Commonwealth Seniors Health Card

What is the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card?

A concession card to get cheaper health care and some discounts if you've reached age pension age but are not eligible for the age pension.

You can get a Commonwealth Seniors Health card if you:

have reached age pension age
don't qualify for the Age Pension or the Department of Veterans' Affairs pension
meet an income test, and
are an Australian resident currently living in Australia

What is the Income test?

To pass the income test from 20 September 2024, you must earn no more than:

$99,025 a year if you're single
$158,440 a year for couples
$198,050 a year for couples separated by illness, respite care or prison

Add $639.60 to the above amounts for each child in your care.

The government review this test on 20 September each year in line with the Consumer Price Index. The income test will look at your:

adjusted taxable income
a deemed amount from account-based income streams

Account based income streams

Centrelink assess account-based income streams as part of the income test. Account based income streams include account-based pensions and account-based annuities.

The balance of an account-based income stream is subject to deeming rates for the assessment. Deeming assumes that financial investments are earning a certain rate of income.

Deeming rules will only apply if:

you bought or changed it on or after 1 January 2015
you own it and we granted your Commonwealth Seniors Health Card after 31 December 2014
your partner owns it, and they are 60 years old or more

What are the benefits?

With your card you can get:

cheaper medicine under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
bulk billed doctor visits - this is up to your doctor
a bigger refund for medical costs when you reach the Medicare Safety Net

Your state or territory government and local council may offer you more. They may lower your:

electricity and gas bills
property and water rates
health care costs, including ambulance, dental and eye care
public transport fare

What should I be thinking about?

There is no assets test applied to a Commonwealth Seniors Health application, however there is an income test.

You must not be getting an income support payment from Centrelink or the Department of Veterans' Affairs to receive the CSHC.

If you can't get this card, you could be eligible for other concession or health care cards.

Important information regarding this information

This information is of a general nature. It does not consider your personal objectives, needs or situation. It does not represent legal, tax or personal advice and should not be taken as such. If it has been provided to you with a Statement of Advice (SoA), you should rely on the personal advice in the SoA.

Care has been taken to provide up to date and accurate information relating to the subject area however BR Advice Pty Ltd (ABN 30 612 056 523, AFSL 488655), Blue Rock Private Wealth Pty Ltd (ABN 95 166 927 055, AFSL 452733), and their representatives make no representation as to its accuracy or completeness.

Published: July 2025.