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Pensioner Concession Cards:

What is a Pensioner Concession Card?

A Pensioner Concession Card entitles you to reduced cost medicines as well as other concessions.

Do I qualify for a Pensioner Concession Card?

You can get a Pensioner Concession Card if you receive one of the following:

• a pension
• Parenting Payment (Single)
• Carer Payment (adult)
• Carer Payment (child)
• Newstart Allowance or Youth Allowance (job seeker) as a single principal carer of dependent child/ren.

You may also receive a Pensioner Concession Care if you are:

• aged over 60 and have been receiving one (or a combination) of the following payments continuously for more than nine months: Newstart Allowance, Sickness Allowance, Widow Allowance, Partner Allowance, Parenting Payment (Partnered) or Special Benefit, or
• assessed as having a partial capacity to work and are receiving Newstart Allowance, Parenting Payment (Partnered) or Youth Allowance (job seeker).

Some customers may be eligible to keep their Pensioner Concession Card for a short time after returning to work. This helps you assist customers to make the transition from being on a Centrelink payment to going back to work.

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When will I get a Pensioner Concession Card?

The Pensioner Concession Card is issued annually in your month of birth if you:

• get Carer Payment (adult), or
• are aged over 60 and have been getting one (or a combination) of the following payments continuously for more than nine months: Newstart Allowance, Sickness Allowance, Widow Allowance, Partner Allowance, Parenting Payment (Partnered) or Special Benefit, or
• have been assessed as having a partial capacity to work and are receiving Newstart Allowance, Parenting Payment (Partnered) or Youth Allowance (job seeker).

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What benefits does the Pensioner Concession Card provide?

The card entitles you to reduced cost medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

As well as this, you may also be entitled to extra concessions from state and local government authorities. Concessions from state and local government authorities may include:

• reductions in property and water rates
• reductions in energy bills
• a telephone allowance
• reduced fares on public transport
• reductions on motor vehicle registration
• one or more free rail journeys within the state each year.

Pensioner Concession Card concessions vary from state to state and some of these extra concessions are also available to your dependents. Please check with the organisation providing the concession. For more information, go to the www.australia.gov.au website.

Please note: When using services covered by Medicare, you will also need to present your Medicare Card.

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How do I find out more?

For more information about what concessions are available in the state or territory you live in:

• Download A Guide to Centrelink Concession Cards.
• Visit your nearest Centrelink Customer Service Centre.
• Go to the www.australia.gov.au website.
• Go to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme information on the Medicare Australia website.
• Go to the Medicare information on the Medicare Australia website.

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