Medicare card

You must live in Australia or Norfolk Island to get a Medicare card. And, you must be either:

• an Australian citizen
• a New Zealand citizen
• an Australian permanent resident
• applying for permanent residency - conditions apply
• covered by a Ministerial Order, or
• a Resident Return visa holder

You may also get a Medicare card if you’re visiting from a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement country.

If you live on an Australian dependency island

You’re eligible for Medicare services you get in Australia if you can give us evidence you’re a citizen or permanent resident of:

• Cocos (Keeling) Islands
• Christmas Island
• Lord Howe Island

What may be different

If you live in Australia and have applied for permanent residency, you may get a Medicare card. This doesn’t include applying for a parent visa. You must:

• be on a visa allowing you to work, or
• prove your parent, spouse or child is an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen living in Australia

You adopt a child from overseas

If you adopt a child from overseas, you can add them to your card if:

• they hold a permanent resident visa, and
• you have a letter proving the adoption is finalised

You adopt a child from Australia

If you adopt a child from Australia, you can add them to your card if:

• you have their birth certificate, and
• a letter proving the adoption is finalised, and
• your Medicare card

You may get a Medicare card if you visit Australia.

We have agreements with some countries to cover your essential health care during your stay.

You may be eligible if you live in a country that Australia has an agreement with.

Read more about Reciprocal Health Care Agreements.

New Zealand citizens who are living in Australia can also enrol in Medicare.

Read more about Medicare enrolment for New Zealand citizens

Enrol to get a Medicare card and Medicare benefits.

Read more about how to enrol or re-enrol in Medicare

You can have your own Medicare card if you’re aged 15 years or older.

What you need to do

Complete an Application to copy or transfer from one Medicare card to another form.

Submit this at a service centre and bring either your:

• birth certificate
• current driver’s licence
• current passport
• non commemorative marriage certificate
• current Australian school or educational photo ID, or
• proof of age card

Once you get your Medicare card, create a Medicare online account through myGov and download the Express Plus Medicare mobile app to access a range of services using a secure digital channel.

To add your baby under 12 months old to your Medicare card, you’ll need to submit a form.

Read more about how to add a newborn to your Medicare card.

If you’ve adopted a child from overseas, you must determine their eligibility for Medicare before enrolling them.

Read more about medicare enrolment for children adopted from overseas

You can only enrol on 2 Medicare cards at the same time.

Read more about copying or transferring

You can use your Medicare card:

• to make a claim for Medicare benefits when you visit a doctor
• when you're treated as a public patient in a public hospital
• to get cheaper Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme medicines at a pharmacy

Read more about Medicare claiming.

Your Medicare card must be current to claim benefits. We’ll replace your card before it expires.

Make sure we have your current details so we can send your new Medicare card to you. Destroy your old card when you get your new one. We’ll cancel your old card when we issue your new card.

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 get a new Medicare card if your card is lost, stolen or damaged.

Read more about lost, stolen or damaged Medicare cards

A duplicate card is a copy of your current Medicare card with the same details.

We provide duplicate cards when more than 1 family member needs their own card. We can only issue 1 duplicate card.

We can’t issue a duplicate card when you’re the only person on the Medicare card.

To ask for a duplicate card:

• use your Medicare online account through myGov or the Express Plus Medicare mobile app
• call the Medicare general enquiries line, we’ll confirm your identity over the phone
• visit a service centre with proof of your identity such as your driver’s licence
• send us a signed letter by mail and include
  • your Medicare card number
  • your address, and
  • a certified copy of identification such as your driver's licence

We’ll send you a new Medicare card about 4 weeks before your current card expires.

If your address has changed

Update your details if you’ve changed your address. If you don’t and your card expires, your card will go to your previous address and you’ll need to request a replacement card.

If you need to request a replacement card, you can:

• use your Medicare online account through myGov or the Express Plus Medicare mobile app
• call the Medicare general enquiries line, we’ll confirm your identity over the phone
• visit a service centre with proof of your identity such as your driver’s licence
• send us a signed letter by mail and include
  • your Medicare card number
  • your address, and
  • a certified copy of identification such as your driver's licence

If your card has expired

If your card expired 6 months ago or more, visit a service centre to request a replacement. You'll need an identity document, such as your driver’s licence. You may also need to show evidence you’re living in Australia. You should also bring 2 documents to prove you live in Australia like a utility bill, rental agreement or employment contract.

If you’re overseas

If you’re overseas, we can’t replace your card until you return to Australia to live.

This includes if you’re:

• an Australian citizen who’s overseas for more than 5 years
• an Australian permanent resident or New Zealand citizen who’s overseas for more than 12 months