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  • Individuals  >  Payments  > 
  • Low Income Health Care Card
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Low Income Health Care Card

On this page
  • Eligibility
  • Residence requirements
  • Benefits
  • Claiming
  • If you leave Australia
  • Change of circumstances
  • Find out more

Eligibility

You may be eligible for a Low Income Health Care Card if you are either:

  • a student or Australian Apprentice and get any of these payments:
    • ABSTUDY
    • Austudy
    • Carer Payment (child) for short-term or episodic care under 6 months
    • Youth Allowance (student)
  • a foster carer
  • have a low income.

You also need to satisfy the Low Income Health Care Card income test.

Foster carers

You may be eligible for a Low Income Health Care Card if you are a foster carer, or caring for another person’s child, including a relative’s child— for example, if you are a grandparent or an aunt. The card is issued in the name of the child in your care.

Shared care

You may be eligible for a Low Income Health Care Card if you share care of a child for at least 14% of the time (2 or more nights per fortnight). The card is issued in the name of the child in your care.

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Residence requirements

You need to be living in Australia and be:

  • in Australia, and
  • an Australian resident, or
  • the holder of a special category visa – that is a New Zealand citizen.

You also need to meet a 104-week newly arrived resident’s waiting period or be exempt from this requirement, for example if you are a refugee or the partner of an Australian citizen.

Benefits

A Low Income Health Care Card entitles you to:

  • cheaper medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
  • concessions offered by private companies
  • State and Territory Government and local council concessions, for example:
    • energy and electricity bills
    • health care costs including ambulance, dental and eye care
    • public transport costs
    • water rates.

Please check with your State and Territory Government regarding which concessions are available to Low Income Health Care Card holders- concessional entitlements may vary between States and Territories.

Note: When using services covered by Medicare, you will need to present your Medicare card.

More information

  • A guide to Centrelink concession cards booklet

Other websites

  • australia.gov.au - State and Territory Government websites
  • Medicare Australia - your prescriptions

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Claiming

You need to lodge a claim for a Low Income Health Care Card.

You can also register an intent to claim a Low Income Health Care Card. This means you will get your card from the earliest possible date.

Claiming with forms

For a claim form you can:

  • print out a claim for a Health Care Card form
  • phone us on 13 2317 if you get ABSTUDY
  • phone us on 13 2490 if you get Austudy or Youth Allowance
  • phone us on 13 6150 if you are a foster carer
  • visit your nearest Centrelink Customer Service Centre.

Documentation

When lodging your claim we will ask you for information to assess your entitlement. This includes your and your partner's income and assets and tax file numbers.

Once you submit your claim you will need to provide proof of identity. We will also tell you if there are other verification documents and forms you need to provide. You will need to submit these within 14 days. The sooner we receive your documents, the sooner we can process your claim.

Claim outcome

We will send you a letter advising if your claim has been successful.

If you claim is successful, we will send your Low Income Health Care Card in the mail. Your Low Income Health Care Card is valid for 6 months from the date you lodge your claim. If you are still eligible, we will send you a renewal claim form 1 month before it is due to expire.

If you disagree with a decision we make

You always have the right to appeal any decision made by Centrelink.

  • Reviews and appeals
  • Your rights

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If you leave Australia

If you leave Australia temporarily, your card will remain current for up to 13 weeks. If you leave Australia permanently, your card will be cancelled on departure.

Note: To make sure you get the right entitlements, contact us if you plan to leave Australia and also when you return.

Change of circumstances

You need to tell is if your circumstances change. For instance, if your income goes up, or if you start or return to work.

If you stop receiving your Centrelink payment, we will automatically cancel your Low Income Health Care Card.

Find out more

On this website

  • Low Income Health Care Card - income test

On the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs website

  • Health Care Card

Publications

  • A guide to Centrelink concession cards booklet

Contact us

  • phone us on your main payment number
  • find your nearest Centrelink Customer Service Centre

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Explore www.centrelink.gov.au

Online services

  • all services
  • claiming a payment
  • FAQs
  • how to logon
  • online demonstrations
  • register
  • report employment income

Individuals

  • caring
  • crisis and special help
  • help after someone has died
  • illness or disability
  • looking for work
  • moved to Australia
  • parent or guardian
  • payments
  • retirement
  • self employed or farmer
  • services
  • studying or training

Businesses

  • centrepay
  • childcare providers
  • Centrelink confirmation eServices
  • employer FAQs
  • employer info

Community groups

Indigenous Australians

  • ABSTUDY
  • programs
  • publications

We speak your language

International

  • claim forms
  • international services
  • leaving Australia permanently
  • leaving Australia temporarily
  • social security agreements

Community recovery

  • Victorian Storms
  • South West Queensland Floods

Forms

  • a to z forms
  • claim forms
  • how to order

Publications

  • a to z publications
  • business
  • community
  • corporate
  • customer
  • how to order
  • Indigenous
  • multilingual

Careers@Centrelink

Media

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  • dates for your diary
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What's new

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  • Centrelink ABN: 29 468 422 437
  • Page last updated: 17 December 2009