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Ex-Carer Allowance (Child) Health Care Card
Helps you with cheaper medicines and some other concessions. You must claim the card and reapply annually.
Claiming
Register an intent to claim:
- go to the Request a Service page
- call one of our Services and Payments telephone numbers
- visit your nearest DHS Service Centre
You can get an Ex-Carer Allowance (caring for a child under 16 years) Health Care Card if you:
- are aged between 16 and 25 years
- are a full-time student
- were receiving a Carer Allowance Health Care Card on the day before you turned 16 years of age
- are an Australian resident living in Australia, and
- are not subject to a newly arrived resident's waiting period
A claim is required for the Ex-Carer Allowance (Child) Health Care Card. This card is not automatically reissued. Cardholders must reapply every year.
You need to know
Entitlements for the Ex-carer Allowance (Child) Health Care Card
The Ex-Carer Allowance (Child) Health Care Card entitles you to cheaper medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
Newly Arrived Resident’s Waiting Period
If you are a new migrant to Australia, you generally do not have immediate access to social-security payments or concession cards.
First steps
Claiming the Ex-carer Allowance (Child) Health Care Card
To claim the Ex-Carer Allowance (Child) Health Care Card either on line or by using a paper form, you should still register an 'intent to claim'.