Medical Expenses Privately Incurred (MEPI)

Medical Expenses Privately Incurred (MEPI) is a service provided to eligible clients that find themselves out of pocket for some medical expenses. 

If you are seeking information regarding reimbursement for medical expenses incurred overseas please visit Medical Care While Overseas for more information.

MEPI is a service that can reimburse you for out of pocket for medical expenses listed on any of the below: 

• Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS)
• DVA Fee Schedules
• Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS)
• Rehabilitation Appliance Program (RAP)

To be eligible for reimbursement you must hold a Veteran Gold Card or Veteran White Card. For more information on services that are covered, please see  Health Services Available to the Veteran Community.

If you are seeking reimbursement for services, investigations or treatments linked to a compensation claim please contact your Initial Liability Claims Delegate.

If you hold a Veteran Card, please check with your health provider prior to your consultation or receiving treatment that the provider accepts your Veteran Card. If they are unsure if a treatment is covered by DVA or would like to confirm your eligibility they can contact the DVA Health Approvals team on 1800 550 457.

We will not reimburse for repeat visits to health providers who do not accept Veteran Cards, unless exceptional circumstances apply. For further information on finding a health provider please visit Finding a Health Provider.

When can I seek reimbursement for medical expenses? 

There are two situations where we may consider reimbursing your out-of-pocket medical expenses. These two situations are defined as ‘in-time’ and ‘out-of-time’.

The below table provides the definitions.

Gold Card

If you have a Gold Card, we may consider reimbursing you in exceptional circumstances for treatment pharmaceuticals, aids and/or appliances relating to any medical condition, within Australia. This could relate to any medical condition treated within Australia. 

White Card

If you hold a White Card, we may consider reimbursing you for treatment related to your accepted conditions in exceptional circumstances.

What medical expenses can be reimbursed?

In-Time

We will consider reimbursement for the reasonable costs that you have paid for, between the date of eligibility or onset date and the date you received advice regarding your eligibility. This includes:

• medical treatment
• aids and appliances
• pharmaceuticals 

Out-of-Time

We will consider reimbursement for the following in exceptional circumstances:

• services listed in the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS)
• allied health services, e.g. physiotherapy, osteopathy etc., that appear in the relevant DVA Fee Schedule and are provided by a registered Medicare provider
• pharmaceuticals, and / or
• Rehabilitation Appliance Program (RAP) items.

Please see Claim for Travelling Expenses for more information regarding travel expenses within Australia.

For more information on services that are covered, please see Health Services Available to the Veteran Community.

What medical expenses can’t be reimbursed?

Below is a list of some of the treatments that are not covered under Veteran Cards:

• Treatment or surgery that is purely cosmetic
• Cosmetic dental such as teeth whitening or Invisalign (clear sequential aligners)
• Retinal/Digital photography
• Commercial Weight Management programs when not provided by an accredited practicing Dietician e.g. Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Lite n’ Easy etc.
• Alternative Therapies
• Surrogacy 
• Cancellation fees
• Fees for letters or reports
• Administration fees
• Transfer of medical records
• Gym memberships and pool entry fees

DVA generally funds medical services that are listed on the MBS and DVA Fee Schedules. However, we may also consider treatment or medical services which are not listed in these schedules, if there are exceptional circumstances.

For these un-listed (Non-MBS) reimbursement applications a referral and or supporting clinical information must be provided.

How to apply for reimbursement 

To seek reimbursement for out of pocket expenses you must: 

• Complete and sign the D1181 Application for Reimbursement of Medical Expenses Privately Incurred form; and  
• Submit this form to DVA along with:
  • Itemised invoices / receipts for the treatment received 
  • Medicare and or private health fund statements if claims have been made
  • Supporting clinical information from your treating healthcare provider is required where:
    • Treatment received is un-listed (Non-MBS)
    • You are a DVA Veteran White Card Holder

Supporting clinical information

If you have a White Card and/or seeking reimbursement of un-listed treatment you must provide clinical information such as a supporting letter from a medical practitioner or a referral. This should outline the condition/s for which you were referred and or treated. 

Supporting clinical information may include a referral; clinical notes; and or supporting letters from your treating health providers.

Types of supporting clinical information needed include: 

• Imaging/Radiology (MRI/PET Scan/X-Rays/Ultrasounds): all invoices/receipts must be itemised showing the date, cost and item of each scan and be accompanied by a referral from the doctor who requested the scan and/or the scan report. 
• Hospital Accounts including surgeries and day procedures: all invoices/receipts must show the date of admission and discharge from hospital, include an itemised list of all charges, and provide any operation reports and/or doctors letters that state what condition is being treated.
• Aids, Appliances & Home Modifications (i.e. dressings, knee brace, hire of crutches, continence aids, compression garments): all invoices/receipts must be itemised showing the type of product supplied including the date and cost, any doctor/allied health professional or occupational therapist letters or referrals.
• Specialist Consultations & Allied Health Services (i.e. Specialist, Physiotherapist, Dentist, Podiatrist, Spectacles, Footwear, Orthotics, Wound Dressings): all invoices/receipts must show the date and cost of each treatment and a doctor/allied health professional letter or referral that shows treatment was related to your accepted condition/s.
• Pathology and Blood Tests: all invoices/receipts must be itemised showing the date, cost and item of each test and be accompanied by a referral from the doctor who requested the test and/or the test report.
• Pharmaceutical Items: all invoices/receipts must be itemised showing the date, cost and item of each prescribed medicine.

Contact Us

Applications for reimbursement can be submitted to your nearest DVA VAN office, via email or post listed below. If you need assistance or have any questions please call us on 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372).

Submitting your application via email:     

• For Medical treatment within Australia - Medtreat@dva.gov.au
• For Pharmaceutical items only within Australia – PHARMACY.REIMBURSEMENT@dva.gov.au

Submitting your application via post:    

• Payments and Reimbursements Team
  DVA GPO Box 9998
  Brisbane; QLD; 4001