ian27

Hello guys,

I arrived in Australia this March. I have a permanent residency visa but I am currently on a very low income but need some healthcare. Can I apply for a low income healthcare concession card or do I need to wait the 2 year waiting period like with other Centrelink benefits? If so, are there any exceptions?

Thank you in advance...

Ian

glittababe

Hi Ian as far as I'm aware you can apply for a healthcare card now, definately worth paying the medicare office a visit or centrelink to check. X

The Bloke

As Centrelink are the ones who provide ALL concession cards, I think you may have difficulty in getting around the two year rule.

Concession and Health Care Cards:

Centrelink issues three types of concession and health care cards which provide a range of benefits to cardholders.

* For low income earners, you may be able to get a Health Care Card to help with the cost of medicines and a limited number of concessions.
* For low income earners (receiving selected payments), you may be able to get a Pensioner Concession Card to help with the cost of medicines and a range of concessions.
* For people who are of Age Pension age but do not qualify for the pension, you may be able to get a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

You must meet residence requirements to get a concession card.

All three cards entitle you to reduced cost medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). A Health Care Card and Pensioner Concession card also entitle you to a range of additional subsidies including health, transport and educational concessions. These concessions may vary from state to state.
from Centrelink website...http://www.centrelink.gov.au/interne...conc_cards.htm

Have you actually approached them personally to see if you are eligible? http://www.centrelink.gov.au/interne...rds_lic.htm#do

ian27

Hey guys,

Well I have approached Centrelink twice before... The first time they didn't know if I was eligible, and the second time they said they didn't think so but they may be wrong, and then today my oral surgeon said I should be able to get one... So it seems a case of the blind leading the blind...

If I can't get one, do you know how I can go about getting two impacted wisdom teeth removed on the public system? The oral surgeon said today that it will cost me more than $1000 to have the surgery, and as I don't have the money, I should go through the public system instead. However, I have absolutely no idea how to do this...

Any help or advice would be very much appreciated...

Ian

ian27

By the way glittababe - I checked out your website/portfolio, very nice work. Keep it up!

The Bloke

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there are over 100 000 adults eligible for free dental health care in the Brisbane region alone.
http://www.health.qld.gov.au/rbwh/se...ral_health.asp
.... and you still have the problem of not having that valuable concession card issued by Centrelink
http://www.health.qld.gov.au/oralhea...ices/adult.asp
.... waiting time from the official website can be up to or over three years
http://www.health.qld.gov.au/oralhea...al_clinics.asp (link included to clinics).

ian27

Oh yeah, that ain't good... Well I guess if I had to wait 3 years I would be eligible for the concession card... Hahaha....

The Bloke

..... but by then you'd only have another two years to be on the waiting list.

ian27

Well actually by then I would hope not to be broke anymore, and wouldn't need it anyway. Hehehe.....

UK-2-OZ

When we first arrived (PR Visa) we were allowed a HCC immediately but we were on the full rate of FTB, until we got jobs.

ian27

What is FTB?

daunted

hi Ian , after arriving epecting nothing i was surprised to get HCC.Defclain it as it gives hidden benefits of all sorts of day to day costs

ian27

Ah cool! So how did you get that? And what is Defclain?

UK-2-OZ

Sorry, Family Tax Benefit

glittababe

Hi Ian, just found this - thank you very much XXX