LEX 83091 Decision Document.pdf

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 1 of 36
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Progress of claim - Disability Support Pension (DSP) 008-03150000
Currently published version valid from 6/01/2025 9:26 PM
Background

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This document outlines how Service Officers assess DSP claims and respond to customer
enquiries about the progress of their DSP claim.
Progress of DSP claims
Customers regularly contact Services Australia to ask about the progress of their DSP claim.
The advice provided to customers depends on the stage of their DSP claim. For example:
•  claim lodgement
•  initial medical assessment (MAT report/SA479)
•  Streaming to progress claims
•  Job Capacity Assessment (JCA)
•  Disability Medical Assessment (DMA)
•  ﬁnalisation rejection/grant
•  review and appeal
s47E(d)

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 2 of 36
s47E(d)
Prioritising
DSP claims for terminal y il  customers.
Claim lodgement and documents
Customers can claim DSP by:
•  submitting an online claim
with help from a Service Officer running Assisted
Customer Claim (ACC)
•  lodging a paper claim form
A correspondence nominee can lodge a claim on the customer's behalf. The nominee may
advise the customer has no insight into their condition and they are not aware that the nominee
is applying for DSP on their behalf. Let the nominee know that depending on how the claim is
lodged the customer may be sent letters, SMS or email messages during the claim process.
Customers who have a terminal il ness with a life expectancy of less than 2 years may lodge a
Claim for Disability Support Pension for a Terminal Il ness form (SA494) with or without the
Veriﬁcation of Terminal Il ness form (SA495). See Streaming a new claim for Disability Support
Pension (DSP).
As part of the DSP online claim process, eligible customers are asked if they want to
claim JobSeeker Payment (JSP) (Provisional). A separate full claim is not needed. If a customer
wants to claim any other income support payment, current process applies for each payment
type.
If ACC is completed:
•  over the phone, read a verbal customer declaration script to the customer or their
nominee and record their consent
•  in a service centre, take a verbal declaration or print a Customer Declaration Form for
the customer to sign
Customers are encouraged to lodge al  required forms and information relevant to their
circumstances when they claim DSP. This includes current medical evidence from their treating
health professional/s.
If a customer is invited to test their eligibility for DSP, the letter inviting them to claim may advise
further medical evidence is not required. This letter can be uploaded or scanned to support an
online claim in place of medical evidence.
Upon receipt of a paper claim, scan the DSP claim (SA466), separating the Medical section
(MEDSA466). Al  other supporting documents must be scanned to the customer record with the
correct classiﬁcation if there is no barcode on the document.
See Scanning Centrelink documents using an MFD if documents to support the claim are
provided separately.
For example, after a claim has been submitted:
•  select the Process Direct s47E(d) Icon and update the status of the task

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 3 of 36
•  if using Customer First, use the s47E(d)
guided procedure
to mark the corresponding task as Provided
See Claiming Disability Support Pension (DSP).
Identity documents submitted must be coded using Identity Conﬁrmation Dashboard in
Process Direct. For any documented determinations where customers are unable to conﬁrm
their identity, see Alternative Identity.
Initial Medical Assessment (MAT)
Once an online claim is submitted, or a paper claim form is lodged and scanned, a DSP new
claim Social Online Application (SOA) and automatic MAT referral is generated. The DSP claim is
placed on hold until the Disability Support Pension Medical Eligibility Assessment
Recommendation (SA479) is completed.
Note: the SA479 is also referred to as:
•  MAT recommendation/SA479
•  MAT report/SA479
•  MAT recommendation
•  MAT
The medical evidence provided is assessed by Assessment Services to determine if:
•  the claim can be manifestly granted or rejected, or
•  a further assessment is required to determine medical eligibility
An Assessment Services Assessor can make one of the fol owing MAT recommendations:
•  manifest medical eligibility
•  manifest medical ineligibility
•  reject claim based on insufficient medical evidence
•  assess claim based on a current and valid Job Capacity Assessment (JCA) report, or
•  a JCA referral is required to assess medical eligibility
s47E(d)

. For ful  details on the
escalation process see, Prioritising DSP claims for terminal y il  customers.
Once a MAT recommendation is completed, the claim is al ocated to Smart Centres Disability
Processing.
Streaming
Streaming a DSP claim involves:
•  checking the claim and supporting documents
•  reviewing the customer's circumstances

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 4 of 36
•  determining the action required to progress to claim ﬁnalisation
See Streaming a new claim for DSP.
Job Capacity Assessment (JCA)
Where the MAT determines the customer is manifestly eligible or ineligible for DSP based on
available medical evidence, a JCA is not required.
In al  other cases a JCA is required to assess:
•  the customer's medical conditions under the Impairment Tables
•  if they need to meet Program of Support (POS) requirements
•  if they have a Continuing Inability to Work (CITW)
Customers who have been assessed by a JCA as likely to be medical y eligible for DSP (but not
manifestly eligible) are referred to a Government-contracted doctor (GCD) for a Disability
Medical Assessment (DMA). A DMA veriﬁes a customer's eligibility for DSP before their claim is
determined. See Disability Medical Assessment (DMA) referrals.
In some cases, an existing JCA report recommending medical eligibility may be assessed by
MAT as being current and valid. These claims do not require a further JCA to be conducted and
should be progressed for a DMA referral fol owing streaming.
Disability Medical Assessment (DMA)
The Service Officer reviews and actions the DMA report. There are 6 possible outcomes from a
DMA report for a customer:
•  Medical eligibility for DSP with no amendments (DMA report supports the
recommendations from the JCA report)
•  Medical eligibility for DSP, but some minor adjustments to the medical condition/s
and/or impairment rating/s (DMA report slightly different to the recommendations from
the JCA report)
•  Potential medical eligibility for DSP but there are major changes to the medical
condition/s and/or the impairment rating/s (DMA report different to the
recommendations from the JCA report) including the requirement to now assess active
participation in Program of Support (POS) and reassess work capacity
•  The customer is manifest medical y eligible for DSP
•  The customer is not medical y eligible for DSP
•  Medical eligibility cannot be determined as the customer could not be contacted, did
not attend or failed to participate in the DMA
Release of MAT report/SA479, JCA or DMA reports
A customer can request a copy of their:
•  MAT report/SA479
•  JCA report

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 5 of 36
•  DMA report
These reports:
•  may be released by APS3 level staff or above, in speciﬁc circumstances without a
formal Freedom of Information (FOI) request
•  cannot be released to the customer under Informal Access in any circumstances
where there is an unﬁnalised DSP new claim, formal review or medical review related to
that report
DSP customers can request a copy of their MAT report/SA479, JCA or DMA report:
•  under Informal Access once their claim, formal review or medical review is ﬁnalised.
Release of a report through this channel is not automatic and depends on al  criteria
being met, or
•  by a formal request under the Freedom of Information Act 1982. These requests must be
in writing and immediately forwarded to the agency's FOI team
See Release of Disability Support Pension (DSP) Medical Assessment reports.
Rejection of DSP
Customers who are assessed as not eligible for DSP can:
•  request reassessment of the rejected claim (for speciﬁc rejection reasons only), or
•  request an explanation or apply for a formal review of the rejection decision
See Reviews and appeals for Disability Support Pension (DSP) rejection or cancel ation
decisions.
Impairment Table changes from 1 April 2023
From 1 April 2023, new Impairment Tables were introduced. The Tables are used to assess a
customer's medical eligibility for al  DSP claims lodged (or with date of effect) on or after this
date. See The Impairment Tables.
The Resources page contains:
•  forms for staff and customers
•  fact sheets explaining common rejection reasons for DSP new claims
•  contact details
•  an example of a DSP Claim Progress DOC
Related links
Claiming Disability Support Pension (DSP)
Coding identity documents
Alternative Identity
Scanning Centrelink documents using an MFD

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 6 of 36
Assessing a new claim for Disability Support Pension (DSP) after a Job Capacity Assessment
(JCA)
Prioritising Disability Support Pension (DSP) claims for terminal y il customers
Disability Medical Assessment (DMA) referrals
Checking and actioning a Job Capacity Assessment (JCA) report
Checking and actioning Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) reports
Using a Job Capacity Assessment (JCA) report to determine payment type
Job seekers with a partial capacity to work or a temporary reduced work capacity
JobSeeker Payment (JSP) and Youth Al owance (YA) (Provisional)
Assessing and coding medical evidence for temporary incapacity exemptions
Request for an explanation or application for a formal review
First contact about a decision and the internal review process
Reviews and appeals for Disability Support Pension (DSP) rejection or cancel ation decisions
Release of Disability Support Pension (DSP) Medical Assessment reports
Identity Conﬁrmation
Viewing Centrelink customers' digital images
Managing complaints and feedback
Referral to external support services
Family and domestic violence
Separating safely - protecting personal details

Process

This document outlines how Service Officers assess DSP claims and respond to customer
enquiries about the progress of their DSP claim.
On this page:
Progress of claim
Finalising claims, POS, explanation of rejection decision, formal review and customer
complaints
Progress of claim
Table 1: this table explains the assessment stages for a DSP claim and what to tel a customer if
they contact about the progress of their claim.

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 7 of 36
Step
Action
1
Customer has lodged DSP claim + Read more ...
Check contact details
When a customer contacts about the progress of their claim, staff must conﬁrm
that contact details are current.
If changes are required, these must be updated manual y outside of the DSP new
claim activity. Refer to:
•  Address s47E(d), Accommodation details s47E(d)and/or Other Contact
Details s47E(d), see Table 4 > Step 4 in Updating address details
•  If the customer is making updates to their address only, not their partner's
this is a family and domestic violence interaction point, see Family and
domestic violence
Note: if a customer advises they are separating, see Separating safely -
protecting personal details to ensure personal information is kept safe
•  Telephone s47E(d) see Step 2 in Updating telephone details and/or paying
Telephone Al owance (TAL)
•  Email address s47E(d) see the Customer First tab in Adding, changing or
removing an email address
s47E(d)

Prioritising Disability Support Pension (DSP)
claims for terminal y il  customers.
Check DSP claim status
DSP Claims do not have a NCL activity in Customer First on the Activity List s47E(d)
screen, instead a claim (Social Application) is created in Process Direct when an
online claim/Assisted Customer Claim (ACC) is submitted, or when a paper claim is
lodged and scanned.
Use the Transactions icon and check the DSP Claim Progress DOC to determine
status of claim. For information on some of the process statuses of a DSP claim,
see Process status deﬁnitions in Process Direct navigation, common screens and
functions.
Where the DSP Online Claim status is DRAFT
If the online claim status is showing as Draft, the customer has started, but has
not submitted the online claim. Do not change the claim status from Draft. Note: if
the Claim Submission Date reads 00:00:0000, the online claim has not yet been
submitted.

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 8 of 36
Tel  the customer:
•  to log into their online services, accept the customer declaration and
submit their claim
•  there is limited time to do this before the claim is no longer available
Where the DSP Claim status is Finalised (Completed)
To identify if the DSP claim has been ﬁnalised (completed):
•  In Process Direct via Customer Summary, check
o  s47E(d)
for a grant Note/DOC or a claim
ﬁnalisation Note/DOC
o  Beneﬁt Status s47E(d) screen for a claim determination in
the s47E(d)system, or
o  Transaction icon for an online claim
•  In Customer First, check:
o  Document List s47E(d) screen for a grant DOC or a claim
ﬁnalisation DOC
o  s47E(d) screen for a claim determination in the s47E(d) system
o  status of online or Assisted Customer Claim (ACC) in Customer
First using s47E(d)

o  the s47E(d)  wil  display the User status of the claim. If the claim
is granted, the User status wil  show as Completed, see Viewing
and processing online and Assisted Customer Claim (ACC)
Where the DSP Claim status is Finalised (Completed), see Table 2 to advise claim
outcome.
Where the customer has lodged a paper DSP Claim but there is no
Claim/Progress DOC present
Go to Step 3.
Where the DSP claim is still in progress (i.e. In Process/On Hold status)
Where the claim status is In Process or On Hold and awaiting further assessment
or ﬁnalisation and the customer is s47E(d)
, tel  the customer:
'Claiming Disability Support Pension can be a lengthy process and may include
multiple medical assessments with strict eligibility criteria.
Once your claim is processed, if eligible you wil  be paid for the period you're
entitled to, including back-payments.
We wil  notify you of the outcome of your claim in writing once it's been ﬁnalised.'

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 9 of 36
If the customer/nominee wants further information about the status of their
claim, go to Step 2.
Is the customer current on an Income Support Payment
As part of the DSP online claim, eligible customers are asked if they want to
claim JobSeeker Payment (JSP) or Youth Al owance (YA) (Provisional) while their
DSP is being assessed. A separate claim is not needed for JSP if they say yes to
claiming JSP within the DSP online claim. If the customer wants to claim Youth
Al owance they need to claim separately. When reviewing the customer's record,
determine if an alternative Income Support Payment (ISP) needs to be offered.
Where an alternative ISP is requested and has not already been assessed, staff
must complete the fol owing:
•  Telephony - tel  the customer to claim
online. If the customer is
unable to or it is unsuitable for them to claim online, complete an Assisted
Customer Claim (ACC).
•  Front of House - offer an alternative ISP. If the customer declines an
alternative ISP, record details in a DOC. If the customer accepts the offer of
an alternative ISP, complete an ACC and action as required
Customer advises they have further information for their unﬁnalised DSP claim
If the customer is cal ing to advise they have more information to support their DSP
claim:
•  In Process Direct via s47E(d)
, refer to:
o  the DSP Claim Progress DOC on s47E(d)  for updates on claim
processing including any outstanding information or assessments
required
o  Documents icon for scanned documents
o  the Task icon to show any outstanding tasks. If requested
documents have been provided or are no longer required, the status
of the task can be updated here
•  In Customer First, refer to:
o  the DSP Claim Progress DOC on s47E(d) for updates on claim processing
including any outstanding information or assessments required
o  s47E(d)
to search for scanned
paper claim and/or supporting documents
o  use s47E(d)
guided
procedure to show any outstanding tasks
Tel  the customer:

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 10 of 36
'Lodge your documents using Upload documents online
or the local service
centre as soon as you can.
Having the information as early as possible means it can be considered without
further delay.
If you or your partner (if applicable) have earnings, you must continue to
lodge/upload all payslips from the date you claimed until you are advised of the
claim outcome. This wil  help in the assessment of your claim.
If further information is required or if you need to attend an appointment, you wil
receive a letter.'
See Documents required for Centrelink new claims.
If the customer/nominee wants more information on the speciﬁc stage/status of
their DSP claim, go to Step 2.
2
Stages of a DSP claim/customer queries + Read more ...
See below to determine how to help customers with their queries about their DSP
claim:
•  No DSP claim activity and/or DSP Claim progress DOC on record, go to Step
3
•  Mutual obligation/participation requirements ('Claiming DSP'
exemption), go to Step 4
•  Claim in progress and customer requesting immediate processing, go to
Step 5
•  Medical Assessment (MAT) referral, go to Step 6
•  Streaming, go to Step 7
•  Job Capacity Assessment (JCA) appointment, go to Step 8
•  Disability Medical Assessment (DMA) appointment, go to Step 9
•  Finalised (Completed) DSP Claim, see Table 2 > Step 1
•  Customer complaints, see Table 2 > Step 14
3
Index, re-index or regenerate the claim + Read more ...
If the customer contacts to enquire about the progress of their DSP claim and it:
•  has not been ﬁnalised/completed, and there is no claim transaction and/or
DSP Claim Progress DOC on s47E(d)  on the record, see, Indexing, re-
indexing, and cancel ing claim activities
needs to be cancel ed as the activity is preventing other updates on the customer's
record, see Indexing, re-indexing, and cancel ing claim activities

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 11 of 36
•  is a new paper claim scanned with no evidence of progression of the DSP
claim and no claim activity on the customer's record:
•  check s47E(d)
in Customer First for claim documents to determine
if a DSP claim has been scanned incorrectly
o  see, Indexing, re-indexing, and cancel ing claim activities
Note: in al  instances where a DSP claim has been indexed, re-indexed or
regenerated, if the customer is in receipt of JSP/YA, check if Activity and Exemption
Summary  s47E(d) screen needs coding with 'Claiming DSP' exemption.
See JobSeeker Payment (JSP) and Youth Al owance (YA) (Provisional).
Tel  the customer/nominee:
'Your DSP claim has been referred for processing - this includes the assessment of
the medical evidence you have provided.
If further information is required or if you need to attend an appointment, a Service
Officer or assessor wil  attempt to contact you.
Cal s from us wil  display as a private number. Please answer this cal .'
Procedure ends here.
4
Mutual obligations/participation requirements for JSP/YA and Activity and
Exemption Summary (s47E(d)) coding + Read more ...
If a JSP/YA current customer contacts to enquire about their mutual
obligations/participation requirements and they are getting a participation payment
under 'provisional' conditions, they do not have to meet mutual obligation or
participation requirements if:
•  they have submitted a DSP claim, and
•  the claim is not yet ﬁnalised
To determine if the 'Claiming DSP' exemption coding is required and for coding
instructions, see JobSeeker Payment (JSP) and Youth Al owance (YA) (Provisional).
5
Request for immediate processing + Read more ...
When a customer asks for their claim to be processed urgently, check:
•  the DSP Claim Progress DOC on their record
•  if the claim is 'On Hold' and the hold reason
•  if al  required information is available. This can include:
o  completed claim form
o  submission of an online claim
o  al  required documents have been provided and correctly submitted

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 12 of 36
o  supporting medical evidence. Note: medical information is stored in
the customer's electronic Medical Information File Envelope s47E(d)
and can be viewed in the s47E(d)  tab in Process Direct
or s47E(d)
in Customer First
o  Income and Assets form (SA369) if required
o  MAT report/SA479
o  Job Capacity Assessment (JCA) and/or Disability Medical
Assessment (DMA) report
o  if a claimant requires a Program of Support (POS) assessment
fol owing a DMA
o  specialist assessments completed if required (for example,
Complex Assessment Officer (CAO), Compensation (COMPO),
member of a couple assessment (MoC)
All required information is not available + Read more ...
Tel  the customer that the claim is unable to progress until al  required information
is available.
Where the customer is experiencing ﬁnancial hardship, offer the customer
a referral to a community agency for help.
Annotate the DSP Claim Progress DOC with:
•  Customer contacted: DD/MM/YY
•  Reason: for example, claim unable to be ﬁnalised until al  required
information has been provided
•  Customer has been advised their claim wil  be processed according to
normal timeliness standards
•  Customer has been requested to return: XXXXXX
Procedure ends here until al  required information is available.
All required information is available + Read more ...
Assess customer's circumstances to determine if the request meets any of the
fol owing criteria for immediate processing:
s47E(d)

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 13 of 36
s47E(d)

Customer meets the criteria for immediate processing + Read more ...
Where the DSP claim is ready to assess as al  required information is available
including MAT/JCA/DMA reports, see Immediate new claim and non-claim priority
processing to request urgent assessment of claim.
Customer does not meet the criteria for immediate processing + Read more ...
Tel  the customer:
'Please be assured we are processing claims as quickly as possible.
DSP claim processing is a lengthy process with strict eligibility criteria.
We wil  let you know the outcome as soon as it is complete.'
Annotate the DSP Claim Progress DOC with details:
•  Customer contacted: DD/MM/YY
•  Reason: for example, based on the information provided, customer is not
eligible for urgent processing of their new claim
•  Customer has been advised their claim wil  be processed according to
normal timeliness standards
Procedure ends here.
6
MAT assessment of medical evidence + Read more ...
Do not tell the customer the outcome/recommendation within the MAT
report/SA479 before the claim is ﬁnalised.
What is a MAT assessment + Read more ...
Upon lodgement of the DSP claim, a DSP new claim Social Application (SOA) and
an automatic referral are generated and al ocated to Assessment Services. The DSP
claim is placed On Hold.
Assessment Services assess the medical evidence provided with the DSP claim
and submit a recommendation via a Disability Support Pension Medical Eligibility
Recommendation (SA479). When a MAT report/SA479 is completed:
•  the claim status is updated to In Process
•  a MAT DSP Recommendation DOC is added to the record
•  the DSP new claim activity is al ocated to a Service Officer via Workload
Management (WLM) to action
How to locate the MAT report/SA479 + Read more ...
The MAT report/SA479 is viewed in:

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 14 of 36
•  Process Direct by selecting the:
o  s47E(d)
icon or
o  s47E(d)
function in the s47E(d)
menu
•  Customer First from s47E(d)

Tel  the customer:
'Please be assured we are processing claims as quickly as possible.
DSP claim processing is a lengthy process with strict eligibility criteria.
We wil  let you know the outcome as soon as it is complete.'
Annotate the DSP Claim Progress DOC with:
•  Customer contacted: DD/MM/YY
•  Include details of the discussion
Procedure ends here.
7
Streaming by Disability Processing Service Officer + Read more ...
A Service Officer actions the claim based on the MAT report/SA479.
The MAT report/SA479 can be viewed:
•  In Process Direct by selecting:
o  the s47E(d)
icon, or
o  the s47E(d)
function in the s47E(d)
menu
•  In Customer First from s47E(d)

Do not tell the customer the outcome/recommendation within the MAT
report/SA479 before the claim is ﬁnalised.
MAT report/SA479 indicates - Manifest medical eligibility + Read more ...
If the MAT report/SA479 recommends manifest medical eligibility, no further
medical assessment is required.
An assessment of non-medical eligibility is to be completed before the claim can
be ﬁnalised.
These customers are considered vulnerable and need extra support, therefore, the
claim is to be Held to User until the claim is complete.
If the customer has not supplied al  required information requested via the online
claim, Service Officer is to contact the customer to get the outstanding documents.

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 15 of 36
Details of any documents requested, or referrals actioned, for example, Member of
a Couple assessment (MoC) or Compensation clearances are included in the DSP
Claim Progress DOC.
If there are any outstanding documents, tel  the customer:
•  to return the documents by the due date advised in the letter or on their task
list
•  that the claim may be rejected if the requested documents are not provided
by the due date
If al  information has been provided, tel  the customer:
'Please be assured we are processing claims as quickly as possible and your claim
is progressing.
Once your claim is processed, if eligible, you wil  be paid for the period you're
entitled to, including back-payments.
We wil  notify you of the outcome of your claim in writing once it's been ﬁnalised.
If we need to phone you, cal s from the agency display as a private number. Please
answer this cal '
Annotate the DSP Claim Progress DOC with:
•  Customer contacted: DD/MM/YY
•  Include details of the discussion
Procedure ends here.
Medically ineligible and claim not ﬁnalised + Read more ...
The claim is al ocated to a Service Officer for assessment but is not yet ﬁnalised.
Tel  the customer:
'Please be assured we are processing claims as quickly as possible and your claim
is progressing.
Once your claim is processed, we wil  notify you of the outcome of your claim in
writing.
A Service Officer may attempt to contact you.
Cal s from the agency display as a private number. Please answer this cal .'
Annotate the DSP Claim Progress DOC with:
•  Customer contacted: DD/MM/YY
•  Include details of the discussion
Procedure ends here.
Non-medical criteria not met and claim ﬁnalised + Read more ...

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 16 of 36
If the customer does not meet the non-medical eligibility criteria, the claim is
rejected and attempts are made to contact the customer to discuss the outcome of
the claim. Details of the rejection are recorded on the DSP NCL Reject DOC.
Tel  the customer:
•  why their claim was rejected
•  they wil  get a letter advising the outcome of their claim, and
•  their review and appeal rights
Procedure ends here.
JCA Referral required + Read more ...
If a JCA referral is required, Service Officers must do an initial non-medical
eligibility check to determine if the customer:
•  is an Australian resident
•  has turned at least 15 years and 9 months and is under Age Pension age
when they claimed
•  meets the relevant income and/or assets threshold (including partner, if
applicable) based on available information provided
•  does not have a Compensation Preclusion period which ends 13 weeks
after the claim date
If it is clear from the available evidence the customer does not meet the non-
medical eligibility criteria for DSP, the claim wil  not progress to JCA.
Tel  the customer:
'Please be assured we are processing claims are quickly as possible and your claim
is progressing.
Once your claim is processed, we wil  notify you of the outcome of your claim in
writing.
A Service Officer may attempt to contact you.
Cal s from the agency display as a private number. Please answer this cal '
Procedure ends here.
To help with checking the customer's record for a Job Capacity Assessment (JCA)
referral or appointment, go to Step 8.
8
Job Capacity Assessment (JCA) + Read more ...
Do not tel  a customer the outcome of the JCA report if the DSP claim assessment
has not been completed.
Status of a JCA report + Read more ...

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 17 of 36
If a customer contacts, establish the status of the report, see Understanding Job
Capacity Assessment (JCA) reports.
JCA Referral and/or JCA Appointment information + Read more ...
Where a customer contacts to enquire about the progress of their DSP Claim and
the claim is waiting for a JCA Referral and/or JCA Appointment, locate the
referral/appointment details:
In Process Direct:
•  from s47E(d)
o  check for the JCA ref req DOC (for example, JCA ref req-Phone
Assessment)
o  if this DOC is annotated, it should contain details of the JCA
appointment. Conﬁrm these with the customer
•  from s47E(d)

•  if the referral DOC is not annotated with appointment details
•  go to the Referral Summary s47E(d)  screen and check s47E(d)
,
or
s47E(d)
•
If JCA status is New + Read more ...
Tel  the customer:
'You have been referred for a Job Capacity Assessment'
•  For face to face or phone appointments only:
'It's important that you attend the scheduled appointment'. Advise the customer of
the JCA appointment date and time
'The claim may be rejected if you do not attend'
'After your JCA, if you are required to attend a Disability Medical Assessment (DMA)
with a Government-contracted doctor, you wil  be referred to Sonic HealthPlus who
wil  contact you to arrange an appointment.
You may be required to supply more information for your claim after your JCA,
depending on the outcome'
Annotate the DSP Claim Progress DOC with
•  Customer contacted: DD/MM/YY
•  Include details of the discussion

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 18 of 36
Procedure ends here.
Where the JCA Referral has not yet been actioned/JCA appointment has not
been booked + Read more ...
Tell the customer:
'There is a large volume of DSP claims on hand. This is impacting:
•
Disability Processing ability to action Job Capacity Assessment Referrals,
and
•
Job Capacity Assessment appointment availability
Please be assured we are processing claims as quickly as possible, and your claim
is progressing.
We wil  contact you to book a Job Capacity Assessment (if you need to attend by
phone or face to face).
After your JCA, if you are required to attend a Disability Medical Assessment (DMA)
with a Government-contracted doctor, you wil  be referred to Sonic HealthPlus who
wil  contact you to arrange an appointment.'
Note: s47E(d)

Customer cannot attend a JCA appointment + Read more ...
The status of the JCA referral wil  be New.
If the customer cannot attend a booked JCA appointment and needs to reschedule,
or they would like to change their appointment type, for example, cannot attend a
face to face appointment. If the customer is:
•
on the phone, warm transfer the cal  to Assessment Services (ASNAT)
•
in person, send an email to ASNAT, see Assessment Services
See, Job Capacity Assessment (JCA) and Employment Services Assessment (ESAt)
appointments.
Customer has attended the JCA appointment + Read more ...
Do not tel  the customer of the outcome of the JCA report until the DSP claim has
been ﬁnalised.
•
For a status of In progress, On Hold, Reopened or Returned:
o Tel  the customer:
'A JCA Assessor may need to contact your treating health or al ied health
professionals to clarify medical information you have provided with your claim.
Once they have al  the required information the Job Capacity Assessment report
wil  be completed and submitted.'

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 19 of 36
•  Annotate the DSP Claim Progress DOC with:
Customer contacted: DD/MM/YY
Include details of the discussion
•  Procedure ends here
•  For a status of Submitted:
o  Tel  the customer:
'Once the JCA report has been submitted it is then assessed and we wil  contact
you either by phone or in writing if we are able to ﬁnalise your claim.
Some applicants may be required to attend a Disability Medical Assessment (DMA)
with a Government-contracted doctor.
If this is the case, you wil  be referred to Sonic HealthPlus who wil  contact you to
arrange an appointment.
It is important you attend any scheduled appointments, failure to do so may delay
the processing of your claim.'
•  Annotate the DSP Claim Progress DOC with:
Customer contacted: DD/MM/YY
Include details of the discussion
•  Check if the customer has been referred for a Disability Medical
Assessment (DMA)
•  Go to Step 9
9
Disability Medical Assessment (DMA) + Read more ...
Sonic HealthPlus (Sonic) is an external contracted provider delivering DMA services
on behalf of the agency. They must not be directly contacted by:
•  service delivery staff, or
•  managers
If there are concerns, agency staff must direct an enquiry to the GCD Contract
Management Team.
Do not tel  a customer to contact Sonic about the:
•  progress, or
•  status of their DMA report or DSP claim
Only tel  a customer to cal  Sonic if they need to reschedule a DMA appointment.
Check the current Status of a DMA report (see below) before providing more
details.

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 20 of 36
Do not tel a customer the outcome of the DMA report if the DSP claim assessment
has not been completed.
How is a DMA referral actioned + Read more ...
An automatic referral for a DMA is created and sent to the DMA provider (Sonic) for
action fol owing the submission of an eligible JCA report.
If the automatic referral does not generate, a work item is al ocated to a Service
Officer to investigate and manual y create a DMA referral.
When a DMA referral is actioned, a Display On Access (DOA) DOC is added to the
customer's record to advise of the referral and the contact number to provide to
customers for any enquiries about their DMA appointment.
Status of a DMA referral + Read more ...
Establish the status of the referral and see Table 2 in Disability Medical Assessment
(DMA) referrals for a description of the status and any required fol ow up:
In Process Direct:
s47E(d)
In Customer First:
s47E(d)
If the customer is referred for a DMA + Read more ...
Tel the customer:

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 21 of 36
'As part of the Disability Support Pension claim process an additional assessment
by an independent health professional is required.
This assessment is referred to as a Disability Medical Assessment.
The Disability Medical Assessment process provides an assessment of your
medical eligibility.
If you are required to attend an appointment it is important you attend this
appointment when scheduled.
If you don't attend the scheduled appointment, it may delay the processing of your
claim. We wil  ﬁnalise your claim as soon as possible.
Cal s from Sonic HealthPlus wil  come through as a private number, it is important
that you answer this cal .'
Annotate the DSP Claim Progress DOC with:
•
Customer contacted: DD/MM/YY
•
Include details of the discussion
If the DMA appointment has not been booked, refer to next heading.
DMA Appointment not yet booked + Read more ...
Where a customer contacts to enquire about the progress of their DSP Claim and
the claim is waiting for a DMA appointment to be scheduled with the
Government-contracted doctor (GCD) (DMA referral to Sonic):
•
Tel  the customer:
'There is a large volume of DSP claims on hand.
This is impacting Disability Processing ability to action Disability Medical
Assessment referrals to Sonic HealthPlus, and Disability Medical Assessment
appointment availability with a Government-contracted doctor.
There may be delays, and it may take longer than usual for Sonic to contact to book
the DMA appointment. Sonic wil  contact to arrange the DMA appointment as soon
as possible.
Please be assured we are processing claims as quickly as possible.'
Annotate the DSP Claim Progress DOC with:
•
Customer contacted: DD/MM/YY
•
Include details of the discussion
Procedure ends here.
s47E(d)

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 22 of 36
s47E(d)
Is there a Display on Access (DOA) DOC advising the DSP claim is being managed
by Customer Critical Response Team (CCRT)?
•  Yes, no further action is required as CCRT wil  liaise with GCD CMT
•  No, see:
o  Disability Medical Assessment (DMA) referrals
o  Disability Medical Assessment (DMA) appointment outcome
Annotate the DSP Claim Progress DOC with:
•  Customer contacted: DD/MM/YY
•  Include details of the discussion
Procedure ends here.
Customer cannot attend a DMA appointment + Read more ...
Tel  the customer to contact Sonic on the number included in the original
appointment letter, or see Sonic HealthPlus for contact details, to reschedule their
appointment.
Assessment of claim after a DMA + Read more ...
Do not tel  the customer of the outcome of the DMA report until claim ﬁnalisation.
Once the DMA is completed, a report is submitted and al ocated to a Service
Officer for action.

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 23 of 36
Fol owing acceptance of the DMA report, the customer's non-medical eligibility is
assessed. The customer may be required to provide more information.
•
Tel  the customer:
'The Government-contracted doctor may need to contact your treating health or
al ied health professionals to clarify medical information provided with your claim.
Once completed the DMA report is submitted.
When the report has been submitted it is then assessed and Services Australia wil
contact you either by phone or in writing to advise you of the outcome of your claim,
or if we need further non-medical information to assess your claim.
If you have been asked to provide information, it is important you do so as soon as
possible. Failure to do so wil  delay the processing of your claim.'
Annotate the DSP Claim Progress DOC with:
•
Customer contacted: DD/MM/YY
•
Include details of the discussion
Procedure ends here.
Finalising claims, POS, explanation of rejection decision, formal review and customer
complaints
Table 2:
Step
Action
1
DSP claim outcome + Read more ...
DSP wil  show a status of CUR, ASS or REJ, when the assessment has
been completed.
Check for a ﬁnalised DSP claim by checking the fol owing:
In Process Direct via Customer Summary
•
s47E(d)
screen for a grant Note/DOC or a claim
ﬁnalisation Note/DOC
•
Beneﬁt Status  s47E(d)) screen for a claim determination
•
s47E(d)
icon
•
s47E(d)
icon for an online claim
In Customer First:
•
Document List s47E(d)) screen in the customer's record for a grant DOC or a
claim ﬁnalisation DOC
•
Beneﬁt Status  s47E(d)) screen for a claim determination
•
Pensions Status History (s47E(d))

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 24 of 36
When a DSP claim is rejected, and in some circumstances when a DSP claim is
granted, a Service Offer Interview (SOI) is conducted by the Service Officer.
If a customer contacts to request details of the outcome of their DSP claim, staff
must discuss the outcome at the ﬁrst point of contact.
Information about the claim and the SOI can be found in Process Direct:
s47E(d)
If the customer is contacting because their claim was:
•
Granted (including a status of ASS), go to Step 2
•
Rejected, go to Step 3
2
DSP claim was Granted + Read more ...
Review the DSP Granted DOC.
Tell the customer:
•
the Start Date of DSP
•
their rate of payment, payment date and any waiting period if subject to an
Income Maintenance Period (IMP)
•
any arrears - amount and expected date paid (if applicable)
•
updating Family Tax Beneﬁt (FTB) income estimates
o if the customer has a dependent child, (under the age of 19) in their
care and they or their partner are not in receipt of FTB, tel the
customer to use the Payment and Service Finder on the Services
Australia website to see if they may be eligible for FTB. See Updating
income estimates for the current ﬁnancial year
•
self-service options:
o Online account. Access through myGov

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 25 of 36
o Express Plus mobile apps. Customers can use the app to do most of
their business
o Centrelink phone self service. Range of options including reporting
employment income
o Service Australia website. Customers can access a ful range of
online guides
•
their access to a Pensioner Concession Card
•
their notiﬁcation requirements
If the customer wants to clarify the Start Date of the DSP claim, go to Step 14.
If the customer's partner is not receiving or claiming their own payment but may be
eligible, discuss any possible entitlements if customer has PPE/PPU authority on
record.
If the customer is partnered and the customer has Person Permitted to Enquire
(PPE) or Update (PPU) authority, ask if their partner has:
•
claimed, check the progress of the partner's claim. If the claim:
o is assessed, tel the customer the outcome
o has not been assessed, go to Progress of claim
•
not claimed, discuss with the customer any potential entitlements for their
partner
Procedure ends here.
3
DSP claim was Rejected + Read more ...
Review the DSP Rejection DOC on the customer's record.
Staff must discuss the reason for the claim being rejected, at ﬁrst point of contact.
If the customer contacts regarding a rejection decision for their DSP claim, the
action required depends on the reason for the rejection. For DSP claims rejected
for:
•
reason FRC/FSD/FRP/POI or IME/OTH, go to Step 4
•
reason FME, go to Step 6
•
reason GCD, go to Step 7
•
reason NTC/NTP, go to Step 8
•
medical reason, such
as NSI, NDT, POS, MDI (excluding reasons IME and OTH), go to Step 9
•
medical reason POS, go to Step 13

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 26 of 36
•
al other DSP rejection reasons or enquiries about a formal review in
progress, go to Step 14
If the customer wants to submit a complaint, go to Step 15
4
DSP claim rejected for reason: FRC/FSD/FRP/POI or IME/OTH + Read more ...
If the claim has been rejected for reasons FSD, FRC, FRP, POI, OTH or IME and the
customer has provided the required information within 13 weeks of the rejection,
the claim can be re-opened.
This can be done without the need for a SME quality check/explanation of decision
or formal review.
Staff must use s47E(d)

. See Request to
reassess a rejected claim.
If the customer has not provided the required information tel the
customer/nominee to do so within 13 weeks of the rejection for reassessment from
the original date of the claim.
s47E(d)

•
Yes, go to Step 5
•
No, procedure ends here
5
DSP claim rejected for reason: s47E(d)
+ Read more ...
s47E(d)
Procedure ends here.
6
DSP claim rejected for reason: FME + Read more ...
A DSP claim is rejected FME (failed to attend medical examination - JCA) where the
customer:
•
failed to attend a Job Capacity Assessment (and the JCA could not be
completed as a ﬁle or phone assessment), or

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 27 of 36
•  the customer would not participate in the assessment
If the DSP claim has been rejected for reason FME, and the customer:
•  has contacted within 13 weeks of being notiﬁed about the rejection
decision, and
•  has indicated their intention to attend and participate in a Job Capacity
Assessment (JCA) appointment
o  s47E(d)

. See Request to
reassess a rejected claim
Procedure ends here.
7
DSP claim rejected for reason: GCD + Read more ...
A DSP claim is rejected GCD (failed to attend/participate in a Disability Medical
Assessment) where Sonic has advised the customer:
•  was unable to be contacted to schedule a Disability Medical Assessment
(DMA)
•  failed to attend a Disability Medical Assessment (DMA), or
•  the customer would not participate in the assessment
If the DSP claim has been rejected for reason GCD, and the customer:
•  has contacted within 13 weeks of being notiﬁed about the rejection
decision, and
•  has indicated their intention to attend and participate in a Disability Medical
Assessment (DMA) appointment
o  see Table 3 of Disability Medical Assessment (DMA) appointment
outcome for action required
Procedure ends here.
8
DSP claim rejected for reason: NTC/NTP + Read more ...
If the claim is rejected for reason NTC (failed to supply TFN customer) or NTP (failed
to supply TFN – partner) and the customer has contacted within 13 weeks of being
notiﬁed about the rejection, and has supplied the required information:
Create an open work item, use s47E(d)

Tell the customer:

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 28 of 36
'Your DSP claim has been referred for reassessment.
If further information is required or if you need to attend an appointment, a Service
Officer or Assessor wil attempt to contact you.
Cal s from us wil display as a private number. Please answer this cal .'
Procedure ends here.
9
DSP medical rejection + Read more ...
If the rejection is for medical reasons, refer to the relevant medical assessment
report(s):
•
Disability Support Pension Medical Eligibility Assessment Recommendation
(MAT report) - (Document Type - SA479)
•
Job Capacity Assessment (Document Type - JCAR), or
•
Disability Medical Assessment (DMA) (Document Type - SA467)
The MAT report/SA479, JCA and DMA reports can be accessed:
•
in Process Direct:
s47E(d)
•
in Customer First:
s47E(d)
See:
•
Eligibility for DSP for the eligibility criteria
•
the Resources page for Rejection Fact Sheets covering:
o Insufficient Medical Evidence
o Diagnosed, Reasonably Treated and Stabilised
o Not 20 Points Impairment
o Program of support (POS) not met
Go to Step 10.
10
DSP rejection – which Impairment Tables have been applied + Read more ...

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 29 of 36
A DSP rejection can currently be assessed under either of the fol owing Impairment
Tables depending on when the DSP claim was submitted:
•
2011 Impairment Tables (Note: the 2011 Tables show as 2012 on the
system)
•
2023 Impairment Tables
How to ﬁnd which Impairment Tables were applied:
In the customer's record in Process Direct:
•
Go to the Medical Conditions Summary Screen (s47E( )
d)
•
On the Medical Assessment table, locate the JCA and/or DMA line in
the Assigning Professional: column
•
Refer to the Impairment Table Version Date: ﬁeld for
either 01/04/2023 or 01/01/2012
In the customer's record in Customer First:
•
Go to the Medical Conditions Summary Screen s47E(d )
)
•
On s47E( , locate the JCA and/or DMA line in the Channel: column
d)
•
Select the relevant s47E(d)
hyperlink
•
Impairment Tbl Version: ﬁeld with display either 1 APR 2023 or 1 JAN 2012
To determine the appropriate advice for the customer based on the Impairment
Tables applied:
•
2011 Impairment Tables, go to Step 11
•
2023 Impairment Tables, go to Step 12
•
Program of Support (POS), under either Impairment Tables, go to Step 13
11
DSP rejection - 2011 Impairment Tables + Read more ...
Staff are to use the scripted text for the relevant rejection reason.
The customer may/can request a copy of their:
•
Disability Support Pension Medical Eligibility Assessment Recommendation
(SA479) (MAT report)
•
Job Capacity Assessment (JCA) and/or
•
Disability Medical Assessment (DMA)
If requested, see Release of DSP Medical Assessment reports.
DSP rejected MDI - not fully diagnosed + Read more ...
Tel the customer:

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 30 of 36
'Your claim for Disability Support Pension was unsuccessful as your medical
condition/s were unable to be assessed as ful y diagnosed because you did not
provide evidence that your condition/s have been formal y diagnosed by an
appropriately qualiﬁed medical practitioner/specialist.
This assessment was made based on the medical evidence you provided to support
your claim, an internal medical assessment and/or Job Capacity Assessment.
These were al  considered when determining your claim.'
Note: internal medical assessment refers to MAT report/SA479.
DSP rejected NSI - Impairment Rating less than 20 points + Read more ...
Tell the customer:
'Your claim for Disability Support Pension was unsuccessful as your medical
condition/s were considered ful y diagnosed, treated and stabilised however, based
on al  of the evidence provided an impairment rating of less than 20 points was
assigned.
'This assessment was made based on the medical evidence you provided and the
Job Capacity Assessment or Disability Medical Assessment on <date>.
These were al  considered when determining your claim.'
DSP rejected NDT - condition not fully diagnosed, treated and stabilised + Read
more ...
Tell the customer:
'Your claim for Disability Support Pension was unsuccessful as your medical
condition/s was/were not considered to be ful y diagnosed, treated and stabilised
and therefore an impairment rating was unable to be assigned.
The assessment was made based on the medical evidence you provided, and the
Job Capacity Assessment or Disability Medical Assessment on <date>.
These were al  considered when determining your claim.'
The customer may/can request a copy of their:
•  Disability Support Pension Medical Eligibility Assessment Recommendation
(SA479) (MAT report)
•  Job Capacity Assessment (JCA), and/or
•  Disability Medical Assessment (DMA)
If requested, see Release of DSP Medical Assessment reports.
Customer does not agree with or understand why their DSP claim has been
unsuccessful + Read more ...
If the customer does not understand or agree with why the DSP claim was rejected
for the medical reasons above, including where the customer has provided, or wil
provide, further medical evidence for consideration, explain their options to
request:

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 31 of 36
•  an explanation
•  a formal review
See Reviews and appeals.
Procedure ends here.
12
DSP rejection - 2023 Impairment Tables + Read more ...
Staff are to use the scripted text for the relevant rejection reason.
The customer may/can request a copy of their:
•  Disability Support Pension Medical Eligibility Assessment Recommendation
(SA479) (MAT report)
•  Job Capacity Assessment (JCA), and/or
•  Disability Medical Assessment (DMA)
If requested, see Release of DSP Medical Assessment reports.
DSP rejected MDI - diagnosis criteria not met + Read more ...
Tell the customer:
'Your claim for Disability Support Pension was unsuccessful as your medical
condition/s were unable to be assessed as diagnosed because you did not provide
evidence that your condition/s have been formal y diagnosed by an appropriately
qualiﬁed medical practitioner/specialist.
This assessment was made based on the medical evidence you provided, an
internal medical assessment and/or Job Capacity Assessment on <date>.
These were al  considered when determining your claim.'
Note: internal medical assessment refers to MAT report/SA479.
DSP rejected NSI - Impairment Rating less than 20 points + Read more ...
Tell the customer:
'Your claim for Disability Support Pension was unsuccessful as your medical
condition/s were considered ful y diagnosed, treated and stabilised however, based
on al  of the evidence provided an impairment rating of less than 20 points was
assigned.
This assessment was made based on the medical evidence you provided and the
Job Capacity Assessment or Disability Medical Assessment on <date>.
These were al  considered when determining your claim.'
DSP rejected NDT - condition not diagnosed, reasonably treated and
stabilised + Read more ...
Tell the customer:

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 32 of 36
'Your claim for Disability Support Pension was unsuccessful as your medical
condition/s was/were not considered to be diagnosed, reasonably treated and
stabilised and therefore an impairment rating was unable to be assigned.
The assessment was made based on the medical evidence you provided, and the
Job Capacity Assessment or Disability Medical Assessment on <date>.
These were al considered when determining your claim.'
Customer does not agree with or understand why DSP claim has been
unsuccessful + Read more ...
If the customer does not understand or agree with why the DSP claim was rejected
for the medical reasons above, including where the customer has provided, or wil
provide, further medical evidence for consideration, explain their options to
request:
•
an explanation
•
a formal review
For action required, see First contact about a decision and the internal review
process.
Procedure ends here.
13
Program of Support (POS) + Read more ...
A customer with a severe impairment assessed as medical y eligible for DSP, does
not need to participate in a POS.
A severe impairment is deﬁned as 20 points or more assigned under one
Impairment Table.
If the customer is assessed as not having a severe impairment they may need to
have participated in a POS before being assessed as eligible.
If the customer's claim has been rejected because they have not actively
participated in a POS + Read more ...
'Your Disability Support Pension was unsuccessful because you were assessed as
not having actively participated in a Program of Support. People claiming Disability
Support Pension must have actively participated in a Program of Support for at least
18 months within the 3 years prior to their claim.
Any periods where the person is granted a temporary exemption from having to
participate in the program do not count towards the required 18 months.
A Program of Support is provided by a designated provider who speciﬁcal y tailors a
program to address the person's level of impairment, individual needs and barriers
to employment.
The Program of Support must be one that is whol y or partly funded by the
Australian Government. A Program of Support provides vocational, rehabilitation
and employment services, with a particular focus on developing skil s the person
requires to improve their capacity to ﬁnd, gain or remain in employment.
Services Australia considers evidence about a person's inability to continue

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 33 of 36
participating in a Program of Support because of their condition.
This is general y where the person is unable (solely because of their impairment) to
improve their capacity to ﬁnd, gain or remain in employment through continued
participation in the program.
This evidence needs to be supported by the person's program provider and
considered by an assessor. Services Australia can only consider these provisions if
the person has already commenced in a program.'
See:
•
the Resources page for POS rejection fact sheet
•
Program of Support (POS) requirements for Disability Support Pension
(DSP)
•
Rejecting a new claim for Disability Support Pension (DSP) including
manifest rejections
Customer does not agree with or understand why DSP claim has been
unsuccessful + Read more ...
If the customer does not understand or agree with why the DSP claim was rejected
for the medical reasons above, including where the customer has provided, or wil
provide, further medical evidence for consideration, explain their options to
request:
•
an explanation
•
a formal review
For action required, see First contact about a decision and the internal review
process.
Procedure ends here.
14
Explanation of decision or formal review of decision + Read more ...
For more help with how to answer customer enquiries, see Reviews and appeals for
Disability Support Pension (DSP) rejection or cancel ation decisions.
Explanation of Decision + Read more ...
If the customer does not understand the reason for the decision, they may request
an explanation from a Subject Matter Expert (SME).
Tell the customer:
•
their request wil  be al ocated to a SME
•
the SME wil  investigate the decision and try to phone them to discuss
•
the cal  wil  display as a private number, please answer this cal
See Request for an explanation or application for a formal review.

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 34 of 36
Circumstances where a customer cannot request an Explanation of Decision
by a SME + Read more ...
Customers cannot request an explanation by a SME if they:
•  have applied for a formal review of the same decision, or
•  previously requested an explanation of the same decision and a SME has
provided an explanation. Tel  the customer:
o  they have the right to apply for a formal review if they do not agree
with the decision
Formal Review by an Authorised Review Officer (ARO) + Read more ...
If the customer does not agree with the decision, they have the option of applying
for a formal review which wil  be undertaken by an ARO. Check if the customer wil
be providing extra evidence.
Tell the customer:
•  their review wil  be al ocated to an Authorised Review Officer
•  the Authorised Review Officer wil  try to phone them (if required) to discuss
their review before making a decision
•  the cal  wil  display as a private number, please answer this cal
See Request for an explanation or application for a formal review.
Progress of a Formal Review by an ARO + Read more ...
If the customer is asking about the progress of their ARO review, tel  the
customer:
'Your review has been received and an ARO wil  try to phone you if required to
discuss your review before making a decision.
The cal  wil  display as a private number. Please answer this cal .'
See SME explanations, ARO referrals and implementing ARO decisions.
15
Customer complaints + Read more ...
If a complaint is received, record the details in the Customer Feedback tool.
See Managing complaints and feedback.
If the complaint cannot be resolved or meets a Complaint Escalation Reason,
escalate the matter to a Level 2 complaint.
Complaints can be escalated via a warm transfer to the Escalated Complaints and
Feedback team, or the Customer Feedback Tool if the customer does not wish to be
transferred at the time. Warm transfer to Complaints.

Resources

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 35 of 36

Forms
Claim for Disability Support Pension for a Terminal Il ness form (SA494)
Claim for Disability Support Pension form (SA466)
Income and Assets form (SA369)
Veriﬁcation of Terminal Il ness form (SA495)
Forms (staff)
Disability Support Pension Medical Eligibility Assessment Recommendation (SA479) - For
internal use only by Assessment Services, Medical Assessment Team for DSP new claims or
appeals. This form must not be used for any other reason and cannot be given to a customer.
Fact sheets explaining common rejection reasons for DSP new claims
DSP claims - Rejection reasons explained - Insufficient medical evidence
DSP claims - Rejection reasons explained - Diagnosed, reasonably treated and stabilised
DSP claims - Rejection reasons explained - 20 points Impairment Table rating requirement
DSP claims - Rejection reasons explained - Program of Support
Contact details
Assessment Services
Government-contracted doctors (GCD) - GCD contract management team
Complaints
Sonic HealthPlus
Example of a DSP Claim Progress DOC
This example can be used as a guide for updating information relating to a claim.
Item
Description
1
Extra details: DSP Claim Progress
General: Customer contacted Centrelink on 21 SEP 2022 regarding claim for
Disability Support Pension, Information was obtained via claim for Disability
Support pension using Internal Channels. Document created by SAPAPP on 21 SEP
2022
Text: Claim ID: 000000000
DOR has been investigated (detail result i.e. change/no change)
PNA date:
SA472 consent to contact THP has been coded

FOI/LEX 83091 - Page 36 of 36
MEDSA466 and medical evidence is available in eMIFE
DSP claim has been streamed under deferred non-medical eligibility processes.
Where applicable, updates ﬁnalised by SAD
No further information is required - fol ow up of non-medical eligibility will occur
after medical qualiﬁcation established.
Customer has 10 years AU residence or QRE
Referred to JCA, per MAT Report/SA479
Training & Support
Digital Support
Digital Support
For
Type
Progress of claim - Claim on hold RFI
All
VOD

Progress of claim - Claim on hold JCA
All
VOD

Progress of claim - Claim ﬁnalised - Medical rejection
All
VOD

Progress of claim - Claim on hold DMA
All
VOD