Who can get a Health Care Card - Health Care Card

Eligibility

You can get a Health Care card for up to one year if you get any of the following payments:

You can also get a card for up to one year if you get any of the following payments:

Carer Allowance for a child younger than 16 - the card is for the child in your care only
Carer Payment for short term or irregular care less than 6 months
the maximum rate of Family Tax Benefit Part A
Mobility Allowance if you’re not getting Disability Support Pension.

You must also live in Australia and meet the residence rules of that payment.

If you get Carer Payment, your card is valid for a period of 26 weeks. But only if you get it for episodic or short term care for a child.

You may get a different concession or health care card if you can’t get a Health Care Card.

We’ll send you one if you’re getting or are eligible for any of the following payments:

This means you’ll get both your payment and Health Care Card at the time you get approval.

Shared care

A child in your care will be on your Health Care Card if you share their care with someone else. You must care for them for a certain amount of time. The percentage of shared care needed depends on the payment you get.

Payment type	Lowest percentage of shared care
Farm Household Allowance, Family Tax Benefit, JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance as a job seeker.	14%
Special Benefit	30%
Parenting Payment.	50% Care is equal when the difference in care is less than 10%. We’ll list the child on the main carer’s card.

Payment type

Lowest percentage of shared care

Farm Household Allowance, Family Tax Benefit, JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance as a job seeker.

14%

Special Benefit

30%

Parenting Payment.

50%

Care is equal when the difference in care is less than 10%. We’ll list the child on the main carer’s card.