Sandra has just found out that she may be entitled to a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC), but would like to know what concessions and benefits she would receive with this card.
Q. Sandra
I have recently applied for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card. Up until now, I didn’t know that one existed for people of retirement age who are still working.
In my case, I’m 65 and working part time so I believe I meet the criteria, but this hasn’t been confirmed by Centrelink.
However, I need to know what this card entitles me to.
I know that it entitles me to Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicine, but what about concessions on utilities, car registration, and house and contents insurance?
A. The CSHC is granted to those over Age Pension age who do not qualify for an Age Pension due to their income and assets, but whose income is less than the threshold. Currently, these are:
- $52,796 (single)
- $84,472 (couple)
- $105,592 (couple separated by illness).
These thresholds were indexed on 20 September 2017.
The CSHC does entitle you to some concessions, mainly PBS medicines. State and territory governments and local councils provide other concessions so these can vary greatly depending on where you live. You would have to contact the relevant government and council departments to confirm which concessions are offered.
Also, the concessions granted for CSHC holders are often not as extensive as those you would be entitled to if you had a Pensioner Concession Card.
As you are working part time, you may also be entitled to a Seniors Card, which is issued by state and territory governments. Eligibility criteria differs between governments, but generally you need to be over 60 and not working full time. You can find out more at ‘Seniors Card explained’.
Related articles:
How do I know which concession card I’m eligible for?
Is it worth making an Age Pension claim?
