Gold Card Advice
Forum member Windy Hills passed on this advisory email re the Gold Card. Any comments or other advices would be most welcome. I am not the holder of any type of card etc, so this stuff is all over my head. G'day Cliff, Mate, I've been flat out ! No chance to visit the website to have a Read or say G'day ! SO, having just received this, thought I'd pass it on............. Windy...... Hi Guys, I'm passing this along just ion case you had not received it from elsewhere's Regards BY COURTESY OF NOEL McLAUGHLIN GOLD CARD PENSIONS - ADDITIONS TO ACCEPTED DISABILITIES. Posted on 26/7/2007 at 18:41:50 by Noel McLaughlin Over the past 18 months or so I have been asked for advice from a number of quarters including the National President of the RSL, on a developing but unusual and very worrying trend - that of veterans lodging claims for a new disability under the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986. This may not of itself sound unusual. However, my concerns which have prompted me to post this message stem from the fact that the lodgement of claims for a new disability are being lodged by veterans who are in receipt of a General Rate Disability paid at 100% of the General Rate (Gold Card). It has also featured in some veterans attempting to have a previously rejected disability accepted again even when receiving 100%. Additionally I have had cause to provide advice in respect of veterans who although in receipt of the Special Rate (TPI) Pension also have commenced action to lodge a fresh claim for a new disability or one that has been previously rejected. The risks to 100% veterans or Above General Rate (Intermediate or TPI) Pension Veterans doing this are manifest; viz 1. They will be subject to a complete review of every accepted disability as part of the assessment process. 2. If currently receiving 100% they run a real risk of having their Medical Impairment and Lifestyle ratings readjusted to the extent that their current entitlement may very well end up being derated to less than 100% with its attendant effect on the veteran. 3. If Intermediate or TPI, they run the risk of having their capacity to undertake remunerative work re-assessed also. 4. Should a pension at Intermediate/TPI levels - in particular TPI - be derated, bang goes the automatic War Widow's entitlement - not to mention a possible diminution in Service Pension and a potential loss of entitlement to funeral benefits and bereavement payments. As you can see, such a course of action is fraught with risk and the potential for damage is significant. This will result in the usual stress on a veteran and his family and force him into the appeals system in what is becoming an increasingly adversarial process.There is nothing the Repat Commission likes better that to review a veteran's situation and this is grist for their mill. Gold Cards entitle a veteran to coverage for all medical matters other than accepted disabilities. There is no requirement for a veteran who has a Gold card to lodge a claim for another disability regardless of whether it is a new condition or one previously rejected. The Gold card redresses that imbalance. That balance runs a great risk of being very badly disturbed and can create a very dangerous precedent that can have a terrible blow-back effect on all Gold card recipients or potential applicants. The simple advice: DO NOT GO THERE. If you need to talk this over I urge all members to discuss with their respective Advocates. If members know of anyone in our family who is a Gold card recipient and is considering this action, please ensure he is aware of the risks. Regards, Noel Mc Laughlin Advocate ---------------------------------
Forum member Windy Hills passed on this advisory email re the Gold Card. Any comments or other advices would be most welcome. I am not the holder of any type of card etc, so this stuff is all over my head. G'day Cliff, Mate, I've been flat out ! No chance to visit the website to have a Read or say G'day ! SO, having just received this, thought I'd pass it on............. Windy...... Hi Guys, I'm passing this along just ion case you had not received it from elsewhere's Regards BY COURTESY OF NOEL McLAUGHLIN GOLD CARD PENSIONS - ADDITIONS TO ACCEPTED DISABILITIES. Posted on 26/7/2007 at 18:41:50 by Noel McLaughlin Over the past 18 months or so I have been asked for advice from a number of quarters including the National President of the RSL, on a developing but unusual and very worrying trend - that of veterans lodging claims for a new disability under the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986. This may not of itself sound unusual. However, my concerns which have prompted me to post this message stem from the fact that the lodgement of claims for a new disability are being lodged by veterans who are in receipt of a General Rate Disability paid at 100% of the General Rate (Gold Card). It has also featured in some veterans attempting to have a previously rejected disability accepted again even when receiving 100%. Additionally I have had cause to provide advice in respect of veterans who although in receipt of the Special Rate (TPI) Pension also have commenced action to lodge a fresh claim for a new disability or one that has been previously rejected. The risks to 100% veterans or Above General Rate (Intermediate or TPI) Pension Veterans doing this are manifest; viz 1. They will be subject to a complete review of every accepted disability as part of the assessment process. 2. If currently receiving 100% they run a real risk of having their Medical Impairment and Lifestyle ratings readjusted to the extent that their current entitlement may very well end up being derated to less than 100% with its attendant effect on the veteran. 3. If Intermediate or TPI, they run the risk of having their capacity to undertake remunerative work re-assessed also. 4. Should a pension at Intermediate/TPI levels - in particular TPI - be derated, bang goes the automatic War Widow's entitlement - not to mention a possible diminution in Service Pension and a potential loss of entitlement to funeral benefits and bereavement payments. As you can see, such a course of action is fraught with risk and the potential for damage is significant. This will result in the usual stress on a veteran and his family and force him into the appeals system in what is becoming an increasingly adversarial process.There is nothing the Repat Commission likes better that to review a veteran's situation and this is grist for their mill. Gold Cards entitle a veteran to coverage for all medical matters other than accepted disabilities. There is no requirement for a veteran who has a Gold card to lodge a claim for another disability regardless of whether it is a new condition or one previously rejected. The Gold card redresses that imbalance. That balance runs a great risk of being very badly disturbed and can create a very dangerous precedent that can have a terrible blow-back effect on all Gold card recipients or potential applicants. The simple advice: DO NOT GO THERE. If you need to talk this over I urge all members to discuss with their respective Advocates. If members know of anyone in our family who is a Gold card recipient and is considering this action, please ensure he is aware of the risks. Regards, Noel Mc Laughlin Advocate ---------------------------------