Department of Veteran Affairs is a federal government department with the mission statement. “Our mission is to support those who serve or have served in defence of our nation and commemorate their service and sacrifice.”

The department use taxi services to move veterans, who are unable to use public or private transport services due to medical conditions, between their homes and medical centers.

What is DVA work?

DVA jobs are government funded transport assistance for the treatment of all health conditions for approved ex-service personnel.

Gold Repatriation Health Card holders (over 80 years of age) are eligible for assistance towards travelling expenses for the treatment of all health conditions.

White Repatriation Health Card for Specific Conditions are eligible for assistance towards travelling expenses for the treatment of the following specific conditions, if these are accepted by Department of Veteransí Affairs (DVA):

  • war or service-caused injury or disease

The following conditions whether war-caused or not:

  • malignant cancer (neoplasia)
  • pulmonary tuberculosis
  • post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • anxiety and/or depression.

A White Card is also issued to ex-service personnel who are eligible for treatment under agreements between the Australian Government and New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and the United Kingdom for disabilities accepted as war-caused by their country of origin.

DVA may meet the cost of travel by taxi for treatment purposes only if the health provider certifies that the veteran cannot use public or community transport or a private vehicle due to certain medical conditions, or where these modes of transport were not available.

The medical conditions are:

  • dementia, psychosis, hemiplegia, ataxia, blindness (temporary or permanent)
  • respiratory insufficiency severely limiting independent activity
  • cardiac failure severely limiting independence, recent coronary occlusion, or peripheral vascular disease severely limiting independence
  • amputation or arthritis severely limiting independence
  • recent surgery severely affecting capacity to use public transport
  • conditions that would cause the veteran to be either gravely embarrassed or unacceptable to other passengers in public transport e.g. incontinence of bladder or bowel, severe deformity or disfigurement
  • significant trauma
  • frailty that severely limits independence.

Reimbursement will only be made if the health provider certifies on the D800 form that this type of transport was:

  • medically required or
  • where public, private or community transport was not available.

Without this certification, payment will only be made at the current private vehicle allowance of 29.3 cents per kilometre for the distance travelled.

Please note that eligible veterans who are aged 80 years and over, or legally blind or suffering from dementia do not need to obtain Health provider certification to travel by taxi for treatment purposes.

How do I book?

Bookings are created by Department of Veterans Affairs or by the medical centre on behalf of the veteran. At present, bookings are accepted via phone and fax. These bookings are entered into the system and dispatched by MTData. Veterans cannot make bookings on the DVA account.

Passengers wanting to travel to alternate destinations

When taxis are booked by DVA they must be to an approved location. The approved locations for all eligible veterans include:

  • former Repatriation General Hospitals
  • public and approved private hospitals
  • providers of prosthetics, surgical footwear and orthotics
  • Office of Hearing Services accredited providers
  • medical specialist rooms and
  • radiology, imaging and pathology services.

The following treatment locations are also approved locations for eligible veterans aged 80 years and over, or legally blind or suffering from dementia:

  • Local Medical Officers and general practitioners
  • dental providers
  • allied health services (other than those mentioned above)
  • optical dispensers and
  • VVCS ñ Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Services.

All taxi travel must go directly to the destination on, except if a veteran requests, a stop at a chemist can be made to collect a prescription. In this scenario, the taxi is to wait at the chemist for the veteran, then continue to the destination.

Links

More information can be found:

http://factsheets.dva.gov.au/factsheets/