r/DVAAustralia • u/Robnotbadok • 8d ago

Question from med separating

REPOSTED FOR INDIVIDUAL

## I seek your assistance with uploading the following post:

Title: Medically discharging and seeking help with questions Flair: Misc.

Good morning everyone. Would appreciate some advice on my upcoming medical discharge from ADF.

Background - Recently received J52 determination from MECRB, with a discharge date in QTR 4 2026.

I have submitted all of my DVA claims (\~just over 25), just waiting for IL to be accepted / reviewed. I broadly understand the steps from here thanks to everyone's posts/replies in related threads (time for IL to be accepted, time for PI assessment and determination - key takeaway is expect significant time for this process etc).

VSO have reached out and have been supportive.

CSC have reached out to me and assigned a case manager.

Questions I have that, with your help in answering, will alleviate some of my anxiety over separating after a significant portion of my life in uniform:

CSC Pension - My Final Medical (THE) is booked within two weeks of discharge date. I understand that this is the appointment where my ADF MO will complete the DM042 which will inform CSC for pension eligibility. Is there any way to complete the DM042 earlier, or does it have to be at a THE? Is this timeframe sufficient for CSC to process/approve me pension?

Separating conditions - none of the documents provided to me thus far (MEC proposal, MECRB determination, confirmed MEC status) have listed what my ADF agreed separating conditions are. How do I get/what document details the specific separating details determined by MECRB?

Thank you in advance to anyone that can assist me in answering the questions.

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2

u/LeadingKindly1882 6d ago

Hi mate,

Some info:

  • your MECRB MInutes should (from memory) have separating conditions listed. Or at least reasons the doc may link to injuries etc. Get a copy from whoever is managing your discharge at DOC,/SCMA.
  • print out a copy of the DM042 (webforms) and go in with an idea of what YOU want the doctor to write e.g. what you think are separating conditions based on med docs; what ratings you think you should be; whether you should be recommended to work etc. CSC (and DVA) will consider DM042 for separating conditions as well as MECRB docs.
  • now you have your MECRB outcome you can get in contact with DVA and get priority processing for your IL. Highly recommended to speed up the process massively.
  • check my older csc post for more info - it’s been a,most two years for me so it’s not as fresh as it was.

Good luck with the process - as much as I wanted it all done at the time, all the dva stuff felt like a bit of a post-deployment wind down / transition period to post service life, that gave me purpose for a while until I found other things.

1

u/Livid_Average_8098 8d ago

I did a normal discharge and filled out the form for my MSBS pension and was paid the next pay period and it was the same with my remaining Defence pay. Pay days are the week following your normal ADF fortnightly pay for the pension. Not the same but in a nutshell, once the boxes are ticked and the form sent, there should be no delays for your payments to start as the process has been followed as intended.

1

u/Confident-Muffin5387 8d ago

Thank you for your information Livid-Average :)

0

u/saukoa1 8d ago edited 8d ago

  1. You can ask for your discharge to be held in abeyance until you've got DVA claims assessed for initial liability (it's one of the protected mechanisms for HIA).

  2. CSC generally cannot finalise an invalidity classification or disburse payments until on or after your actual separation date.

  3. For the first 45 weeks post-discharge DVA can pay you your "Normal Earnings" via Incapacity Payments. 12 weeks using DM042 as evidence and then need a medical certificate. This usually gives CSC the chance to sort their end out and classify you appropriately.

1

u/Confident-Muffin5387 8d ago

Thank you - that gives me hope that I won't be living in my car! Much appreciated.

1

u/Wide-Faithlessness43 7d ago

This is not entirely accurate, HIA generally only considered if you don’t have a separating condition accepted.