1.2.8.10 Health Care Card (HCC) - Description

Purpose of HCC

The main purpose of the HCC is to assist benefit recipients, low income earners and selected other groups (e.g. foster children and ex-CA (child) care receivers) with certain health costs, by allowing access to specific services at a concessional rate.

Automatic issue HCC

The HCC is issued automatically to people who receive:

• certain social security benefits (i.e. NSA, SA, PA, SpB, WA, YA (job seeker) provided the recipient does not have a PCC), PPP, ECRP, FFRS and CDEP (in certain circumstances), and
• certain social security supplementary payments, or are in specific circumstances, such as those entitled to receive the maximum rate of FTB Part A by instalment, parents caring for children with certain illnesses or disabilities and receiving CA (child), or MOB recipients who do not already hold a PCC.

Extended qualification for automatic issue HCC

Once people move off income support, they must generally stop using their HCC. However, in some instances, certain social security recipients can retain their HCC for a short period after returning to work. This provision is designed to assist people to make the transition from income support to work. Eligible groups include:

• long-term income support recipients receiving NSA, SA, PA, SpB, WA, YA (job seeker) and PPS, and
• NSA or YA (job seeker) single principal carers (1.1.P.412) who retain their PCC for (approximately) 12 weeks after returning to work, and may then receive a HCC for up to a further 14 weeks.

Claim required HCC

Foster children, low-income earners and ex-CA (child) care receivers can also obtain specific types of HCCs:

• a foster child HCC is available, on application, to assist foster children and carers. The card can be claimed by the foster carer on behalf of the child. The card is issued only in the name of the foster child, and can only be used to obtain concessions on services utilised by the child. The foster child HCC is not means tested.
• a LIC is available, on application, to people with incomes below certain levels. Once eligible, the qualifying income limits may be exceeded by up to 25 per cent before eligibility for the card is lost. The income test applies to average gross income for the 8 weeks immediately prior to applying for the card. (Full-time student recipients of Austudy, ABSTUDY and YA may test their eligibility).
• the ex-CA (child) HCC may be claimed by former care receivers who attracted a CA HCC only and those who entitled their carer to payment of CA. This is provided they had a CA HCC on the day before their 16th birthday. As long as they remain in full-time study, ex-CA (child) care receivers may be eligible for the ex-CA (child) HCC until their 26th birthday. No dependants can be listed on this card. The ex-CA (child) HCC will be issued for a 12 month period, subject to ongoing eligibility. Cardholders will need to reapply each year, providing confirmation of their student status.

Certain residence requirements must also be met to qualify for any type of HCC.

Act reference: SSAct section 629 Allowance not payable because of repeated or more serious failure, section 1061ZK Qualification - general rules (automatic issue), section 1061ZM Qualification for health care card: employment-affected person, section 1061ZM(1BA) Principal carer NSA or YA (job seeker) extended qualification following PCC extended qualification, section 1061ZO Qualification (claim required), section 1061ZO(9) Qualification for ex-CA (child) HCC

Policy reference: SS Guide 3.9.1.10 Qualification for HCC - Automatic Issue, 3.9.1.70 Low Income HCC - Assessment of Income, 3.9.1.30 Qualification for Ex-CA (child) HCC for 16-25 Year Old Students

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Last reviewed: 4 August 2008