Concession and health care cards

Card details

Your card displays your personal information, so be careful with it and keep it secure. Your card can display:

your first name and family name
your Customer Reference Number (CRN)
your home address
the date your concession entitlement begins
the date it expires.

Depending on the card you have, it will also show the:

first name and family name of your partner, if you have one
first name of any dependent children.

You can ask us not to have your address or partner’s details printed on your card.

Types of cards

The type of concession or health care card you can get depends on your situation.

You can use your concession or health care card to get cheaper medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. You can also use your concession card for cheaper or free doctor appointments if your doctor bulk bills.

Commonwealth Seniors Health Card

To get a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card you must meet all these conditions:

have reached Age Pension age
are an Australian resident and live in Australia or you hold a special category visa
don’t get an income support payment from us or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA)
don’t have a DVA issued Pensioner Concession Card or Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
meet the income test.

Your card is valid for 2 years. If you remain eligible, you don’t need to do anything. We’ll send you a new card 4 to 6 weeks before your card expires.

Ex-Carer Allowance (Child) Health Care Card

To get an Ex-Carer Allowance (Child) Health Care Card you must meet all these:

are between 16 and 25
are a full time student
are an Australian resident and live in Australia or you hold a special category visa
had a Carer Allowance Health Care Card on the day before you turned 16.

Your card is valid for one year. You must renew your card each year.

Foster Child Health Care Card

To get a Foster Child Health Care Card you must be a foster carer or care for someone else’s child. You must also meet all these conditions:

be an Australian resident and live in Australia
hold a permanent visa or a special category visa.

Your foster child must live with you if you hold this card. The child may live away from you to study, for example at a boarding school.

Your card will be issued in the name of the child and is only for the benefit of the child.

Your card is valid for one year. If you remain eligible, you don’t need to do anything. We’ll send you a new card each year when the current one expires.

Health Care Card

To get a Health Care Card you must:

live in Australia
get some payments or supplements from us
meet the age rules of the payment you get.

Payments or supplements include:

ABSTUDY Living Allowance
Austudy
Carer Allowance if you care for a child under 16 - the card is for the child in your care
Carer Payment for short term care under 6 months
Family Tax Benefit Part A at the maximum rate
Farm Household Allowance
JobSeeker Payment
Mobility Allowance if you don’t get Disability Support Pension
Parenting Payment partnered
Special Benefit
Youth Allowance.

Your card is valid for one year. If you keep getting the payment or supplement, you’ll remain eligible and you don’t need to do anything. We’ll send you a new card when your current one expires.

Low Income Health Care Card

To get a Low Income Health Care Card you must either be:

19 or older
younger than 19 and are independent
younger than 19 and eligible for Family Tax Benefit.

You must be an Australian resident and live in Australia, or hold one of these visas:

You must also meet an income test.

Your card is valid for one year. You must renew your card each year.

Pensioner Concession Card

You can get a Pensioner Concession Card if you get:

Age Pension
Carer Payment
Disability Support Pension
JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance - you must be single and caring for a dependent child while you’re looking for work
Parenting Payment single.

You’re also eligible if you’re 60 or older and for more than 9 months have been getting one of these:

Or, you have a partial capacity to work and you get one of these payments:

Your card is valid for 2 years. If you remain eligible for the pension or allowance you don’t need to do anything. We’ll send you a new card 4 to 6 weeks before your current one expires.

Other support

Other organisations have support services and information you may find helpful. You can use our Service Finder to find help in your local area.

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs has a concession card for those who are eligible. Find out more about the Veteran card on their website.

Find out about concessions available in your state or territory on their websites:

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