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You are here: ABSTUDY > 7
Benefits and Allowances > 7.13 Pharmaceutical Allowance
This chapter contains details about Pharmaceutical Allowance.
The Pharmaceutical Allowance (PhA) is a payment for eligible students who are incapacitated for study, to assist with the cost of pharmaceutical prescriptions under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. It is available to ABSTUDY students who have a temporary incapacity exemption.
For more information on eligibility for PhA, consult the Social Security Act 1991. ABSTUDY students over 21 years should be aligned with Newstart eligibility rules and ABSTUDY students under 21 years should be aligned with YA eligibility rules.
Advance PhA payments are available to a restricted group of pensioners (see 7.13.3.1).
PhA cannot be claimed on its own. It may be paid if a student is temporarily incapacitated and as a component of:-
PhA is paid fortnightly with the student’s main payment.
An entitlement year for advance payments of PhA runs form 1 January to 31 December in the same calendar year.
To qualify for Pharmaceutical Allowance a student must have a medical certificate that has the diagnosis, prognosis and the length of time she/he would be incapacitated for study. This should be submitted to the Centrelink Office for assessment. The time allowed for a temporary incapacity exemption could be from four to thirteen weeks.
The following are the current maximum rates of PhA per fortnight.
If the PhA payment is being made for periods of less than one week, the allowance is one-fifth of the weekly rate for each week day in the payment period.
PhA cannot be paid to a student if they, or their partner receive any of the following DVA payments:
Exception: The PhA is paid at half the combined rate for couples if:
A student cannot receive PhA if:
Pensioner students may claim up to 7 times the fortnightly rate of PhA as an advance payment if they meet all of the following criteria:
A student who applies for an advance before the first payment delivery day in an entitlement year, will not have received any PhA payments in that entitlement year. The student is eligible for an advance and does not need to have purchased any prescription items in that entitlement year.
A student who makes a claim for pension or allowance may apply for an advance payment of PhA at the same time. If a pension or allowance is granted, the student is eligible for an advance from the date of grant. The student does not need to have purchased any prescription items in that entitlement year.
Students can be paid further advances as soon as they have spent all the PhA they have received for the calendar year on prescription items, provided they still qualify for PhA.
Students must apply in writing for an advance because of the need to verify their circumstances. Students may also need to provide their prescription record form to verify that they have purchased sufficient prescription items.
Prescription record forms are available from most pharmacists and are completed by the pharmacist when prescriptions are provided.
Although combined income is used to determine qualification for advances involving couples, the advance can be paid independently. This means that one pensioner may receive an advance while their partner receives PhA on a fortnightly basis. Once a student receives an advance of PhA, the non-payment period remains the same regardless of whether the customer becomes single or partnered.
PhA is indirectly income tested on the basis of being in receipt of a DVA or social security pension, allowance, benefit or Centrelink payment.
If a student’s partner is receiving PhA from DVA, that amount is exempt from the student’s income for income test purposes.
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