What is the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
The Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card is a concession card to get cheaper health care and some discounts if you’ve reached age pension age.
What are the benefits of the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
With your 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
Read more about what you can get where you live on the australia.gov.au website
Who can qualify for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
You can get a card if you:
- have reached age pension age
- don’t qualify for a payment from Centrelink or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs
- meet an income test, and
- are an Australian resident currently living in Australia
What is the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card Income test?
The government review this test on 20 September each year in line with the Consumer Price Index. The income test will look at your:
- adjusted taxable income
- a deemed amount from account based income streams
To pass the income test from 20 September 2024, you must earn no more than:
- $99,025 a year if you’re single
- $158,440 a year for couples
- $198,050 a year for couples separated by illness, respite care or prison.
Add $639.60 to these amounts for each child in your care. There is no assets test.
Account based income streams
Account based income streams are assessed 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 earning 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 were granted your Commonwealth Seniors Health Card after 31 December 2014
- your partner owns it and they are 60 years old or more
Applying for and receiving the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card is part of your retirement plan. At Progressive Financial Solutions, we offer tailored holistic retirement financial planning services to help our clients fund their desired retirement lifestyle. You can read more about our retirement planning services here.