Financial Information

Many people experience significant financial stress at the time of a blood cancer diagnosis. Personal and financial security can change, capacity to work can fluctuate and accessing insurance or support payments can create uncertainty and stress. Getting your financial affairs in order also includes planning for the future by making a Will

Guest Speakers:
Antony Mitchell – Former Financial & Legal Support Program | Cancer Council Victoria
Lee Hagipantelis & Natalie Dadisho – Brydens Lawyers | Leukaemia Foundation Partner

Australian Capital Territory

• Cost of living support – ACT Government

New South Wales

• Eligibility indicator – EnableNSW
• Savings Finder | Service NSW

Northern Territory

• NT Concession Scheme | NT.GOV.AU

Queensland

• Smart Savings Concessions and Rebates (premiers.qld.gov.au)

South Australia

• SA.GOV.AU – Concessions (www.sa.gov.au)

Tasmania

• Tasmanian Government Concessions : Home

Victoria

• Home – DFFH Services

Western Australia

• Hardship Utility Grant Scheme | Western Australian Government (www.wa.gov.au)

Depending on your circumstances, your lender may be able to offer options that will help reduce your repayments for a period of time until you are able to return to normal repayments.  For example:

• Extending the length of the loan so that your repayments are lower
• Converting the loan to interest only payments for a period of time
• Reducing your repayments to the minimum monthly repayment amount
• Accessing money you may have available in any redraw of your loan
• Consolidating debts for example: personal loan, credit card and home loan debts into one loan, so that your total repayments are lower
• A combination of these and other measures.

• Find Food Support From Foodbank Australia
• Search Food Help For Individuals | Search for charities providing food near you. (ozharvest.org)
• Food Finder – SecondBite

Medicare is Australia’s universal health care system that helps Australians with the cost of health care. The Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) lists what health services are subsidised:

• What’s covered by Medicare – Medicare – Services Australia

You may be eligible for a concession or health care card through Services Australia to access cheaper health services, dental care and medicines. The type of concession or health care card depends on your situation:

• Concession and health care cards – Seeking medical help – Services Australia

There are care plans which can be completed by your General Practitioner (GP) for Chronic Disease Management (CDM). You may be eligible for Medicare rebates for allied health services as part of your care plan:

• Department of Health and Aged Care | Chronic Disease Management Patient Information

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) subsidises the cost of medicine for most medical conditions. Anyone who is an Australian resident and holds a current Medicare card is eligible for subsidised medicines:

• Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) | About the PBS

The PBS Safety Net limits out of pocket expenses for people who need a large number of medicines. If a person and/or family reach the Safety Net threshold they may be entitled to further reduced or free pharmaceutical benefits for the remainder of the calendar year:

• Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) | 5. The Safety Net Scheme

Australia has reciprocal health care agreements with 11 countries that covers the cost of necessary health care:

• Reciprocal Health Care Agreements – Services Australia

The Patient Treatment Fund through Rare Cancers Australia can assist in gaining access to high cost medicines for cancer treatment:

• Rare Cancers Australia – Less Money Stress

The Essential Medical Equipment Payment is through Services Australia. It is a yearly payment to help with energy costs to run essential medical equipment or heating or cooling used for medical need. You must meet eligibility requirements:

• Essential Medical Equipment Payment – Services Australia

• Financial support | Disability Gateway
• Commonwealth Financial Counselling | Department of Social Services, Australian Government (dss.gov.au)
• Getting support when you’re living with disability – Living with disability – Services Australia

• Centrelink – Services Australia

You will have to meet eligibility criteria for payments and services. Depending on the type of payment or service you may need to supply medical documentation/reports.

If you need support in applying for Centrelink payments/services you can:

• contact your treatment facilities, social workers and welfare officers
• contact us directly on 1800 620 420 or via email at info@leukaemia.org.au

• Welcome Page – National Debt Helpline (ndh.org.au)
• Dealing with debt | Australian Financial Security Authority (afsa.gov.au)
• Managing debt – Moneysmart.gov.au
• Financial Information Service – Services Australia
• Financial Assistance – How & Where To Get Financial Help In Australia (wayforward.org.au)

The conditions are are:

• Incapacity — if you’re unable to work or need to work fewer hours because of a medical condition.
• Severe financial hardship — if you can’t meet your living expenses and have been receiving Commonwealth benefits for 26 weeks.
• Compassionate grounds — to pay for unpaid expenses. These could include medical treatment, modifying your home or vehicle because of a severe disability, funeral expenses, or a loan repayment to prevent you losing your home.
• Terminal medical condition — if you have a terminal illness or injury.

More information can be found here:

Early access to super | Australian Taxation Office (ato.gov.au)

*You may also have with your superannuation – it’s worth calling your fund to check what you have.

Carers Couch offer a range of help and professional support services that are tailored to carers.

• Support for carers | Carers Couch

As a carer for someone who needs daily support you may be eligible through Service Australia for a supplementary payment:

• Carer Allowance – Services Australia

National

• Coordinate support, strengthen community | Gather My Crew

New South Wales (NSW)

• Can Assist – Cancer Assistance Network NSW – provides support to people of all ages and their families, with all types of cancer throughout NSW.
• Sydney Community Services – Local Support for Local People (sydneycs.org) – provides a range of services including financial hardship assistance in the Lane Cove, Ryde, Hunters Hill, North Sydney and Mosman areas, NSW.
• Anglicare | Services – provides a range of services including, emergency food relief, financial and housing support to people in South and West NSW.
• Get Utility and Medical Bill Assistance | Anglicare Sydney | Anglicare – provide some help to pay medical bills for people in NSW.
• Home – Uniting NSW.ACT – provide care and support through all ages and stages of life with a focus on people experiencing disadvantage and vulnerability in NSW.
• Yass Vine Church – provides access to low cost groceries and free bread, fruit and vegetables to low income families and individuals within the Yass Valley region, NSW.

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

• Anglicare | Services – provides a range of services including, emergency food relief, financial and housing support to people in ACT.
• Home – Uniting NSW.ACT – provide care and support through all ages and stages of life with a focus on people experiencing disadvantage and vulnerability in ACT.

Victoria (VIC)

• Emergency Relief | Diamond Valley Community Support Inc. | Australia (dvsupport.org.au) – assist people experiencing financial and/or personal hardship in the Banyule, Nillumbik and surrounding areas, VIC.
• DIVRS – can help from sharing food to working with you to fix a problem in the Darebin area, VIC.
• Banyule Support & Information Centre (bansic.org.au) – provide services to assist those experiencing difficulties within the southern area of the City of Banyule, VIC.
• Financial Assistance Program – Whittlesea Community Connections – provides food relief, information, resources and support to people who may be experiencing financial hardship living within the City of Whittlesea, VIC.
• Food Relief – Baw Baw Food Relief – provides food aid and support for families and individuals in need in the Baw Baw Shire, VIC.
• Emergency Relief – Anglicare Victoria – provide immediate assistance including groceries, clothing, medication, financial assistance and counselling for people in VIC.
• Our Services | Uniting Vic.Tas (unitingvictas.org.au) – provide services which support individuals, families and communities across VIC.

Queensland (QLD)

• About Us – Caboolture Community Care – Caboolture Community Care provides emergency relief to assist those in need with chemist voucher, fares/fuel vouchers, food parcels, food vouchers, rent and utilities (advocacy only) in the Moreton Bay Region North, QLD.
• BIVCHAI | Bribie Island Voluntary Community Help Association Inc – provides minor home maintenance and repairs, minor modifications to improve physical access, and community transport to frail members of the Bribie Island Community, QLD.
• Crisis Relief – Food, Housing & Emergency Support Services | WMQ – provide food parcels, medical script subsidies, financial services and help to find suitable housing across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, QLD.

Tasmania (TAS)

• Gran’s Van (gransvan.org.au) – provides free food and hygiene services to support those who are economically disadvantaged in Devonport and Latrobe, TAS.
• About us – Anglicare (anglicare-tas.org.au) – provide a range of community and support services to people in TAS.
• Our Services | Uniting Vic.Tas (unitingvictas.org.au) – provide services which support individuals, families and communities across TAS.

Western Australia (WA)

• Get help | Anglicare WA – provide a range of community and support services, including food relief and financial assistance, to people in WA.
• Community Services – Uniting WA – provide services which support individuals, families and communities across WA.
• Community Services in Perth | Southcare – help with confidential advice, practical support, emergency relief and advocacy, including for Aboriginal families, to residents of the City of South Perth, WA.

South Australia (SA)

• Community Support Services – Helping South Aussies | AnglicareSA – provide community and support services, including financial counselling and food relief for people in need living in SA.
• UnitingSA | Community Services Adelaide – Giving you access to support. – provide services which support individuals, families and communities across SA.
• Our Services – Lutheran Care – support families and individuals and provide immediate assistance and dignity for people in crisis in SA.
• Emergency Relief – Centacare – Catholic Country SA (cccsa.org.au) – provide programs and services to individuals, couples, families, and children throughout much of rural SA.

Northern Territory (NT)

• Financial Inclusion – Anglicare NT (anglicare-nt.org.au) – provides a range of services including, financial and housing support to people in the NT.
• BCNT – Baptist Care Northern Territory – provide a range of services including direct food support, programs to encourage self-sufficiency and community development, and advocacy assistance for struggling individuals and families in the NT.
• Our programs and services – CatholicCare NT – provide programs and services to individuals, couples, families, children, groups, schools and agencies across the NT.
• Our Services – Lutheran Care – support families and individuals and provide immediate assistance and dignity for people in crisis in NT.