COTA NT advocating for and working towards an age-friendly, just, inclusive and equitable society for all Territorians over 50
This information originates from the Australian Government’s Department of Human Services website. To check the latest information and advice regarding the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, please refer to their web page,
https://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/centrelink/commonwealth-seniors-health-card.
This card gives older Australians cheaper health care and some concessions.
You can get a card if you:
You can get a card if you:
You must tell us your and your partner’s tax file numbers, unless you are exempt.
We may have cancelled your pension on 1 January 2017 because of changes to the pension assets test.
If so, we sent you a non-income tested:
You don’t need to meet the income test for these cards.
Read about the changes to the pension assets test.
Your state or territory government and local council may offer you more. They may lower your:
Read more about what you can get where you live on the australia.gov.au website.
You can find out more about what you may be able to receive in the Northern Territory in the well-being section of the NT Government website.
You may need to show your:
Please note: COTA NT is unable to assist you with the preparation of your paperwork, but assistance can be provided by the Department of Human Services.
You must meet an income test to get the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card. We review this test on 20 September each year in line with the Consumer Price Index.
The income test will look at your:
To pass the income test, you must earn no more than:
Add $639.60 to these amounts for each child in your care.
There is no assets test.
We look at your account based income streams 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:
Read about account based income streams on the Department of Social Services website.
Your adjusted taxable income will be used to assess your eligibility for some payments, supplements, support and benefits.
Read more about adjusted taxable income
To be eligible for a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card you must satisfy residence requirements. You must be living in Australia and you must be:
You must also:
Newly arrived residents generally have a 104 week waiting period, with some exemptions.
If you qualify for a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, you may choose to get the quarterly supplement.
This is a payment for the Energy Supplement.
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