Changes to the March 2014 Stats at a Glance
The Department of Veterans’ Affairs publishes the Stats at a Glance card (SaaG) every
six months based on March and September data. The last major update to the card was
the September 2008 publication when an additional page was added to incorporate
MRCA and SRCA data.
From March 2014, the SaaG publication introduces a number of improvements to the
way in which DVA clients are represented. The changes are detailed below.
1. Net Beneficiaries
This reporting item has been removed. Net beneficiaries included all clients receiving a
Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1988 (VEA) pension/allowance or holding a treatment or
pharmaceutical card.
This count did not include clients who are only entitled to receive benefits under either
the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA) or the Safety
Rehabilitation Act 1988 (SRCA).
This reporting item has been replaced with Total Clients.
2. Total Clients
This reporting item replaces Net Beneficiaries. Total Clients represents the total number
of DVA clients across all three Acts. Total Clients is broadly defined as those with an
ongoing entitlement under one of the three Acts.
3. Revised counting of MRCA and SRCA clients
The method of counting MRCA and SRCA clients was based on the "Active Client"
concept (ie number of clients who interacted with the Department over the previous twoyear period). This measure masked the steady growth in overall client numbers.
The new method will provide the total number of MRCA and SRCA clients who have an
ongoing entitlement with the Department.
 Veterans – represents the number of serving and ex-serving Australian
Defence Force personnel who are alive and who have an accepted liability
under either MRCA or SRCA.
 Dependants – represents the number of dependants under MRCA who are
alive and have an ongoing entitlement whether it is a payment, or treatment
card.
SRCA dependants generally do not have ongoing entitlement so they are not
included in this count.
Impact: These changes appear to show an initial sharp increase in client numbers.
However, the relatively constant Active Client numbers masked the steady growth in
overall client numbers. The following chart shows that steady growth, beginning with the
introduction of MRCA in 2004.
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MRCA and SRCA Growth
Total Clients Alive as at 31 Dec
60,000
Total Clients
50,000
SRCA
40,000
30,000
20,000
MRCA
10,000
0
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Year
4. Permanent Impairment Payees
Previously reported the number of veterans who have received a Permanent Impairment
payment within the last two years.
The revised counting method enables DVA to report on the total number of veterans
alive and who have received a Permanent Impairment payment. This includes clients
who have received a commuted payment or MRCA clients who have elected to receive a
periodic payment.
Impact: This method will appear to show an initial increase in the number of Permanent
Impairment payees. However, it is now a count of all veterans currently alive who have
received a payment. This method will provide a more accurate indication of the number
of veterans who have received Permanent Impairment payments.
5. Incapacity Payees
Previously reported the number of veterans who have received an Incapacity payment
within the last two years.
The revised counting method enables DVA to report on the total number of veterans
alive who have received an Incapacity payment as at the last pay day of the reporting
period. Effectively this will show the current number of veterans receiving a fortnightly
Incapacity payment.
Impact: This method will appear to show an initial decrease in the number of Incapacity
Payees as it is only showing payments at a point in time rather than over a two year
period. This method, however, is in line with the method of counting VEA clients by the
last fortnightly pension pay day.
6. Open Rehabilitation Cases
This section is unchanged and reports the number of current clients with an open
rehabilitation case.
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7. DVA Health Cards
The previous reporting item "Health Service Recipients" under MRCA and SRCA has
been changed to “DVA Health Cards”. The introduction of DVA health cards to SRCA
clients in December 2013 has enabled standardised treatment population reporting
across all three Acts.
Previously reported as the number of clients who received a health cost reimbursement
within the last two years.
The revised counting method enables DVA to report on the total number of clients alive
who hold a DVA Health Card, ie total clients eligible for treatment provided under DVA
Health Cards
Please Note: For reporting purposes a client is only counted against the Act that is
responsible for the costs associated with the use of their DVA health card.
This does not represent the number of clients with a treatment entitlement under each
Act but the number of DVA Health Card holders against the Act responsible for all
expenditure associated with the use of that card. Therefore, where a client has
treatment eligibilities under multiple Acts, their DVA Health Card will only be attributed to
the Act (based on a hierarchy) that the treatment is expended against.
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