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Be Involved: Australian Red Cross Asylum Seeker Assistance Scheme

The Asylum Seeker Assistance Scheme (ASAS) was initiated in 1993 to provide assistance to asylum seekers who have been awaiting determination of their refugee status for six months or more. ASAS is administered by the Australian Red Cross and funded by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs. The scheme assists asylum seekers, determined to be without means of support or disposable assets, through the payment of a living allowance and access to General Health cover for eligible asylum seekers who are not Medicare eligible.

The Health Care Scheme covers the cost of GP's, pathology, radiology, initial specialist diagnosis and the cost of PBS medicines. Further specialist and inpatient treatment may also be covered if determined to be urgent and/or life-threatening.

Health Providers need to be registered with the Scheme in order to be reimbursed for services provided to eligible asylum seekers at the same rate as the MBS.

ELIGIBILITY

Entitlement to the Limited Health Care Program, requires a client be eligible for the ASA Scheme. Eligibility is determined by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, with the responsibility for notification resting with the Australian Red Cross. A referral letter on original letterhead will be issued to the practice. The referral letter will list all that are entitled to the program (typically the family unit).

For more general information on ASAS please refer also to the fact sheets available on the Department of Immigration website.

If you are interested in registering for the Asylum seekers assistance scheme - general health care program, contact an ASAS caseworker in your state. Contact details are listed below:

Australian Red Cross Asylum Seeker Assistance Scheme - Contact points

Vic
Red Cross office - National
National Supervisor, Asylum Seeker Assistance Scheme
International Tracing, Refugee & Asylum Seeker Services
National Office
23-47 Villiers St
North Melbourne 3051
Tel. No. +61 3 8327 7907
Fax. No. +61 3 8327 7961
Postal Address:
GPO Box 9949
Melbourne 3001

Genevieve Flores
email: gflores@nat.redcross.org.au

NSW
159 Clarence Street,
Sydney NSW 2000
Tel. No. 02 9229 4246

ACT
Crn Hindmarsh Drv & Palmer St.
Garran ACT 2605
Tel. No. 02 02 6206 6015

NT
PO Box 323
Sanderson NT 0812
Tel. No. 08 8924 3931

WA
110 Goderich Street
East Perth WA 6004
Tel. No 08 9225 1916

QLD
49 Park Road
Milton QLD 4064
Tel No. 07 3367 7282

SA
207 - 217 Wakefield Street
Adelaide SA 5000
Tel No. 08 8100 4608

Publication Date: 23 July 2002