Centrelink also provides support to people by helping with the cost of health care and other community services. There are a number of Centrelink cards that provide discounts on medicines and help with the cost of utilities such as telephone bills.

Commonwealth Seniors Health Card

This card is designed to help people who have reached Age Pension age, but do not qualify for the Age Pension. Eligibility is based on your annual income.

The Commonwealth Seniors Health Card provides the holder with access to reduced medicines and treatment and an annual payment to help with the cost of living.

Pensioner concession card

The pensioner concession card is issued to all pensioners. The card entitles you to concessions for health, household and travel expenses. Holding the card allows you to access discounts for hearing aids, prescriptions, council rates, electricity, telephone and water bills, motor registration and driver's licences. Should you qualify for a part pension, you automatically become entitled to receive a pensioner concession card.

Health care card

This entitles the cardholder to Commonwealth health concessions such as low cost pharmaceuticals, and access to a more limited range of state and local Government health, household, educational, recreational and transport concessions.

The card is issued to low income earners, provided your income is below the limit that applies to you for an eight week period.

NB: As an extra service we provide, you can also search the Centrelink website from our site by typing keywords into the eWombat search facility in the right hand panel - quicker and easier than going to the Centrelink site itself.

For further information on each of these payments and whether you may be eligible, please call 03 9542 3200 or askus@freedomfinancialplanning.com.au