Superannuation - is it commonly refused?

I agree Sarah , my surgery is booked for 23 November , I allowed 5 weeks just in case the super took a while .

That's great news for you!! I'm hoping mines fast. Appointment with the surgeon on the 11th.. Bring on a new life!

I just applied for my total cost $16700 from super , it was approved in 2 days for the full amount . I'm not sure why it was so quick but I'm not complaining

So I am applying for the full amount. $19,000... I have a fair bit in my super.. Hoping and praying it will be approved. Anyone successfully been approved to be fully self funded?

Hi Christie,

No, nothing at all! I've been waiting expecting them to call and ask for bank statements, payslips etc but they didn't need anything. 

I sent the quote from my surgeon for the total package of $5950 , as I have private insurance for the hospital stay. They approved the whole amount of the doctors gap and that was it.

I listed our savings as $1000 which is true, we just bought out first home last year so don't have any saving left lol!

Having said that, my super balance is quite high (over $100K) so maybe they say the $6K fee as small???

Either way, I'm stoked and so excited! Fingers crossed that yours comes back soon!!!

The hardest part of the process was going into centrelink to prove my identity 3 times as the first 2 times they didn't record it correctly ahhhhhh! 

PLP

So did you have to provide any further information on your or your husbands income?

Did they approve the amount on your doctors quote or less??

Sorry for all the questions, currently awaiting answer on mine!!

Hi All,

I found out yesterday that my super was APPROVED!!!!!

I applied online on 28/7 and called yesterday and was advised that it had been approved and my approval letter was in the mail.

It took a little longer than the 10 days they quoted, but much less than the 6-8 weeks that i'd read about.

The biggest learning for me was that the online application only required a few little bits of information to process for approval.  I had seen the paper form that was pages and pages long, asking for  info on my income, my husband's income, our debts, expenses etc. and yet, the online version only asked for our combined savings and info on my super fund total plus all the medical info.  I was such a shorter and less detailed application than the paper form.

Good luck to everyone else in their applications,
plp

Hi,

I just applied for my Super today through DHS.

They are currently a little behind so they are estimating 3 weeks to be processed.

It's the only way i could have the surgery done!!

Thank goodness for this thread. I am so nervous about making my application. I have my appointment with my surgeon next Tuesday, I'm so nervous but i'm just going to be upfront with him (that I can't afford this surgery without accessing my super) and let him assess my situation from there.... I am of the opinion that my condition is life threatening.... I'm morbidly obese (class iii) and have a colourful mental and physical health history.... I wish it was just easy.... Ive only just recently realised how far gone I am and how desperately I need this surgery. As everyone else here has... I have tried literally EVERYTHING! weight watchers, duromine, dieticians, personal trainers, acupuncture, hypnotherapy and more, most things 4 or 5 times over and in conjunction with other things...vitamins,  supplements... and I've only just realised that I have abused and stretched my stomach so much that without this surgery I will never know what it's like to feel full and so many other things I can't tell you how much this means or how desperate I am for this surgery. I hope my surgeon can see how much I need this.... I've heard that he's kind and understanding and only wants the best for his patients... hopefully the kind dhs people can assess my situation and release my super, fingers crossed! But it's awesome encouragement to hear just how many people's applications have been approved and how quickly!

Hi Dale

Thanks for the link will take this along... such a long process

Both your doctor and specialist need to fill out this for you and you need to send them in along with you application form letters and quotes 


Early Release of Superannuation on Specified Compassionate Grounds Report by registered medical practitioner

http://www.humanservices.gov.au/spw/customer/forms/resources/mo017-1501en.pdf

Hi I am looking at gastric sleeve surgery and about to do the process of having my super released to pay for it ... was wondering if anyone can tell me the forms that are needed the O clinic where I am getting it done through gave me the application form but is there any form that my GP needs to fill out or is it just the letter from specialist and GP that needs to be done? Thanks

Hey Drexy,

My goodie two shoes part says - DO NOT send in the "doctored" doctors report.  Sorry, it might just be me but it just doesn't seem right even if you didn't get caught.  However, I would also be worried that it could be picked up, and as it is being done to access money that is protected by law, there may be some repercussions (although that does sound a bit OTT as I type, lol)

I wonder if you could ring or e-mail the GP's office and ask them to ask the doctor to reconsider on the grounds that you are classed as "morbidly obese" (add any secondary health problems that you have to your argument and advise that the surgeon has ticked it).

However, if you are considering of going back to see her, but don't really feel that you are on the same wave length.  Maybe it is an opportunity to go and see a different GP.  I'm sure there are other Brissy people on here who have had to access super that may be able to recommend someone.  Personally, my GP is in Capalaba and she did tick life threatening but sort of said something that made me think she was not sure.  She has been my GP for a long time and is lovely, but I wouldn't be 100% confident that she would tick it every time (but you are welcome to PM for her details if you want them).

This place is pretty busy so if you can give it a day or two then I reckon a Brissy person will see and give you a good GP's details.

Hi everyone,
I'm just waiting to send off my paperwork to DHS & I'm stressing out because my GP who I'd only just started seeing ( I hate going to doctors ) ticked the box saying 'NO the surgery wasn't life threatening'
My specialist Dr Hatzifotis wrote a glowing letter & ticked that it was Life Threatening Surgery.
I even went so far as to try to doctor ( pardon the pun ) the form & white out her ( GP ) ticked box & tick that it was. Did a photocopy hoping it looked legit. Now I'm all sorts of freaking out thinking that I'm going to get done for trying to dupe them! AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!
Any words of wisdom out there? Surgery is July 23rd, so time is of the essence!
Do I bite the bullet & see GP again ( another frickin $80 ) & see if she'll change her mind? I really don't have a rapport with her as only seen her twice!

 

GirlTrucker75 wrote:

Hi everyone, I have been trawling through comments and questions and things, but can't find an answer, so I'll just ask here. Has anyone been approved to use their Super when they are unemployed? I have private health, which I've took out 12 months ago specifically for this operation. I want the Super for the Out of pocket stuff. Just filling out the forms now, and wondering. Like everyone, it's such an emotional and tense time. 
Part of the reason for my little 'break between jobs', is that I have three ruptured discs in my back from an accident (not work related) and my obesity makes the pain so much worse, and my occupation quite difficult. I know that my GP will more than happily write me a letter, and I am seeing Jon Armstrong tomorrow (yay). But so worried about getting the Super. 
Anybody with any similar situation? Do they not like you to be unemployed I don't especially like it either, lol.
Thanks everyone, what a great forum this is, has been such a help.

I don't work or claim centerlink but my hubby works and I just put down his wage $0 for me and then all the expenses which of course went over what ever he earnt so I guess they could see we couldn't afford to save it and they gave me my super.

Hi everyone, I have been trawling through comments and questions and things, but can't find an answer, so I'll just ask here. Has anyone been approved to use their Super when they are unemployed? I have private health, which I've took out 12 months ago specifically for this operation. I want the Super for the Out of pocket stuff. Just filling out the forms now, and wondering. Like everyone, it's such an emotional and tense time. 
Part of the reason for my little 'break between jobs', is that I have three ruptured discs in my back from an accident (not work related) and my obesity makes the pain so much worse, and my occupation quite difficult. I know that my GP will more than happily write me a letter, and I am seeing Jon Armstrong tomorrow (yay). But so worried about getting the Super. 
Anybody with any similar situation? Do they not like you to be unemployed I don't especially like it either, lol.
Thanks everyone, what a great forum this is, has been such a help.

How did you go Alicia??

DHS rang this morning and said they'll have an answer for me by this afternoon, it was so quick I only sent them everything 6 days ago.  fingers and toes crossed they come back to me with a big fat APPROVED cause my surgery is on 8th March, they better say okay cause I can't afford to get a loan.

Oh thank god for this forum!
I am just starting out on the process, and have been stressing about the super side of things. I have my letter from the GP and surgeon. I've filled out my forms. Was wondering what else I needed to include.
I'll definitely take your advice of including a household budget spreadsheet.
I'm applying for the full amount, which will roughly half my super.

Are there any extra costs I need to include?
The quote from the surgeon is $19,500.. but what about if I need additional procedures due to complications?
Will that be out of pocket? My pockets are empty.. haha

Thanks :)

I just want to thank everyone who posted advice on accessing super. I emailed mine in and was approved in 4 days and received my letter on Monday. So quick! I included a spreadsheet with a breakdown of expenses with a sub total which matched the totals in the DHS form. I think it really helped with the claim.  I just thought some may be interested to know.
Thanks again,
Lee

Woo Hoo Everyone - Super Release Approved!!!

I am ecstatic!  I had been worrying myself sick because they'd asked for more information.  Now I just have to send yet another form off to my Super fund WITH the approval letter for them to actually 'release' the money.  Getting closer.

I think 2014 is going to be a good year, my year.

Yipppppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Thanks, i never nominated anything like that, but she made the comment about seeing what i had. 
Only took them a few day for mine anyway so im happy lol 
Good luck with yours hope it all works out :)

Hi Mazrx3pp - they actually shouldnt have access to your tax returns or bank accounts unless you give them permission to review them.  There's a spot on the application form where you nominate whom they may contact to verfiy information.  if you haven't put those institutions there on the form, they legally can't go snooping, that's my take on it anyway.

I wish you success in getting it approved!! Cheers

I just sent the 2 doctor reports, application form, 2 quotes and copys of my certified documents and emailed to them. They have access to your bank accounts, tax returns etc

I am about to send away my second lot of information for my Super access - they wanted more information.  So I'm going to give them so much information, including copies of invoices, car maintenance costs, home maintenance bills. I've factored it down to the lotto tickets we buy every fortnight, the newspapers we buy and the videos we hire for entertainment..... 

We are not wealthy, just ordinary people living within our means, we live from pay to pay like everyone else, we do not have an off shore bank account with spare cash in it that we can just whip it out and hand over $18,000 at the drop of a hat...I'm astounded they need so much information from us to figure that out.

I just hope this is the end of it, I'm worrying myself sick about it, I dont know what I'll do if they turn it down.  We might have to remortgage the house.