Medicare Entitlement Statement consent and privacy notice

We collect, use and disclose your personal information in line with the:

• Taxation Administration Act 1953
• Health Insurance Act 1973
• Privacy Act 1988.

Medicare Entitlement Statement consent notice

In your online Medicare Entitlement Statement (MES) application, you’re asked to consent to your information being shared with, and collected from, the Department of Home Affairs (Home Affairs).

If you consent, we’ll provide the following personal information to Home Affairs:

• your name
• your date of birth
• your travel document details.

This is so Home Affairs can locate your record and verify details relating to your immigration status and records.

If Home Affairs locates your record, they’ll provide us with your:

• full name
• passport or ImmiCard number
• visa details
• Medicare status
• location
• movement records
• permanent visa applications and any work rights attached to your visa.

We’ll use this information to assess your entitlement to Medicare. Collecting this information from Home Affairs ensures we have accurate, up to date information when assessing your MES application.

If you don’t consent to us sharing and collecting your information from Home Affairs, you won’t be able to proceed with your online application. Instead, you can apply for a MES using a paper or PDF form. You’ll need to provide copies of your evidence or make a statutory declaration to support your application.

Read more about how to get a Medicare Entitlement Statement.

Medicare Entitlement Statement privacy notice

A Medicare Entitlement Statement (MES) tells you the period during a financial year that you weren’t eligible for Medicare. We assess and issue the MES on behalf of the Minister for Health and Aged Care.

This privacy notice outlines how we collect and handle personal information to assess your eligibility for Medicare and issue you with a MES.

What personal information we collect

We’ll collect the following types of information about you:

• identity details such as your full name, date of birth, gender and travel document information
• contact details such as your phone number and email address
• details about your location, visa, residency status and applications and access to reciprocal healthcare arrangements.

How we collect your information

We’ll collect your personal information:

• directly from you when you submit an application for a MES
• from Home Affairs, where you have consented, to verify and obtain details relating to your immigration status and records.

We’ll use your personal information we already hold, including previous MES applications, permanent residency information and Medicare information.

Why we collect this information

We collect your personal information to:

• verify your identity
• assess your eligibility for Medicare for the relevant period
• issue you with a MES outcome
• provide you with support and assistance
• create reports on MES applications for reporting and compliance purposes.

If we don’t collect this personal information, we may not be able to assess your eligibility for Medicare or issue you with a MES.

Who we may share your information with

We’ll share your information with:

• the Australian Taxation Office to ensure Medicare Levy exemptions are correctly claimed and applied
• Home Affairs to verify the details of your immigration documents and to collect information about your visa status and your visa applications and outcomes
• you, to advise you when a decision has been made on your MES application, or to request further information.

Your information may be shared with other third parties with your consent, or as otherwise required or authorised by law, including the Privacy Act.

How to access or correct your personal information

Our Privacy Policy has details about how you can access your personal information. It also tells you how you can ask us to correct your information, if it's wrong.

If your circumstances have changed and you need to update your personal information, call our Medicare Entitlement Statement Unit.

How to make a complaint or give feedback

Our Privacy Policy outlines how to make a complaint about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles in the Privacy Act. It also outlines how we deal with such a complaint.

Where to find more information

You can read more about:

• your right to privacy, including why we collect, use and share your personal information
• our Privacy Policy, including how we handle your personal information.