Post by Banker on Jun 17, 2013 2:51:24 GMT 7
Terminally ill man Mitch Rosehart homeless after Centrelink pension cut
A TERMINALLY ill cancer patient is furious at being forced to complete a work capacity test before he went overseas to seek life-saving treatment.
Gold Coaster Mitch Rosehart was subjected to a job capacity assessment to see whether he was fit enough to hold down a job as part of changes to laws governing disability pensions before heading to the Philippines to visit medical specialists.
His pension was cut off while he was overseas and he has returned to Australia broke, dying and homeless.
His payments have since been restarted but he is now living day-to-day, sleeping in a friend’s car with his partner and carer.
The 60-year-old former chef, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago, said it was the ultimate insult to be tested to see if he was capable of working while battling a terminal illness.
Recent changes to disability support laws mean payments stop after six weeks if a patient travels overseas. The payments can continue after a job capacity assessment, but approval can take months.
“They have known about my condition for years and on my record it says I have been terminally ill for 18 months,” he said.
“Of course I’m not fit to work, I have terminal cancer.
“And while they spent two months looking at my assessment my pension was cut off, which has made it almost impossible to get by.
“I wish I could work, because I could really use the money, but I just can’t.
“Terminally ill patients should not be subjected to these kinds of tests.
“They should have some compassion.”
Mr Rosehart said terminally ill patients in general were big losers in Australia.
“The terminally ill in this country are desperate,” he said.
“I was a victim of an assault last year so I was fortunate in a way that I had some money I could use for the trip to the Philippines, but most people don’t even have that option.”
A spokesman for the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs said disability support pensions could be paid indefinitely while a person was overseas, but only if they passed a job capacity test.
“To be eligible, Disability Support Pensioners are assessed against new criteria which determines the severity and permanency of their disability or condition, along with their capacity for work,” he said.
goo.gl/H3jGH
A TERMINALLY ill cancer patient is furious at being forced to complete a work capacity test before he went overseas to seek life-saving treatment.
Gold Coaster Mitch Rosehart was subjected to a job capacity assessment to see whether he was fit enough to hold down a job as part of changes to laws governing disability pensions before heading to the Philippines to visit medical specialists.
His pension was cut off while he was overseas and he has returned to Australia broke, dying and homeless.
His payments have since been restarted but he is now living day-to-day, sleeping in a friend’s car with his partner and carer.
The 60-year-old former chef, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago, said it was the ultimate insult to be tested to see if he was capable of working while battling a terminal illness.
Recent changes to disability support laws mean payments stop after six weeks if a patient travels overseas. The payments can continue after a job capacity assessment, but approval can take months.
“They have known about my condition for years and on my record it says I have been terminally ill for 18 months,” he said.
“Of course I’m not fit to work, I have terminal cancer.
“And while they spent two months looking at my assessment my pension was cut off, which has made it almost impossible to get by.
“I wish I could work, because I could really use the money, but I just can’t.
“Terminally ill patients should not be subjected to these kinds of tests.
“They should have some compassion.”
Mr Rosehart said terminally ill patients in general were big losers in Australia.
“The terminally ill in this country are desperate,” he said.
“I was a victim of an assault last year so I was fortunate in a way that I had some money I could use for the trip to the Philippines, but most people don’t even have that option.”
A spokesman for the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs said disability support pensions could be paid indefinitely while a person was overseas, but only if they passed a job capacity test.
“To be eligible, Disability Support Pensioners are assessed against new criteria which determines the severity and permanency of their disability or condition, along with their capacity for work,” he said.
goo.gl/H3jGH
) but I'm good again now... and my partner is finally over for the US!!