In this article we discuss what is the Commonwealth Seniors Card to help you successfully navigate the system to see if you’re eligible and help you make the most of the benefits available.

Eligibility

You are eligible for a card if you:

• Have reached Age Pension age

• Don’t qualify for a payment from human services or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs

• Meet an income test, and

• Are an Australian resident currently living in Australia

Benefits

With the Commonwealth Seniors Card you can get:

• Cheaper medicine under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme

• Bulk billed doctor visits - this is up to your doctor

• A bigger refund for medical costs when you reach the Medicare Safety Net
 

Other benefits

Your state or territory government and local council may offer you more. They may lower your:

• Electricity and gas bills

• Property and water rates

• Health care costs, including ambulance, dental and eye care

• Public transport fare.

Benefits

With the Commonwealth Seniors Card you can get:

• Cheaper medicine under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme

• Bulk billed doctor visits - this is up to your doctor

• A bigger refund for medical costs when you reach the Medicare Safety Net

To read more about what you can get where you live - you can visit the australian.gov.au website.

You made need to show your

• Medicare card to get Medicare services

• Commonwealth Seniors Health Card to get other benefits

Residence rules

On the day you claim a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card you must be in Australia.

You must be living in Australian and have 1 of the following:

• Australian citizenship

• A permanent visa

• A special Category visa

Newly arrived residents may have to wait 2 or 4 years before getting this card with some exemptions. You must continue to meet the residence rules for the whole time you’re using the card. For example, if you no longer hold a valid visa you can’t keep using the card.
 

Income Test

You must meet an income test to get a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

The Australian Department of Human Services will review this test on 20 September each year in line with the Consumer Price Index
 

The income test will look at your:

Adjustable taxable income

A deemed amount from account based income streams.

To pass the income test, you must earn no more than:

• $55,808 a year if you’re single

• $89,290 a year for couples

• $111,616 a year for couples separated by illness, respite care or prison

• Add $639.00 to these amounts for each child in your care.

There is no assets to test.

Account based income streams

The Australian Department of Human Services will look at your account based income streams as part of the income test. Account based income streams include account based pensions and account based annuities.

The balance of an account based income stream is subject to deeming. Deeming assumes that financial investments are earing a certain rate of income.

Deeming rules will only apply if:

• You bought or changed it on or after 1 January 2015

• You own it and the Australian Department of Human Services granted your Commonwealth 

• Seniors Health Card after 31 December 2014

• Your partner owns it and they are 60 years old or more.

If you want to find out more about the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card please speak with one of our advisers today.