The card lets people get a range of medical services and prescriptions at a lower cost, and free care as a public patient in a public hospital.
Eligibility basics
- live in Australia or Norfolk Island
- be enrolled in Medicare
Eligibility
Who can get it
You must live in Australia or Norfolk Island to get a Medicare card.
Enrol
How to enrol or re-enrol in Medicare
Enrol to get a Medicare card and Medicare benefits.
How to get your own Medicare card at 15 years old
You can have your own Medicare card if you’re aged 15 or older.
How to add your newborn to your Medicare card
You’ll need to submit a form to add your newborn baby to your Medicare card. A newborn baby is a child up to 52 weeks or up to the day of their 1st birthday.
How to copy or transfer people between Medicare cards
You can only enrol on 2 Medicare cards at the same time.
Managing
How to use your card
You can use your Medicare card to make a claim for Medicare benefits when you visit a doctor, or are treated as a public patient in a public hospital.
How to update your personal details
You can update your address, contact details and bank account online. To change your name, date of birth or gender, you need to visit a service centre.
Read more about updating personal details on a Medicare card
How to replace a lost, stolen or damaged card
You can get a new Medicare card if your card is lost, stolen or damaged.
How to get a duplicate card
A duplicate card is a copy of your current Medicare card with the same details.
What happens when your card expires
We’ll send you a new Medicare card about 4 weeks before your current card expires.