Health care can be confusing. Here you will find information to help make sense of it all.
What is Medicare?
Medicare helps Australians with the cost of health care. If you’re enrolled in Medicare, you won’t have to pay as much for:
- hospital and medical services
- tests, imaging and scans.
You can learn more about Medicare and what it covers on the Services Australia website.
Applying for a Medicare card
If you’re on your parent’s Medicare card, you’re already enrolled. But for personal or privacy reasons, you might want to get your own Medicare card.
When you turn 15, you can apply for a Medicare card for free.
You can even apply online using your Medicare online account.
Read more about using your Medicare online account on the Services Australia website.
Make sure you bring your Medicare card when you:
- see a doctor or go to a public hospital
- get prescription medicine from the chemist.
What is bulk billing?
Bulk billing means you don’t have to pay for your appointment if you show your Medicare card.
Some health services have bulk billing and some don’t so remember to check before going to your appointment.
Getting paid your Medicare benefits
If your appointment isn’t bulk billed, you need to pay after your visit but then you’ll get some money back from Medicare.
There are some things that Medicare doesn’t help with.
Find out more about getting Medicare benefits on the Services Australia website
Health Care Card
If you get certain payments like Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY, you might also be able to get a Health Care Card.
This can help you get cheaper medicines and other benefits.
Read more about Health Care Cards on the Services Australia website
What is health insurance?
Medicare helps with most people’s healthcare, but you can also get private health insurance to help with extra medical costs.
You don’t need it, but private health insurance can help pay for things like:
- ambulance transport
- hospital stays
- dental care, glasses, and physiotherapy.
How much it costs depends on what things you want it to cover.
If your parent has private health insurance, you might be able to use theirs. If you’re aged 18 to 29, you might be able to get a discount. If you decide to buy private health insurance before you turn 31, you might not have to pay something called Lifetime Health Cover loading.
Check out the PrivateHealth.gov.au website for more information. You can also compare different health insurance policies. Remember to look at how much it costs and what you will be covered for.