What can I use my DVA White Card for?

Last updated:

21 July 2020

To help you identify our clients, we issue health cards to our veterans and their dependants.

On this page

  1. About our health cards
  2. Treat a client who has a Veteran Gold Card
  3. Treat a client who has a Veteran White Card
  4. Treat a client who has an Veteran Orange Card
  5. How you can claim for your service
  6. Use a health card image

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About our health cards

We issue health cards to veterans and their:

  • widowed partners
  • dependents

We will pay many of the health care costs for people who have our health cards. To have us pay you to provide health care to people who have a DVA health card, you will first need to become a provider with us. 

We issue 3 types of cards that entitle the holder to different care services:

  • Veteran Gold Card
  • Veteran White Card
  • Veteran Orange Card

Each card will have the client's:

  • full name 
  • file number

People can now access digital versions of their plastic DVA White or Veteran Gold Card through the online portal MyService. You will be able to check the health conditions we cover for each person on their digital card. 

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Treat a client who has a Veteran Gold Card

A person who has a Gold Veteran Gold Card may be veteran or a veteran's:

  • widowed partner
  • dependent

We will only cover health care costs for the person whose name is on the card. Their health condition or injury does not need to be from war service.

Generally, people who have Veteran Gold Cards can access all health care services that the government lists on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). The MBS time and service limits still apply to people who have a Veteran Gold Card. 

The Veteran Gold Card covers: 

  • medical and surgical care
  • medical consultations and procedures that the MBS covers
  • medical services and surgical procedures the MBS lists and which a health care professional performs in public and private hospitals and day surgery facilities
  • medical specialist services the MBS lists
  • medication reviews

Sometimes we may allow medical services that the MBS does not list. You will need us to approve these services before you provide them.

The Veteran Gold Card covers other types of care such as: 

  • allied health services
  • optical services
  • dental services
  • community nursing
  • veterans home care
  • rehabilitation aids and appliances
  • pathology and x-rays
  • nuclear medicine imaging
  • ultrasound and computerised tomography

A person who has a Veteran Gold Card can also get:

  • free transport to the place where a health care professional will see or treat them
  • access to the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme

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Treat a client who has a Veteran White Card

A person who has a Veteran White Card may be a:

  • veteran
  • current or former member of the Australian Defence Force (ADF)

We cover a person with a Veteran White Card for disabilities and health conditions that came from military service. 

When we accept cover for someone's health condition we list it against their Veteran White Card record. To find out if we accept cover for someone's health condition you can do 1 of the following:

  • have the client show you a digital version of their Veteran White Card that lists the conditions we accept
  • contact us on 1800 550 457

Any Veteran with a White Card is entitled to access Mental Health treatment within Australia. They may also be eligible for treatment of Cancer (malignant neoplasm) and pulmonary tuberculosis, depending on their service.

These health conditions do not need to be from war or military service.

A person who has a Veteran White Card can also get:

  • free transport to the place where a health care professional will see or treat them
  • access to the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme

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Treat a client who has an Veteran Orange Card

A person who has an Veteran Orange Card may be a Commonwealth or allied veteran who:

  • has qualifying service from the First World War or Second World War
  • is aged 70 years or over 
  • has been a resident in Australia for 10 years or more 

A person with an Veteran Orange Card will pay less for medicines under the Repatriation Pharmaceuticals Benefits Scheme (RPBS). 

The RPBS contains:

  • all items that the general public can access
  • an extra list that people who hold an Veteran Orange Card can access

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How you can claim for your service

There are steps you can take to invoice us. 

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Use a health card image

If you want to use a health card image in advertising, complete a D9208 application form.

Email the form with a mock-up image of the publication the health card will be in to publications [at] dva.gov.au

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Does DVA White card count as concession?

Health concessions If you have a DVA treatment card (Gold or Veteran White Card) you should always use this card for medical, hospital, pharmaceutical and allied health services.

What does a DVA card cover?

Holders of a Veteran Gold Card (the DVA Health Card - All Conditions within Australia) are entitled to the full range of health care services at DVA's expense, including medical, dental, optical care and subsidised pharmaceuticals.

Do DVA White Card holders get $250?

To get the $250 one-off Cost of Living Payment you must be a Centrelink or Department of Veterans'Affairs customer. You must have been residing in Australia on 29 March 2022 and either: you were able to claim, or were getting an eligible payment. you were able to get, or had an eligible concession card.

What does specific mean on a DVA White Card?

DVA White Card — for specific conditions — Provides holders access to listed health services for treatment of specific conditions only — according to clinical need.