Carer Allowance (CA) (child) Health Care Card (HCC) only reviews 009-08040020

CA (child) HCC only is issued for a child who does not qualify for CA but, because of their disability, requires (and receives) substantially more care and attention on a daily basis than that of a same aged child without a physical, intellectual or psychiatric disability. This acknowledges of the significant costs that are often associated with the care of these children.

CA (child) HCC only reviews are conducted to assess ongoing entitlement and to test eligibility for payment level CA. CA (child) HCC only reviews are also conducted to check ongoing qualification for CA under the CA income test.

A CA (child) HCC only review is conducted at the same time a Child Medical Review (CMR) for CA only. A CMR and CA (child) HCC only will automatically commence when the child reaches the following development milestones:

• 4 years and 8 months
• 10 years
• 13 years

For the purposes of CA (child) HCC only, the above developmental milestones are the stages of a child's development at which the child should be able to perform additional functional abilities according to their chronological age.

When a CA (child) HCC only review is commenced, the system automatically sends a notification letter to the carer with the following forms:

• Review of Carer Allowance Medical Report including Functional Assessment (for a child under 16 years) (SA403)
• Review of Carer Allowance Care Needs Assessment (for a child under 16 years) (SA420)

When a CA (child) HCC only review is finalised, the Service Officer will be able to determine if the carer is entitled to payment level CA, continuation of CA (child) HCC with no payment of CA, or cancellation of CA (Child) HCC only. The determination is based upon the responses provided by the Treating Health Professional (THP) on the Medical Report and the carer’s responses on the Care Needs Assessment form.

If the review determines the carer is entitled to receive CA payment, the process is a reassessment, not a new claim. See Reassessment of CA Health Care Card (HCC) only entitlement to payment level Carer Allowance (CA) for a child.

Backdating provisions for CA were removed on 1 January 2017. This means carers who qualify for CA on or after 1 January 2017 cannot have their payment backdated before the date of claim and are subject to the start day general rule.

When a carer notifies of a change in circumstances or a change is identified, qualification for payment cannot be backdated beyond the date the notification was received. See Resources for examples.

WP customers getting payment level CA who were not in a bereavement period on 19 March 2020 were automatically transferred to CP (XWP) on 20 March 2020. WP customers who only had a CA Health Care Card (HCC) on 19 March 2020 were not eligible to be transferred to CP (XWP). However, CP (XWP) carers may have a CA HCC only for a child care receiver in addition to payment level CA for other care receivers. If a CP (XWP) carer’s only or last payment level CA is suspended, cancelled or changed to CA HCC only, CP (XWP) will automatically be cancelled. See Transfer from Wife Pension (WP) to Carer Payment (CP).

Eligible carers are sent a Child to Adult Transfer (CTAT) invitation letter when their child care receiver turns 15 years and 6 months inviting them to transfer by the due date if they want their entitlement to be assessed under adult provisions. See Carer Payment (CP) and/or Carer Allowance (CA) Child to Adult Transfer (CTAT).

From 20 September 2018, a $250,000 a year adjusted taxable income test applies to CA payment and CA HCC only recipients.

Carers are not subject to a CA income review while they are exempt from providing their income details for the CA income test. An exception applies if the carer is only exempt because they or their partner receive FTB – in this case they may be required to complete a CA income review triggered from the data matching process with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

See Reviews of Carer Payment and/or Carer Allowance for CA income reviews.

The Carer Supplement is an annual payment of up to $600 to assist carers with the costs of caring for a person with a disability or medical condition. It is paid to recipients of CP, CA, Wife Pension with CA, Department of Veterans' Affairs Partner Service Pension with CA, or Department of Veterans' Affairs Carer Service Pension. The payments are paid in July. Carers in receipt of CA (child) HCC only on 1 July are not entitled to Carer Supplement.