vulnerability and risk issues

Pre-Claim Vulnerable Circumstance (PRECLM) screen
Where the customer has pre-claim vulnerable circumstances recorded within the eight weeks before their intent to claim contact date the system will automatically calculate the start date.
See Intent to claim for vulnerable customers for background and processing information.

Service Officers must check the claim details to make sure the existing customer details are correct.

If the customer:

• has died, see Processing a claim after the death of a customer.
• needs changes to their contact details, see Updating address details.
• has had previous preferences for concession cards coded that may need to be updated, see Preferences for concession cards
• has Access and Display on Access (DOA) alerts for specific warnings or messages on their customer's record.
  This includes:
• if the customer is income managed, see Identifying and assisting income managed customers for assistance
• if the customer has an incident recorded, see Customer Incident Management System (CIMS)
• a Managed Service Plan (MSP), see Customer aggression - Managed Service Plan (MSP)

This is a Family and Domestic Violence interaction point. See Separating safely - protecting personal details.

These details must be reviewed/updated before processing the claim. See Relationship details for new claims.

On the TS screen:

• Link Summary (LS) shows linked records, such as nominees and the customer’s partner (including any Relationship Qualifier Code)
• The Marital Status (MS) table on the LS shows the customer's relationship details
• If the customers relationship status needs to be updated, and manual coding on the claim has already been started, select  and regenerate the claim.
  This will:
  • reset the claim to only contain the information provided by the customer in their claim, or
  • back to the blank SOA if coding a paper claim
• See Assessment of relationship status - processes, roles and responsibilities
• For help with coding, see Process Direct navigation, common screens and functions

If a customer advises the death of their partner occurred before the date of the claim and the records are linked, complete the death action. See Notification of death.

Does the customer have a partner?

• Yes, go to Step 8
• No, go to Step 10

The Privacy Act 1988 regulates how Services Australia collects information about a claimant (or their partner). When a customer advises they are partnered, the relationship status must be confirmed with both parties.

Partner confirmation can be completed online using a Temporary Access Code (TAC).

If the customer's partner has used the TAC this will show as a digital image classified as DMODP and can be viewed from the Claim Overview full screen view. See Viewing Centrelink customers' digital images.

There may be circumstances where partner confirmation is not needed, including where an Age Pension combined partner claim has been lodged.

If a DMODP or Partner Details (MODP) form is required for the claim and has not been provided, staff must take the action needed. See Confirming a partnered relationship.

If CSHC claimant is partnered and the partner qualifies for CSHC but the partner has not also claimed CSHC (including as part of a combined partner claim online or paper), their partner may also be eligible for CSHC or another service.

• Attempt to contact the partner by phone to clarify their intentions
• If the partner is:
  • able to be contacted, invite the partner to complete a claim for CSHC and DOC the outcome
  • unable to be contacted, issue the CSHC claim - invite partner to claim Q999 and DOC the record with the contact attempts and that the suggestion has been made for the partner to complete a claim for CSHC

On the day the claim was lodged was the customer Age Pension age?
See the Resources page for a link to the Age Pension age rules.

• Yes, go to Step 11
• No, the customer is not qualified:
  • Reject the claim
  • Go to Processing Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) claims
  • Procedure ends here

Note: early claim provisions do not apply to the CSHC. If the person is not qualified for CSHC on the date of claim lodgement the claim must be rejected. A request for information should not be issued if the claim will be rejected, unless it is going to change the outcome of the claim.

On the day the claim was lodged, does the customer satisfy the residence requirements?

• Yes, go to Step 12
• No, the customer is not qualified:
  • Reject the claim
  • See Processing Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) claims
  • Procedure ends here

Check if the customer was physically present in Australia on the date they lodged their claim.

Check the customer's travel movements (if available) using:

• the Travel Outside Australia Summary (TOAS), and
• Immigration Movements (RSIM) screens

On the day the claim was lodged, is there evidence that the customer was not in Australia?

• Yes, the customer is not qualified:
  • Reject the claim
  • See Processing Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) claims
  • Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 13

On the day the claim was lodged, was the customer in receipt of a Social Security pension or benefit?
See the Resources page for a link to the Services Australia website for Income Support payments.

• Yes, the customer is not qualified:
  • Reject the claim. Go to Processing Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) claims
  • Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 14

Check if on the day the claim was lodged if the customer was in receipt of:

• Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) Service pension
• DVA Age Pension
• Veteran Payment
• Income Support Supplement (ISS)
• DVA CSHC

See Payments from the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) and referrals to the DVA Clearance Team for more information.

On the day the claim was lodged, was the customer in receipt of a DVA pension or allowance?

• Yes, the customer is not qualified
  • Reject the claim. See Processing Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) claims
  • Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 15

The claimant must meet the Identity Confirmation requirements. Identity Confirmation for a partner is only needed if the partner is also applying for CSHC.

Check the customer's Identity Status under the Snapshot icon in Process Direct.

Has the customer met the Identity Confirmation requirements?

• Yes, go to Step 16
• No, consider the following options:
  • Identity is provided, see Coding identity documents
  • Customer cannot provide identity documents, see Alternative Identity
  • Customer cannot attend in person to confirm identity, see Alternative Identity
  • Customer cannot provide proof of age, see Verifying the date of birth or age of a customer or child
  • Where the identification requirements cannot be met, the claim will be rejected, See Processing Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) claims.
  • Procedure ends here

Has the customer provided their (and their partner's) Tax File Number (TFN) (unless an exemption is granted)?

• Yes, go to Step 17
• No, a request for information is required, take note of the required information, go to Step 17

Has the customer declared Adjusted Taxable Income (ATI) for the reference year less than the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) - Taxable Income Limit?
Note: this should include any deemed income from account based income streams.

• Yes, go to Step 18
• No, the customer is not qualified:
  • Reject the claim. See Processing Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) claims
  • Procedure ends here

Has the customer provided the required evidence of income?
See Lodgement of the Notice of Assessment (NOA) and other evidence of income for Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) for more information.

• Yes, go to Step 21
• No, take note of the required information:
  • For online claims, go to Step 19
  • For paper /SOA claims, go to Step 20

Has the customer submitted an online claim with all the required information?
Check customer/partner/nominee records for scans/documents before sending a request.

• Yes, go to Step 19
• No, make sure the customer and/or nominee contact details are recorded correctly before making a request for information.
  See Updating address details for online claims:
  • submitted under a claim submission exception and/or where there is evidence the customer may be in a crisis or need special help, see Calling a customer or returning a customer's call and where applicable, send a pre-call SMS. Make 2 attempts to contact, at different times on the same day where possible to explain the claim requirements and DOC the outcome. Check if the customer needs more time to meet the requirements due to their circumstances. Request the information verbally or in writing and allow extra time for surface mail delivery to respond. See also, Documents required for Centrelink new claims
  • where the customer has intentionally provided non-claim related documentation to allow their claim to be submitted, the claim must be rejected
  • where more information is needed to assess the claim and there is no existing request, see Calling a customer or returning a customer's call and where applicable, send a pre-call SMS. Make 2 attempts to contact, at different times on the same day where possible to explain the claim requirements and DOC the outcome. Check if the customer needs more time to meet the requirements due to their circumstances. Request the information verbally or in writing and allow extra time for surface mail delivery to respond. See also, Documents required for Centrelink new claims

Update the Progress of claim Note/DOC or where a progress of claim DOC is required, create a Fast Note - select Auto Text, use Older Australians > Claims > Progress of AGE/SHC/PDB claim. (Edit to remove the AGE/PDB)

Check the claim status and if required manually change to On Hold - Customer to Provide Information through the Status icon with a due date after the allowed time.

Note: when assessing a combined partner online claim or a joint paper claim where a request for information is required then it should be issued to both customer and partner

Procedure ends here until:

• customer responds, or
• the allowed time has lapsed

Has the customer provided a completed claim with all the required information?
Check customer/partner/nominee records for scans/documents before sending a request.

• Yes, go to Step 21
• No, make sure the customer and/or nominee contact details are recorded correctly before making a request for information.
  See Updating address details:
  • For incomplete paper claims, see Calling a customer or returning a customer's call and where applicable, send a pre-call SMS
  • Make 2 attempts to contact at different times on the same day where possible to explain the claim requirements and DOC the outcome
  • Request the information verbally or in writing and allow extra time for surface mail delivery to respond
  • See also, Claims received that are incomplete or incorrect
  • Update the Progress of claim Note/DOC or where a progress of claim DOC is required, create a Fast Note - select Auto Text, use Older Australians > Claims > Progress of AGE/SHC/PDB claim (Edit to remove the AGE/PDB).
  • Check the claim status and if required manually change to On Hold – Customer to Provide Information via the Status icon with a due date after the allowed time.

Note: when assessing a combined partner online claim or a joint paper claim where a request for information is required then it should be issued to both customer and partner.

Procedure ends here until

• customer responds, or
• the allowed time has lapsed

• A referral:
  • to a Complex Assessment Officer (CAO) is not required for CSHC claims
  • for a Member of a Couple (MoC) assessment is only required if the customer is also claiming an Income Support Payment or the partner is current on, or claiming an Income Support Payment
  • to International Services (CIS) for coding of foreign pensions is not required, see Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) income test and reference year for further information on coding foreign income
• A request for foreign documents to be translated is only required if the customer is not required to lodge a tax return but has declared foreign income, see Verification of income for further details on acceptable documents

Is a specialist referral required?

• Yes, select More Options > Referral. From the Select Referral Type drop down menu select either:
  • International Services (CIS) - Resident Verification Service Request
    Required if the datalink from the Department of Home Affairs was not successful, or where the customer may be exempt from the Newly Arrived Resident’s Waiting Period (NARWP)in certain circumstances. Claim should automatically be placed on hold. Annotate the Progress Doc with reason for referral
  • Assessment of Care Arrangements (FAO) - Dependent child/ren,
    Required if there is a change in care of a child. This could be a change in shared care arrangements or a dependant entering or leaving care. Claim should automatically be placed on hold. Annotate the Progress Doc with reasons for referral. FAO processing see Family Tax Benefit (FTB) and income support payment new claim processing interactions
• No, see Processing Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) claims