A part of the DFA charter states that DFA informs Defence Families. Through this blog and via our social media channels we want to keep bringing to you information posts that will support families and assist in navigating Defence life.
With special thanks to Joint Health Command for providing us with the guest blog post.
Defence has your family covered through the ADF Family Health Program
Did you know the Department of Defence offers a health program for the families of serving ADF members?
The ADF Family Health Program makes affordable healthcare more accessible for ADF families. Full-time ADF Members and Reservists on Continuous Full-time Service can register their dependents to receive unlimited reimbursement of gap fees for Medicare recognised GP visits, and to receive a financial allocation (up to $400) to use towards allied health and medical specialist services.
Here are some tips to get the best out of the ADF Family Health Program:
Make sure you’re registered!
To register, the ADF member should complete WebForm AD858-1 ADF Family Health. This can be found via WebForms or at adf.familyhealth.com.
Once you have received notification from the ADF Family Health Team that you’re registered you can start claiming for services. You can submit claims quickly and simply via our website or the ADF Family Health App which is available for both Android and Apple devices.
Add all of your dependents, even the newest ones
Adding a new dependent is easy. Simply make sure your new family member has been recognised by Defence and put into PMKeyS. You can then send the ADF Family Health Team a registration form (AD858-1) to seek access to the Program’s benefits.
If you register your newborn within 3 months of their birthdate, we will backdate their eligibility to their birthdate. It’s important you register the newest members of your family within three months of their arrival, after this time – and for other members of the family – backdating is unavailable.
Remember your entitlements when you visit your doctor
You can be reimbursed for unlimited gap payments when you visit a general practitioner. There is no limit to the cost, or number of GP visits!
That means, when you claim the gap for GP visits this does not come out of your $400 per person allied health/medical specialist allocation. You can visit the GP as many times as needed, so keep claiming for GPs even if you have used your allied health/medical specialists’ allocation.
Don’t forget about the allied health services available!
Once registered, dependents of ADF members are entitled to a $400 allocation per financial year towards various allied health and medical specialist services. You can even combine the $400 allocation per person to use as a family amount that can be automatically transferred between family members.
Under the Program, most medical specialist and allied health services are claimable, including paediatrics, obstetrics, radiology, psychology and orthodontics and many more services are eligible for reimbursement. For a full listing of eligible services visit adf.familyhealth.com
Talk to a professional about Fringe Benefit Tax reporting
The benefits claimed from the Program are considered a fringe benefit. We recommend that you seek financial advice if you think Fringe Benefit Tax may impact your financial situation.
Get in contact
If you are not currently participating and would like to register to access the free benefits that the Program provides, visit the ADF Family Health website at adf.familyhealth.com or contact our friendly team on 02 6266 3547.