What do I do if APRA says no?

My super FINALLY got released yesterday! Only took 2 months and 3 delayed operations!! My GP ended up writing that with if I didn't have the operation there was no reason to have super because I wouldn't be around to access it anyways. i guess it worked!

they sure do make you jump through hoops to get your own money tho!

Other options if you can afford it if APRA says no is a medical loan ..... Here is one type that I googled - I just put in medical loan - Pages from australia.....
http://www.acaloans.com.au/Medical_Loans.html?gclid=CI_xtoabkKICFcQtpAodPGoucQ

hope it helps!

My reading of the guidance suggests there are two parts to the APRA consideration - firstly, does the nature of the medical treatment qualify - including life threatening conditions / alleviating chronic pain (we all here meet this requirement I think) and secondly that you need to access the superannuation money to allow you to pay for the treatment (this will vary from person to person, depending on circumstances).

I did not have any problem establishing the first point, but I did have problems with the second. I won't go into details, but we have a good family income (my wife and I both work full time in managerial jobs - although I would not say we are earning millions:)) and listed a pretty high figure under the "other expenditure" item. APRA wanted a couple of months of statements for all bank accounts (including credit accounts) and statutory declarations and documentary evidence regarding a small sum of money held in a mortgage off-set account (not enough on it's own to cover the op).

While it would have suited me much better to access my superannuation (I am not going to need it if I can't make retirement!), when APRA knocked me back I thought about it further, talked it over with my wife and we decided together that we did not need to pursue the application. PHI was picking up the hospital component, which is often the biggest hit. I think if I had been facing a situation of no APRA release / no operation, we would have dug out the information and made my case more strongly. APRA certainly left the door open to do that.

PM, I will pm you some more details - sorry I did not mean to alarm you but to say that, based on my experience, even if they did knock you back in the first instance that would not be the end of things, and that APRA are pretty good about telling you what more they might need to get you across the line.

Best wishes

I think it would be pretty rare for them to decline grounds of treating life threatening illness. Income wont be an issue as long as you are not earning millions lol.
I have posted a response to your other thread re amount and tax. hope it helps.

me too, life threatening, and have multiple dr's letters and hospital discharge papers from icu.... for breathing but we are arguing that if i weighed half as much, i would be in icu half as much and save everyone a fortune!!!!

Life threatening... and my surgeons letter says that.

Are you applying on the grounds of financial hardship or treating a life threatening illness? (Obesity and the co-morbidities which are quite often associated with it are classified as being life threatening). The latter is easier to establish as most Drs and specialists are happy to supply the required letters.

Thanks for your answer.....

Can you explain a little more as to how hard was the information to supply? And i know this is really private..... but would you be more specific in pm about the instances you mean?

Thanks...

Im just sooooo worried. And I dont earn over $80 000..

I was rejected by APRA (although not unreasonably).

However, even when they turned me down, they did not completely shut the door. They gave me the opportunity to come back to them with more information about the family budget and commitments, copies of bank statements and credit card bills etc. In the end I decided to self finance / PHI finance - which I was lucky enough to be able to do - but I think that APRA could tell that I could afford to do so, which is why I was rejected. The people working at APRA have a set of rules which they apply, and need to be able to show evidence for the decisions they take. I am pretty sure that if I had been genuinely unable to afford the operation, APRA would have responded positively to the further information that they invited me to supply.

To sum up - if, at first, APRA say no to your request:

1. do not be discouraged;

2. ask them what further information you could provide to establish your case; and

3. be prepared to dig out details of your family finances to hand over to them.

i don't know.... lodged my forms last friday, will start ringing tomorrow.....
that we have to go through all this to get what will save the general populaiton of australia thousands in treatment for obesity related illnesses, time off work or un able to work, stepping off my soap box!!!

What other options are there if Im declined for my super?

Im hoping i WONT be declined, but i guess there is always a possibility.

If I dont get the money, I cant have the op. Its that simple.

So what other options are there?

Yes Im a panicker.