Claiming the Low Income Health Care Card - Australian Government Department of Human Services

The easiest way to claim the Low Income Health Care Card is online.

We’re making changes to the Low Income Health Care Card online claim. Please submit your claim by 11 May. If you don’t submit your claim by this date, it will expire and you’ll need to start a new one.

Before you start

You should:

check if you’re eligible for a Low Income Health Care Card
read What you need to know about your claim for a Low Income Health Care Card
set up a Centrelink online account through myGov to claim online - if you already have one you won’t need to do this again
confirm your identity with us if you haven’t done this before

Documents you might need

The claim form tells you if you need to give us extra documents.

We might ask for:

proof of your and your partner’s income
other documents that prove what you say in your claim
documents to confirm your identity if you haven’t done this before

Start your claim online

To make a claim online you need a Centrelink online account linked to myGov.

I have a myGov account linked to Centrelink

I have a myGov account, but it’s not linked to Centrelink

I don’t have a Centrelink online account or a myGov account

If you’ve received a payment or service from us, you can use your Customer Reference Number (CRN) to get an online account. Find your CRN on a letter we’ve sent you or your Health Care Card, if you have one. Then, go to myGov to create a myGov account and use your CRN to link Centrelink.

If you don’t know your CRN or you haven't got a payment from us, go to a service centre with photo ID. Tell us you want to register for an online account.

You can then create a myGov account and link Centrelink.

If you can’t claim online

You can fill in a paper form.

Print the Claim for a Health Care Card form.

If you can’t do this, either:

go to a service centre and ask for the form
call us on:
- the Students and trainees line or Students and trainees ABSTUDY line if you get ABSTUDY and ask us to send you the form

If your partner also wants a Low Income Health Care Card you can both claim on the same paper form.

Submit your claim

You need to give us:

your claim form
any other documents we’ve asked for

You can do this online or at a service centre.

If there are any documents you can’t submit online, take them to a service centre.

Paper form

Post it to us along with your documents or take your form and documents to a service centre.

Wait for the result

If we accept your claim, we’ll post your card to you.

You can appeal our decision on your claim. Read about reviews and appeals.