Health Care Card

The Health Care Card (HCC) assists benefit recipients, low income earners and selected other customer groups (for example, foster children) with access to cheaper Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) prescription medicines and a lower Extended Medicare Safety Net threshold*.

*All families entitled to Family Tax Benefit Part A qualify for access to a lower Extended Medicare Safety Net threshold.

Qualification

The HCC is automatically issued to people who are not qualified for a Pensioner Concession Card, and are receiving:

• JobSeeker Payment, Youth Allowance, Austudy, ABSTUDY Living Allowance, Special Benefit, Mobility Allowance, or Parenting Payment (partnered);
• Carer Allowance (child),
• Carer Payment (child) on a short-term or episodic basis;
• Exceptional Circumstances Relief Payment, Farm Household Allowance, Family Tax Benefit Part A (by fortnightly instalments and whose family income is below the Family Tax Benefit Part A lower income free area).

In certain circumstances, the HCC can be retained for periods up to 26 weeks after returning to work to assist people make the transition from long-term income support to work.

The Carer Allowance (child) HCC is available on application.

• It is for the direct benefit of a child under 16 years with a disability or severe illness whose parents / carers are receiving Carer Allowance. The card is issued in the child's name.

The foster child HCC is available on application.

• The card can be claimed by the foster carer on behalf of the child.
• The card is issued only in the name of the child, to obtain concessions for the child.
• The card is not means tested.

The former Carer Allowance (child) HCC is available on application.

It is for full-time students under 26 years who held a Carer Allowance HCC immediately before turning 16 years of age.

The Low Income Health Care Card (LIC) is available on application.

• Income test applies to average weekly gross income for the 8 weeks immediately prior to applying for the card.
• There is no assets test for the LIC.

Certain residence requirements must be met to qualify for any type of HCC.

Concessions

Health Care Card holders may benefit from:

• medicines listed on the PBS at the concessional rate and once they reach the PBS safety net, will usually* be supplied with further PBS prescriptions without charge for the remainder of the calendar year;
• concessional discounts at Australia Post;
• bulk-billed GP appointments (at the discretion of the doctor);
• reduced out-of-hospital medical expenses above a concessional threshold of the Extended Medicare Safety Net.

*There are certain instances where this does not apply. Please refer to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme website for more information.

Further information

For further information about the Health Care Card please contact Centrelink on 13 2300 or visit the Health Care Card section of the Services Australia website.

Last updated: 19 August 2024 - 2:45pm

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