Assessing Mobility Allowance (MOB) claims 008-05020000

The medical report assists in assessing if a customer's disability, illness or injury meets the medical criteria for MOB. To be eligible for MOB, the customer must have a disability that prevents them from using public transport, without substantial assistance, permanently or for an extended period (1 year or more). The customer's inability to use public transport is assessed using both information supplied by the customer and their treating doctor. For people from rural or remote areas who may have limited access to doctors, a community nurse can complete medical evidence.

If a person is claiming MOB because they are permanently blind or have a visual impairment which prevents them from using public transport without substantial assistance, the treating doctor's report (MA002) may be accepted from an optometrist and/or ophthalmologist to support the claim. If completed by an optometrist, the report must clearly state that it has been supported by the treating ophthalmologist.

If the customer's disability or any information held about their disability clearly indicates they require substantial assistance to use public transport, no further information is required. A customer's physical condition, psychiatric or intellectual disability, or both may be used to assess MOB.

Coding information from the MOB claim is a part of the assessment process. Code all information relating to the claim. This includes:

• Details of any medical condition.
• Work, training or study the customer is undertaking, and
• Any income from employment including hours worked. It is important the type of employment income is recorded correctly

This information is needed to determine whether a customer is eligible for the standard or higher rate of MOB. Income from employment may also affect any income tested Centrelink payment received by the customer.

If the customer fails to meet one or more of the qualification criteria for MOB, the claim is rejected automatically when the details are coded.

A customer's claim for MOB must be rejected if MOB eligibility criteria is not met. Send a letter to the customer advising them of the reason for the rejection, as well as their review and appeal rights.

Record all information provided with the claim to ensure the correct rejection code is used and the customer receives the correct letter.