Defence Determination 2017/43, Health support allowance – amendment (Cth)

Defence Determination 2017/43, Health support allowance – amendment

I, PHILLIP JOHN HOGLIN, Acting Assistant Secretary, People Policy and Employment Conditions, make the following Determination under section 58B of the Defence Act 1903.

Dated 19 December 2017

P J HOGLIN

Acting Assistant Secretary
People Policy and Employment Conditions
Defence People Group

Contents

1......... Name............................................................................................................................... 2

2......... Commencement............................................................................................................... 2

3......... Authority......................................................................................................................... 2

4......... Schedules......................................................................................................................... 2

Schedule 1—Amendments   3

Defence Determination 2016/19, Conditions of service  

1  Name

This instrument is the Defence Determination 2017/43, Health support allowance – amendment.

2  Commencement

This instrument commences on 11 January 2018.

3  Authority

This instrument is made under section 58B of the Defence Act 1903.

4  Schedules

Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.

Schedule 1— Health support allowance – Amendments

Defence Determination 2016/19, Conditions of service

1	Section 4.9.15 (Definitions)
Omit the section.
2	Section 4.9.16 (High Readiness Reserve health support allowance)
Omit the section substitute:

4.9.16    Health support allowance – Capability at short-notice

1.	This section applies to a member of the Reserves who meets all of the following conditions.
a.	They have an undertaking with their Service to provide capability at short notice.
b.	They have been assigned as Service Category 4 by their Service.
2.	To be eligible for the allowance a member must meet all of the following conditions.
a.	The member must make an application in the form and manner authorised by the CDF.
b.	The member must be insured under a health insurance policy that meets all of the following requirements.
i.	The policy is with a private health insurer under the Private Health Insurance (Prudential Supervision) Act 2015.
ii.	The policy has the highest level of hospital cover that the health insurer provides.
iii.	The policy includes optical and dental cover.
c.	The member must provide the information specified by the CDF.
d.	The member must provide the documents specified by the CDF.
3.	The allowance is paid at the rate that applies to the member’s situation.
a.	The member has received a payment under section 4.9.17 for the same financial year — $1,900 a year.
b.	The member has not received a payment under section 4.9.17 for the same financial year — $2,500 a year.

4.

The member is eligible to receive the allowance once in a 12 month period commencing the day the member became eligible for the allowance.

5.

A member must repay a part of the allowance if the member ceases to be insured as required under paragraph 2.b at any time from the day they became eligible to receive the bonus until the day ending 12 months after that day.

Example: The member cancels the policy after being paid the allowance they must repay the amount that represents the part of the year that the member is not covered by the insurance.

Exceptions: The CDF may decide that a member does not need to repay the allowance. The CDF must consider why the member did not have insurance for the full period.

6.

The amount to be repaid is calculated in accordance with the following table.

Step

Action

1.

Calculate the number of days in the following period.

a.

Starting when the member stops being insured under a health insurance policy.

b.

Ending one year after the member became eligible for their last health support allowance payment.

2.

Divide the outcome of Step 1 by 365.

Example: A member was insured for 100 days. The outcome of this step is 0.274.

3.

Multiply the outcome of Step 2 by the amount of the member's last payment under this Division.

Example: A member was not insured for 0.274 of the year. Their last payment was $2,500.

0.274 multiplied by $2,500= $685

4.

The member must repay the outcome of Step 3.

7.	An amount that must be repaid under this section is a debt to the Commonwealth.
8.	Defence is authorised to collect sensitive information for the purposes of this benefit.
See: Australian Privacy Principle 3, Schedule 1 to the Privacy Act 1988
3	Paragraph 4.9.17.1.b (Health support allowance – Members on Reserve service)
Omit "section 4.9.16", substitute "paragraph 4.9.16.3.b".
4	Annex 4.9.A: High Readiness Reserve health support allowance claim form
Omit the Annex.