Change of circumstances for Essential Medical Equipment Payment (EMEP) 008-01040040

EMEP claims are made in relation to the customer’s current residential address. Customers only need to claim for EMEP once for their current residence and qualifying medical equipment.

Qualified customers are paid EMEP every 12 months on the anniversary date of the initial grant date. This payment will be paid automatically until the customer loses qualification or there is a change of circumstances.

EMEP may cancel if a change of circumstances occurs for the equipment user, their carer, the medical equipment being used or if the claim is not valid (such as duplicate identical claims). Cancellation means that the EMEP will not be paid to the customer on the EMEP 12 month anniversary date.

If a current EMEP customer completes a new claim for another item of qualifying equipment and/or medically required heating/cooling they are currently not being paid EMEP for, it will not replace their previous anniversary date(s). The person will have multiple anniversary dates and EMEP will be paid on the 12 month anniversary of each respective claim grant date.

See Eligibility for Essential Medical Equipment Payment (EMEP).

General Notification provisions apply to EMEP customers. In most cases, the general notification period is 14 days.

A CoC may occur when:

• there is a change in residential address:
• For the customer and/or equipment user
• The equipment user or carer ceases living at the same address
• When the equipment user temporarily enters an aged care facility, residential rehabilitation centre, hospital, medical facility, or is held in a detention centre or prison
• an item of qualifying essential medical equipment is no longer used by the equipment user
• the equipment user withdraws their consent for EMEP to be paid to their carer
• the customer and/or equipment user no longer contributes to the energy account for the current residence
• the customer and/or equipment user goes overseas
• there is death of the customer and/or equipment user

Once eligibility for EMEP is established, proof of medical needs is not required again if:

• the customer changes address but the claim is for the same person with the same medical equipment/requirements
• a new carer claims, with no other changes to medical requirements

See Claiming Essential Medical Equipment Payment (EMEP).

EMEP will automatically cancel or reassess when a customer or equipment user dies, and the confirmation of death has been recorded.

Staff must take care when processing claims after the death of the customer, see Processing Essential Medical Equipment Payment (EMEP) claims.

The Resources page contains scenarios where the customer or equipment user has died.

A new claim will only need to be lodged if the person with medical needs (equipment user) or their carer:

• needs to claim for another item of qualifying essential medical equipment and/or medically required heating/cooling they are currently not being paid EMEP for, or
• had a change of circumstances (CoC)

The EMEP new claim is required because EMEP is paid to assist with increased energy costs at a particular residence due to running qualifying essential medical equipment and/or medically required heating/cooling.

If the customer moves from this address, a new claim must be lodged for the new residence.

Proof of medical needs is not required for a new claim if the customer changes address and the new claim is for the same:

• qualifying essential medical equipment, and
• medical condition as claimed for the previous residence

Note: medical evidence/information provided for the initial EMEP claim cannot be more than 2 years old. See Claiming Essential Medical Equipment Payment (EMEP).