Re-claiming a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) (including verbal re-claims) after a portability cancellation 065-06010020

Customers who leave Australia temporarily keep entitlement to a CSHC for the maximum portability period of 19 weeks from departure, after which time their CSHC will automatically cancel.

Note: customers who left Australia temporarily before 1 January 2015, retained entitlement to a CSHC for the maximum portability period of 6 weeks from departure after which their CSHC cancelled.

Customers can complete a verbal re-claim on their return if they meet all of the following criteria:

• their CSHC has been cancelled due to a temporary overseas absence exceeding their maximum portability period, and
• they have returned to Australia and have contacted within 13 weeks of their CSHC being cancelled, and
• they have previously provided income details from their Tax Notice of Assessment from either of the previous 2 financial years or they are 'not required to lodge' an income tax return, and
• any account-based income streams owned by the customer (and partner) are coded on the Pension/Annuities Summary (SUPS) screen

Customers who do not meet the above criteria or who have returned to Australia and contact less than 26 weeks since their CSHC cancellation date, will need to complete a CSHC re-claim process. They can do this by using:

• an online claim
• Assisted Customer Claim (ACC)
• Customised Claim for Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (SA443) (issued by a Service Officer), or
• Re-claim for a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card claim (SA296A) (downloaded directly by the customer)

Where customers have been cancelled for more than 26 weeks they will need to complete a new application for CSHC.

Note: the verbal claim for a CSHC is a re-claim and not a restoration of CSHC entitlement.

Entitlement to a CSHC when a customer goes overseas is covered by the portability rules for concession cards including information on permanent absences and when the customer returns before the end of the portability period.

Entitlement to Energy supplement when a customer goes overseas is covered by the rules for Energy supplement overseas absences.

The CSHC income threshold amount is found in the Rates Chart.

A change in a customer's circumstances may include, but is not limited to their:

• relationship status,
• income,
• address or,
• telephone number

If the reclaim includes changes see Changes in a customer's circumstances and effect on concession card entitlement.