Factsheet CON06 Concessions in Tasmania

Transcription

1 Purpose Factsheet CON06 Concessions in Tasmania This Factsheet is about concessions available to DVA clients in Tasmania. Who is eligible for a concession? The organisation that offers the product or service, e.g. your local council, decides what sort of concession is offered and to whom it is offered. DVA Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) and Gold Card holders are usually eligible for concessions, but it is important to contact the organisation offering the concession to confirm your eligibility. Health concessions Treatment Cards If you have a DVA treatment card (Gold or White Card) you should always use this card for medical, hospital, pharmaceutical and allied health services. Pharmaceutical benefits PCC holders are eligible for medication under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) at $6.10 per prescription. Your pharmacist can tell you which medicines are listed under the scheme. Premiums charged by manufacturers may apply to some alternative brands/medicines. Once you have spent the PBS Safety Net threshold amount on PBS medicines, you will receive free PBS medicines for the rest of the year. National Diabetes Services Scheme You can receive a range of Australian Government approved products at a reduced price. For more information contact the scheme on or visit their website at: Hearing services The Office of Hearing Services provides vouchers which enable you to get hearing assessments and devices from hearing service providers of your choice. This includes the cost of fitting the device. For more information contact the Office of Hearing Services on (TTY ) or visit their website at: Last updated: 20 November 2015 Page 1 of 8

2 Dental Services PCC holders are eligible to receive subsidised dental services. Contact Oral Health Services Tasmania on or visit the Department of Health and Human Services website at: Patient travel assistance PCC holders are eligible for financial aid if you need to travel more than 50 kilometres one way to access dialysis or oncology services; or 75 kilometres one way to access specialist medical services. Aid is only available if the services are not provided in your local area and the costs are not met by other organisations, such as the Motor Accident Insurance Board (MAIB), workers compensation, or DVA. For more information contact the Patient Travel Coordinator on the following numbers: Royal Hobart Hospital: (03) Launceston General Hospital: (03) North West Regional Hospital: (03) or visit the Department of Health and Human Services website at: Note: For travel relating to the treatment of accepted disabilities you should use your DVA treatment card (Gold card or White card). For more information refer to DVA Factsheet HSV02 Entitlements under the Repatriation Transport Scheme. Visual Aids PCC holders, excluding Gold Card holders and White Card holders eligible for treatment of eye disabilities through DVA, are eligible for subsidies of 70 per cent on scheduled items, such as lenses, basic frame and extras, low vision aids, non-cosmetic contact lenses, prostheses and intra-ocular implants. Conditions apply and there is a dollar limit per item. People with private health insurance are not eligible. For more information contact the Department Health & Human Services on or visit their website at: Community Equipment Scheme (CES) PCC holders may be eligible for this scheme, which provides equipment to help people with disabilities live independently and safely in the community. You must have a long term or indefinite duration disability or require equipment as part of discharge from a hospital or residential care. You will not be eligible if you receive equipment from other government funded programs or have received compensation in for the injury. For more information contact your nearest Community Equipment Scheme Centre on the following numbers: Launceston: (03) Hobart: (03) Latrobe: (03) or visit the Department Health & Human Services website at: Last updated: 20 November 2015 Page 2 of 8

3 Orthotics/prosthetics PCC holders may be eligible for free basic orthotics and prosthetics services. You will not be eligible if your costs will be met by other organisations such as MAIB, workers compensation, or DVA. Clients are charged for more advanced and specialised technology. For more information contact the Orthotic and Prosthetic Service on the following numbers: South: (03) North: (03) North West: (03) or visit the Department Health & Human Services website at: Lymphoedema Wigs PCC holders may be eligible for financial aid if you need compression garments to help manage lymphoedema. For more information contact the following numbers: Royal Hobart Hospital Physiotherapy: (03) Royal Hobart Hospital Occupational Therapy: (03) Launceston General Hospital Physiotherapy: (03) North West Regional Hospital Physiotherapy: (03) PCC holders may be eligible for financial aid to buy wigs for cancer and alopecia patients. For more information consult your medical specialist or contact Service Tasmania on Enteral feeds and supplements PCC holders who have serious medical conditions that affect their ability to meet nutritional requirements with normal food and drink may be eligible for tube feeds and oral nutrition supplements at subsidised cost. The subsidised supplements are only available if you are not eligible for financial aid from any other government-funded program. For more information contact the following numbers: Royal Hobart Hospital: (03) Launceston General Hospital: (03) North West Regional Hospital: (03) Continuous Positive Airways Pressure Program PCC holders may be eligible for financial aid for people who have been clinically assessed as having a sleep-related breathing disorder which requires a continuous positive airways pressure machine. For more information consult your medical specialist or contact the following numbers: Service Tasmania: Royal Hobart Hospital Department of Respiratory Medicine: (03) Launceston General Hospital Respiratory Unit: (03) Last updated: 20 November 2015 Page 3 of 8

4 Transport Concessions Public transport PCC holders are entitled to a 50% concession on normal public transport fares. Holders of a DVA Gold Card embossed with TPI or EDA are entitled to free travel. Registration with Metro Tasmania is required. For more information contact Metro Tasmania on or visit their website at: Spirit of Tasmania Cabin Fares PCC holders are entitled to a concession of up to a 37 per cent on cabin fares. Limited berths are available per trip. For more information contact Spirit of Tasmania on or visit their website at: Bass Strait Islands air travel concessions A rebate of 50 per cent of the cost of one return trip to Northern Tasmania per financial year is available to aged residents of Bass Strait islands who have a PCC. For more information contact Passenger Transport on (03) or visit the Department of Transport website at: Bruny Island ferry service concessions PCC and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) holders are entitled to discounted fares for vehicles up to 6 metres in length. For more information contact Bruny Island Ferry on (03) or visit their website at: Great Southern Railway (GSR) Services PCC and CSHC holders are eligible for a discount of up to 55% from GSR for certain rail journeys and some veterans are eligible to travel free for certain journeys. For more information refer to DVA Factsheet IS152 Great Southern Railway Travel Concession or contact GSR on Taxi Travel - Transport Access Scheme PCC and CSHC holders who have a permanent and severe disability and are assessed as meeting the eligibility criteria for membership of the Transport Access Scheme are eligible for a concession of 50% on the cost of travel by non-wheelchair accessible taxi. A maximum subsidy of $25 per single journey applies. For more information contact Service Tasmania on or visit the Department of Transport website at: Note: For taxi travel relating to the treatment of accepted disabilities you should use your DVA treatment card (Gold card or White card). For more information refer to DVA Factsheet HSV02 Entitlements under the Repatriation Transport Scheme. Last updated: 20 November 2015 Page 4 of 8

5 Household Concessions Australia Post Telstra Australia Post will give discounts on re-directing mail for PCC holders who change their address and deliver some items that aid the sight impaired free of charge, or at a discounted rate, for PCC holders. For more information contact Australia Post on Telstra offer a number of concessions to PCC holders, including a discount on new telephone service connection fee and a reduction in your home line plan costs. For more information contact Telstra on Electricity PCC holders receive a rebate on electricity costs of cents per day. It is administered by Aurora Energy on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services. For more information contact Aurora Energy on or the Department of Health and Human Services on or visit the Aurora Energy website at: Life Support Electricity Discount Aurora Energy provides an electricity discount to customers who use an approved life support system, or live with someone who uses one. The discount is approximately fifty per cent of the cost to run the life support system. For more information contact Aurora Energy on or visit the Aurora Energy website at: Heating Allowance Rates Service Pensioners and Age Pensioners receiving the maximum rate of pension are eligible for a means tested allowance to help with heating costs for wood, oil, gas and electricity. For more information contact the Department of Health and Human Services on or visit their website at: PCC holders, TPI veterans and War Widows/Widowers are eligible for 30 per cent reduction (capped at a maximum amount each year) on local government rates and charges. Pensioners in institutional care and their spouses may also be eligible under certain circumstances. Conditions apply. For more information check with your local council or visit the concessions website at: Last updated: 20 November 2015 Page 5 of 8

6 Vehicle Concessions Drivers Licences PCC holders are eligible for a discount on their drivers licence fee. There is no licence fee for people 65 and over, however there is a small charge if a photo is needed. For more information contact Service Tasmania on or visit the Department of Transport website at: Motor Vehicle Registration PCC holders are eligible for discounts on motor vehicle registration fees for motor vehicles not over 4.5 tonnes, trailers (including caravans) and motorcycles. For more information contact Service Tasmania on or visit the Department of Transport website at: Motor Tax 40% rebate PCC holders are eligible for a 40% rebate on motor tax for goods vehicles (such as utes and vans) not over 4.5 tonnes that are not used for trade or business. For more information contact Service Tasmania on or visit the Department of Transport website at: Motor Tax 100% rebate Veterans receiving disability pension at the TPI rate are eligible for a 100% rebate on motor tax for a vehicle with a gross vehicle mass less than three tonnes which is not used for trade or business. This concession only applies to one vehicle registered in the name of the eligible person. For more information contact Service Tasmania on or visit the Department of Transport website at: Motor vehicle registration compulsory third party insurance PCC holders are entitled to a concession on MAIB third party insurance for motor vehicles (other than motorcycles) not over 4.5 tonnes. For more information contact Service Tasmania on or visit the Department of Transport website at: Motor Vehicle Duty Veterans receiving disability pension at the TPI rate are entitled to a 100% exemption from duty on vehicle registration applications and transfers. This concession only applies to one vehicle registered in the name of the eligible person. For more information contact Service Tasmania on or visit the Department of Transport website at: Motor Vehicle GST exemption Once every 2 years or 40,000 km, eligible veterans are entitled to GST exemption on the purchase of a new car. GST exemption is also available on spare parts necessary for the running of a motor car. For more information refer to DVA Factsheet DP79 Supply of Cars and Car Parts GST Free. Last updated: 20 November 2015 Page 6 of 8

7 Other Concessions Recreational Sea Fishing Licences PCC holders are entitled to a 50 per cent discount on the licence application fee. For more information contact the Recreational Fisheries Section on (03) or visit their website at: Recreational Angling Licence PCC holders are entitled to a discount on angling licences. For more information contact the Inland Fisheries Service on or visit their website at: Recreational Game Licence PCC holders are entitled to a 20 per cent discount for recreational game licences for deer, wallaby, mutton-bird, pheasant, wild duck and brown quail. For more information contact Game Licences on (03) or the Department of Primary Industries and Water on or visit their website at: Firearm Fees TasTAFE PCC holders are entitled to a 20 per cent rebate on fees. For more information contact Police Tasmania on (03) or visit their website at: PCC holders are entitled to concessions on the normal tuition fees. For more information contact TasTAFE on or visit their website at: Adult Education Course Concession Wills PCC holders are entitled to concessions on fees for most Adult Education courses. For more information contact Adult Education Tasmania on (03) or visit their website at: There is no charge for PCC holders where the Public Trustee is appointed sole executor. For more information contact the Tasmania Public Trustee on or visit their website at: Recreational Activities Concessions are available for a number of parks and recreational sites throughout Tasmania. Check with the provider to see if you are eligible for a concession. Last updated: 20 November 2015 Page 7 of 8

8 More Information about Concessions Tasmanian Seniors Card The Tasmanian Seniors Card is issued free and provides access to savings on a range of goods and services provided by participating businesses. For more information visit the Seniors Card website at: Tasmanian Government Concession Guide The Tasmanian Government publishes a concession guide that outlines the various concessions available to Tasmanian residents. For more information visit the Department of Premier and Cabinet website at: Disclaimer The information contained in this Factsheet is general in nature and does not take into account individual circumstances. You should not make important decisions, such as those that affect your financial or lifestyle position on the basis of information contained in this Factsheet. Where you are required to lodge a written claim for a benefit, you must take full responsibility for your decisions prior to the written claim being determined. You should seek confirmation in writing of any oral advice you receive from DVA. Related Factsheets DP79 Supply of Cars and Car Parts GST Free HSV02 Entitlements under the Repatriation Transport Scheme IS125 Pensioner Concession Card IS152 Great Southern Railway Travel Concession IS160 Overview of Cards Available to Veterans and Their Dependants More Information DVA General Enquiries Metro Phone: * Regional Phone: * GeneralEnquiries@dva.gov.au DVA Website: Factsheet Website: factsheets.dva.gov.au * Calls from mobile phones and pay phones may incur additional charges. Last updated: 20 November 2015 Page 8 of 8