Most veterans get lost because DVA is not one claim. It is a stack of different decisions that look similar in MyService but do different jobs. If you treat them as one pile of “the claim”, you will wait on the wrong thing and miss the thing that actually pays this month.
The five decisions that matter
- 1Liability — DVA accepts that a condition is related to service. Nothing else (PI, incapacity, many treatment items) can finish until this is in.
- 2Treatment — gold/white card coverage, GP/specialist, pharmaceuticals, some allied health. Often starts once liability is accepted, sometimes earlier for mental health. The proposed $5,000 yearly allied-health cap was taken off the table on 17 September 2026.
- 3Permanent impairment (PI) — a tax-free payment for non-economic loss once the impairment is stable. Assessed with GARP M from 1 July 2026.
- 4Incapacity payments — wage replacement while you cannot work because of accepted conditions. Offset against some other income. Different from PI.
- 5Support around the edges — Acute Support Package, household services (cleaning, laundry, meals, garden), attendant care, rehabilitation, Veteran Payment (legacy rules), CDDA if administration itself caused extra harm. Household services are a separate claim. Most veterans never lodge one.
What 1 July 2026 changed
New claims from 1 July 2026 use one Act. Payments you already have stay. The Veterans’ Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Act — the VETS Act — closed the VEA and DRCA to new rehabilitation and compensation claims from that date. New claims are considered under an improved MRCA. Worsening of old VEA/DRCA conditions can still be compensated, but permanent impairment on the worsening is generally assessed under the MRCA using GARP M. The traps — the Chapter 26 baseline, the five-point gate, the redemption ceiling, and SRDP eligibility versus election — are on What changed, in the top menu, not only in this overview.
If you already have accepted conditions under the old Acts, those acceptances and current rates are grandfathered. You do not lose them because the law changed. You may, however, need a new MRCA claim for a new condition or for worsening PI.
Who can help you for free
- An ATDP-accredited compensation advocate through an ex-service organisation — find one at advocateregister.org.au.
- Open Arms (1800 011 046) for counselling. They do not run your claim, but they can keep you functioning while you do.
- DVA on 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372) for process questions and the Acute Support Package (no form — it is a phone request).