Essential Medical Equipment Payment (EMEP) 008-01040000

EMEP is paid to eligible customers with medical needs (or their carers who live at the same residence) for:

• each item of essential medical equipment, and/or
• medically required heating/cooling

EMEP covers the additional running costs of essential medical equipment or medically required heating/cooling being used by an eligible customer at the residence.

EMEP claims can be made:

• online via MyGov > Payment and Claims > Claims > Make a claim > Disabled, ill or injured > Essential Medical Equipment Payment
• by phone via the Disability, sickness and carers line, or
• in person at a service centre

Customers only need to claim EMEP once for their current residence and qualifying medical equipment. EMEP is then paid at 12 month intervals based on the customer’s initial grant date. For the payment amount, see Rates and thresholds > EMEP.

Customers will not have to lodge a new claim every 12 months to continue to receive the payment.

Note: if further qualifying medical equipment is obtained after the initial grant, the customer will be required to lodge another claim for the new equipment.

EMEP is:

• automatically paid every 12 months on the grant date anniversary
• subject to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). On 1 July each year, EMEP rates increase in line with the CPI. All claims made on or after this date will receive the applicable rate of EMEP
• paid until the customer loses qualification or there is a change in circumstances
• paid via direct credit through the Payment Utility system, except where a payment nominee has a payment method of 'cheque' (customers will receive the payment 2 working days after the payment is generated)

When a change in circumstances occurs, for example a change in residential address:

• the care receiver (or their carer) loses qualification
• a new claim must be lodged
• a new anniversary date is set according to the date of grant for the new claim

Claim processing

All EMEP online and paper claims are processed using the Staff Process Claim workflow. After completing the workflow, the customer's eligibility for payment is assessed. Any further processing is completed manually to finalise the claim.

To access the EMEP system and view details in Customer First:

• open the customer’s record. In the Next field, key SVMEP
• view EMEP assessment details via Payments & Services > Energy Payments > Medical equipment task selector
• for EMEP system service reason, key MEP

EMEP is:

• non-taxable
• exempt income under social security, family assistance and veterans' law
• payable to payment nominees
• not an eligible payment for:
• an urgent payment
• Centrepay deductions
• not subject to income management, including Voluntary Income Management
• not automatically used to offset or recover any debt, but customers can elect to use their EMEP to repay an outstanding debt
• not a recoverable debt unless activity is found that relates to serious non-compliant behaviour

Customers can request an explanation or apply for a formal review of the decision to reject or cancel EMEP.

EMEP is paid under social security law.