Changes to DVA Cards

All Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Repatriation Health Cards (DVA Cards) are due to expire during 2010. DVA has commenced reissuing Repatriation Health Cards (DVA cards). It is expected all cards will be issued by the end of August 2010.

All eligible veterans, war widows/widowers and dependants will be issued with a new card. Changes to DVA Cards will not reduce eligibility for current DVA card holders.

Specialised descriptions on DVA Gold Cards will remain unchanged, these descriptions include but are not limited to:

  • Totally and Permanently Incapacitated
  • War Widow/Widower; and
  • PoW.

Card File Numbers

The new cards have removed the large number across the centre, this number was previously above the cardholder's name. Cards may also have extra zeros added to file number field to correctly align card file numbers to DVA systems.

Veteran Access to Services

The magnetic stripe on the cards will contain the following information:

  • full name;
  • file number;
  • card type; and
  • expiry date.

The new cards have the potential to work the same way as Medicare or private health fund cards — just one swipe will enable health providers to immediately access the client’s information and streamline the claims process*

* Note: Providers will need to contact their software vendor about upgrading their practice management software. Software vendors may need to contact Medicare Australia to enable this feature. HICAPS is a separate payment system which cannot be used in conjunction with DVA Online Claiming.

All eligible veterans, war widows/widowers and dependants living overseas will, for the first time, be issued with a DVA card. This will remove the need for veterans to contact DVA to receive a "letter of authority" when receiving medical treatment within Australia.

Entitlement to treatment overseas is limited to veterans that have an accepted disability/disabilities and DVA funds treatment of those accepted disabilities only. This process for receiving treatment while overseas will not change.

Security Upgrade

All DVA cards will have microprinting and a DVA registered hologram added as security features. The microprinting and hologram are added security features to ensure non entitled persons cannot reproduce a card.

Expected Arrival Date

40,000 cards will be issued each week and the process is expected to be completed by the end of August 2010. DVA will update this website when the reissue is complete.

During this period there will be old and new cards being used by DVA eligible veterans, war widows/widowers and dependants. DVA providers should accept old cards until DVA advises the reissue is complete. DVA eligible veterans, war widows/widowers and dependants should use their old cards until their new card arrives.

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