Non-income tested (NOI) concession cards 101-06140000

On 1 January 2017, changes to the asset test included an increase to the:

• asset free area, and
• pension asset test taper rate to $3.00 per fortnight for every $1,000 of assets above the asset free area

Customers who had had their pension cancelled (CAN/ASS) on 1 January 2017 as a direct result of this change were automatically issued non-income tested concession cards. If they were:

• Age Pension age or over on 1 January 2017, a non-income tested LIC and a non-income tested CSHC were issued
• under Age Pension age on 1 January 2017, a non-income tested LIC was issued. The person can apply for the non-income tested CSHC when they reach Age Pension age

Customers who had their pension cancelled (CAN/ASS) on 1 January 2017 as a direct result of changes to the pension assets test are automatically eligible for a non-pensioner PCC. From 9 October 2017, a non-pensioner PCC replaced the non-income tested LIC.

Recipients of a non-pensioner PCC do not need to be receiving a social security pension to qualify for the card:

• the card is not subject to an income assets test
• regular PCC residence and portability provisions apply
• the non-pensioner PCC is valid from 9 October 2017. Customers who received a non-income tested (CSHC on 1 January 2017 can continue to use the CSHC)

Note: entitlement to the non-income tested cards (CSHC and PCC) is directly linked to a 1 January 2017 cancelation date of effect for the changes to the assets test for pensioners. Where a pension payment is cancelled with a date of effect of on or before 31 December 2016, or on or after 2 January 2017, they are not entitled to any non-income tested card. These customers may claim a LIC or CSHC and will be subject to the relevant income test requirements. For information on how a customer can claim an income tested card, see:

• Low Income Health Care Card (LIC)
• Claiming Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC)

Non income tested concession cards for customers on:

• LIC will show a benefit status line of LIC/CUR-NOI
• CSHC will show a benefit status line of SHC/CUR-NOI)

Veterans whose service pension, income support supplement or Age Pension was cancelled due to the asset test changes with a date of effect of 1 January 2017, who were pension age, automatically received a non-income tested DVA Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

Pension age for veterans who received:

• a service pension and war widow/ers is 60 years of age
• an Age Pension and partners of veterans is 65 years of age

From 9 October 2017, DVA automatically reinstated and reissued PCCs to veterans whose income support pension was cancelled on 1 January 2017 due to changes to the assets test.

Qualification for the non-pensioner PCC and non-income tested CSHC are managed by a grandfathered status. The Process page contains screen and coding information. Only Service Officers of APS 5 level and above can change or add a customer's grandfathering status.

The grandfathering provisions, which allow the customer to receive a non-income tested card/s, are revoked if the decision to cancel the customer's pension on 1 January 2017 is reassessed. Examples where a reassessment would revoke grandfathering are when the pension is:

• restored from the date of cancellation (1 January 2017), or
• cancelled for another reason, other than assets, with effect on or before 1 January 2017

Eligibility for the non-income tested card/s will be lost when the customer ceases to meet any eligibility criteria (excluding the income requirements) for the relevant card. Customers will retain grandfathering if eligibility is lost and can re-apply for the non-income tested card/s when their circumstances change. Where eligibility is lost due to the portability provisions for the card, and the customer returns to Australia within 13 weeks of cancellation, non-income tested cards will automatically reissue on the customers return.