The Life Support Equipment Energy Subsidy is provided to assist financially disadvantaged persons, or their dependants, to meet the energy costs associated with operating life support equipment in their home under specialist medical advice.
Subsidy payments are made directly into a cheque or savings account nominated by the applicant.
Eligibility
Show moreTo be eligible to receive the subsidy, an applicant must hold one of the following means-tested concession cards
- Pensioner Concession Card (issued by either Centrelink or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs)or
- Health Care Card (not including the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card) or
- Health Care Interim Voucher.
The Office of State Revenue (‘State Revenue’) will require the applicant’s authorisation to confirm the status of the concession card with Centrelink and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
The applicant may be either
- the patient who requires the specified life support equipment for their own use or
- the guardian or primary caregiver of a person who utilises the energy for life support equipment in their own home.
Where the applicant is a child or an adult who is unable to sign the application form due to age or disability, the guardian or primary caregiver may sign the form on their behalf provided the reason for doing so is noted on the application form.
Medical authorisation
Medical authorisation must be provided by
- a specialist medical practitioner or a medical practitioner working in a specialist department of a hospital or
- a hospice doctor or
- in an area outside of the Perth Metropolitan Area, a doctor or General Practitioner who also works on an occasional basis from a local hospital or rural health service.
Specified equipment
Show moreApplicable specified equipment must be prescribed by an authorised medical practitioner and must be operated at the applicant’s home address.
The following table lists the specified life support equipment and the amount of the annual subsidy that is applicable per item of equipment. Equipment not listed in this table is not covered under this scheme.
| Specified Life Support Equipment | Annual Subsidy |
|---|---|
| Oxygen Concentrator (Adult - standard capacity) | $877 |
| Oxygen Concentrator (Adult - high capacity ‘New Life Intensity’) | $1,265 |
| Oxygen Concentrator (Child) | $1,315 |
| Feeding Pump | $157 |
| Suction Pump | $208 |
| Apnoea Monitor (Child only) | $263 |
| Heart Pump | $414 |
| Nebuliser Adult - only when a tracheostomy is expected to be in place for more than 6 months and nebulised therapy is required for life support purposes Child - only when used every day for 1-2 hours per day |
$51 |
| Machine Assisted Peritoneal Dialysis Equipment | $96 |
| Ventilator - VPAP or BPAP Machines | $459 |
| CPAP Machine Adult - only when clinically prescribed for adults with obesity hypoventilation syndrome, tracheomalacia, obstructive sleep apnoea with sleep hypoventilation, or other life threatening disease as determined by a specialist with usage over four hours per night Child - only when prescribed for severe obstructive sleep apnoea, tracheomalacia or other life threatening disease as determined by the treating specialist |
$459 |
How to apply
Show moreThe ‘Life Support Equipment Energy Subsidy Application Form’ must be completed in full, and the authorisation and declaration signed by the applicant and patient, as applicable.
The medical authorisation must be completed in full by an authorised medical practitioner.
To ensure payment is made in a timely manner, please provide the relevant bank account details as they appear on your bank statement. This includes the name of the bank, the branch location, the BSB and account number, and the name of the account holder. If you are unsure about any of these details, please contact your bank for assistance.
Where the patient lives in a form of supported accommodation such as a nursing home, permanent caravan park or similar, a copy of an invoice or similar document showing that the applicant is individually billed and pays for measured energy usage must be included with the application form. Application forms can be obtained from the website or by phoning the Energy Subsidies Enquiry Line on 9262 1373.
State Revenue has the right to decline an application (or require repayment of any subsidy already paid) in situations where the Commissioner is of the reasonable opinion that false or misleading information has been provided, or where the eligibility criteria have not been met. Applicants may seek review of such a decision.
Renewing your application
Show moreA renewal letter will be mailed to the applicant each year on the anniversary date of the application. Application for the subsidy must be renewed annually and any changes to the patient’s circumstances or application details must be provided. It is important to notify State Revenue of changes to the applicant’s postal, email and/or residential address to ensure that the renewal letter is received.
Every three years the patient’s specified life support equipment will need to be recertified by the authorised medical specialist to confirm ongoing eligibility for the subsidy.
Energy supply outages
Show moreKeeping you safely connected to the electricity supply at all times is vital. If you have not already done so, it is essential that you contact your electricity retailer to register as a Life Support customer as soon as possible. Details can be found on your electricity retailer’s website or by phoning them directly.
Concession cards
Show moreInformation regarding Pensioner Concession Cards and Health Care Cards is available from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs or your local Centrelink office.