If
you want the latest update of the War Pensions brochure
you can call War Pensions Services on 0800-553-003(+64-7-985-1070 for overseas callers).
Copies can also be downloaded from the website of Work and Income, as long as you have the Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer.
Once in the site: go to Publications -> Brochures -> For Superannuitants -> War Pensions
WAR DISABLEMENT PENSION CLAIM CHECKLIST
1. Obtain a War Disablement Pension Application Form from:
---War Pensions Services, Hamilton
(Ph 0800 553003)(+64-7-985-1070)
---RSA Welfare Officer
---EVSA Pension Network Volunteer
2. Complete the form with:
---Personal details
---Service details*
---Details of disability claimed
---Details of bank account to which payments to be made
3. Take the form to General Practitioner for completion. Note the GP's role is to verify the existence of the disabilty NOT to judge its attributability to military service.
4. Submit completed form to War Pensions Services, P.O. Box 9448, Hamilton or to your local WINZ, together with two forms
of certified identification, one of which must be your Birth Certificate or a current passport.
Copies of originals can be certified by a JP, a Solicitor,
or a WINZ staff member.
*Note: Vets are entitled to copies of their military service and medical records. These
can be obtained by writing to:
a. Service Records: Personnel Enquiry Section
--------------------Trentham Camp
--------------------P.O.Box 905
--------------------Upper
Hutt
b. Medical Records: Army health Service
---------------------Land Command
---------------------P.O.Box 900
---------------------Upper
Hutt
CHANGES TO SECTION 23 APPLICATION PROCEDURES
As of July 2007 there have been considerable changes made to the procedures for
applying for the payment of an additional pension for severe
disablement under the provisions of Section 23 of the War Pensions Act.
There is a new application form which will be provided
from War Pension Services when a veteran makes an application
for an additional pension. A second form will be provided
to the veteran to be taken to his/her GP to complete.
The Claims Panels will use these two forms, along with
all other information held on the veteran's War Pension
file, to make a decision regarding
the additional pension. EVSA Pension Representatives have copies of these two forms so applicants can see the information required.
In cases where it is not possible to discern the veteran's
level of severe disablement, or the veteran is unable to
attend an appointment for an assessment with his/her GP,
the Claims Panellists may still visit the veteran.
Any reasonable costs incurred by veterans in having the
GP complete the application form will be refunded by War
Pensions Services as a routine War Pensions treatment expense.
PRESUMPTIVE LISTS
In order to speed up the resolution of War Disablement Pension claims, presumptive
lists of accepted disabilities have been introduced. These lists allow for the automatic acceptance of certain disabilities for a War Disablement Pension if the applicant has served in certain theatres. They are based on medical
and scientific research which indicates that if a veteran
of one of these theatres is suffering from one of the disabilities
on the presumtive list for that theatre, it is likely that
the disability is attributable to the veteran's service.
If the applicant has been diagnosed as having one of the
disabilities which correspond with his/her theatre of service, this disability will be accepted
automatically as attributable to his/her service.
Viet Nam Presumptive
List
If an applicant served in Viet Nam between 29 May 1964
and 31 December 1972, or was a member of the civilian surgical
team at
the Qui Nhon Provincial State Hospital Viet Nam from December
1963 until March 1975, the following disabilities are
presumed to be attributable to service:
----Soft-tissue sarcoma
----Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
----Hodgkin's disease
----Chloracne
----Porphyria cutanea tarda
----Multiple myeloma
----Respiratory cancers (lung, bronchus, larynx, trachea)
----Prostate cancer
----Acute and subacute peripharal neuropathy
----Type 2 diabetes
----Hypertension
----AL-type primary amyloidosis
----Parkinson's Disease
----Ischaemic Heart Disease
----Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (including hairy-cell leukaemia and other
chronic B-cell leukaemias)
Previously Declined Claims
A veteran with one of the presumptive disabilities who
has previously had his/her application for a War Disablement
Pension
declined as not attributable to service is entitled to apply to have their
claim reopened on the basis of the introduction of the
presumptive lists.
Medical confirmation that the applicant is suffering from the disability on
the presumptive list must accompany an application for reopening.
CASE MANAGEMENT
A second dedicated Case Management Team has been set up in the Hamilton offices
of VANZ (previously War Pension Services), in addition
to the team already based in Wellington.It is planned to
have a full strength complement of 10 Case Managers operating
from Hamilton by mid-March 2009.This will bring the total to 20 staff across both Case Manager Teams.
Veterans are assigned a
Case Manager who helps them through the pension claims
process, ensures they receive all services they are entitled
to, and acts as a link between
veterans and service providers.
ADDITIONS TO PRESUMPTIVE LIST
Two additional disabilities have been added to the Viet Nam Presumptive List
with effect from 24 July 2009:
-Parkinson's Disease
-Ischaemic Heart Disease
That means that
for any VN veteran having medical evidence that he/she has one of these two diseases,
this is deemed to be sufficient evidence that the disability
is attributable to the veteran's service.
These two additions now bring to 15 the number of conditions
on the Presumptive List for VN veterans.
2010 CHANGE TO ATTENDANT'S AIR TRAVEL FOR P23LA HOLDERS
Although there does not appear to have been any official announcement of the
change, it seems that the air travel costs of Attendants
for P23LA Holders are no longer being reimbursed by VANZ.
Apparently the rationale is based on the airlines providing
ground attendants at each airport terminal upon request,
and a cabin attendant in flight.
Presumably for surface travel
by bus/rail attendants' costs will continue to be reimbursed.
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