Department of Veterans' Affairs - Toowoomba

The Department of Veterans Affairs is an Australian Government Department. It has three main functions: Care, Compensation and Commemoration for the men and women who served in defence of the nation. The Veterans Affairs Network can * Answer questions and provide information about DVA pensions and allowances and about health care eligibility; * Provide up to date information and advice on the health and support services available through DVA or in the community; and * Work with Ex Service Organisations and community agencies to develop programs to meet local needs of the community. SERVICE PENSION A service pension is paid to a veteran who has qualifying service (which means that a veteran must have served in an area where there was danger from enemy forces - for Commonwealth and Allied Veterans such service must have been during a conflict in which Australian Forces were involved) and who has attained the age of 60 if male, or 58 years if female, or who is permanently incapacitated for employment (incapacity does not have to relate to accepted disabilities). DISABILITY PENSION A disability pension is a benefit paid to Australian Veterans or eligible dependents as a compensation for incapacity and death which has been determined to have been caused by the veteran's service. Conditions for eligible service periods apply. HEALTH CARE The DVA provides a broad range of health care services for eligible veterans and dependants with the Local Medical Officer (LMO) authorised to arrange access to many services beyond general practitioner services. An entitled veteran or dependant receives a treatment entitlement card coloured either gold, which covers treatment of all conditions, or white, which only covers treatment of accepted war or service related conditions. MILITARY REHABILITATION AND COMPENSATION SCHEME (MRCS) This scheme provides rehabilitation and/or compensation to serving members, reservists, and their dependants, for injuries or disease that occur due to service. DEFENCE SERVICE HOMES BENEFITS (DSH) The DSH scheme provides financial benefits in the form of a subsidised housing loan to those persons who have completed a qualifying period of service in the Defence Force in either wartime or peacetime. INSURANCE ON HOME Available to all DSH eligible persons entitled to benifits under the Veterans' Entitlement Act (1986) on any home they own, whether or not the property was funded by a DSH loan. ADF personnel using the Defence Housing Authority loan are also able to insure the home for which the loan was granted. Home contents insurance is also available. ENQUIRIES 1800 722 000 - Loans 1300 552 662 - Insurance 1300 551 918 - General