Do You Know All The Benefits of Health Care Cards in Australia?

Save a bit of money on your medicine, GP visits and more

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We’re here to explain what a Health Care card is, who can get one and what extra you may be able to get with your health care card 👀

A Health Care Card is a concession card that provides cardholders with cheaper prescription medicines and other concessions and benefits.

It’s not a separate healthcare insurer but instead it’s more like a tool to make health care more affordable to those who are already on government benefits like Youth Allowance.

The card is usually valid for six months and renewed automatically if the holder continues to meet the eligibility criteria.

How can I get a Health Care Card?

You may get a Health Care Card if you get specific payments or supplements from the Australian government. You can get one for up to one year if you get any of the following payments:

• ABSTUDY Living Allowance
• Austudy
• JobSeeker Payment
• Special Benefit
• Youth Allowance.
• Mobility Allowance if you’re not getting Disability Support Pension.

You have to live in Australia plus meet the residence rules of whatever payment you’re on. The Australian government will send you a Health Care Card if you’re getting or eligible for: ABSTUDY Living Allowance, Austudy, Youth Allowance for students and apprentices.

Best of all - you don’t need to apply for a Health Care Card. If you're eligible, the government will post your card to you.

What are the benefits of a Health Care Card?

Besides getting access to cheaper prescription medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, you may also be able to get bulk billing for doctor’s appointments (as decided by your doctor), more refunds for medical expenses through the Medicare Safety Net and discounted mail redirection through Australia Post.

Some state and territory governments and local council areas offer other benefits if you have a Health Care Card like lower rates for electricity and gas bills, public transport fares, healthcare costs, dental and eye care. You can find all the info you need about concessions available in your state or territory on their websites:

•  Australian Capital Territory - Cost of living support
• New South Wales - NSW Government Community Support
• Northern Territory - NT Pensioner and Carer Concession Scheme
• Queensland - Concessions
• South Australia - Disability concessions and entitlements
• Tasmania - Discounts & concessions
• Victoria - Concessions & benefits
• Western Australia - Concessions available.

It’s a great way to save money on necessary expenses like doctor visits and medication, especially if you’re studying and living out of home.

How do I check the status of my card?

You can keep a digital copy of your card with you, wherever you go on the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app or the myGov app.

It's a good idea to ensure that your card is still in date, especially if you need to go to hospital or just have a GP visit coming up. If your card is no longer active, EXPIRED will appear across the digital card. An expired card will stay in your Digital wallet for 28 days after the day it expired.

The message "You have no concession card to display" will show if:

• you have a recently expired card
• your card is no longer active due to no longer being on payment

However, some places may not accept a digital copy of your card so it’s best to take a physical copy with you wherever you go. If you need to replace a lost or stolen card, head to the Services Australia website.