Health

Companion Card

Centrelink and Department of Veterans’ Affairs Health Care Card

Commonwealth Seniors Health Card

Concession available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria

Pensioner Concession Card

Seniors Card

Below is the list of concessions available in the health category. To view each concession, click on its name. To expand or collapse the information for every concession use the links below:

or

Health

health
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  Adult dental service

  

  Pensioner Concession Card

  Subsidised emergency services, general services and dentures
  are available to adults who have a:

  • DHS or DVA* Pensioner Concession Card
  • DHS Health Care Card.

  * DVA Gold or White card holders should contact DVA on
  13 32 54 to check their eligibility for dental services.

  For more information:

  Phone:
  6214 5411 (Hobart)
  6336 4100 (Launceston)
  6440 7104 (Burnie)
  6421 7729 (Devonport)

  Web: www.dhhs.tas.gov.au

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• 

  Children's dental service

  

  Pensioner Concession Card; Concession available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria

  Free dental checks and preventive care is available to:

  • all children (0-17 years)

  Treatment is free for all holders of a:

  • DHS Pensioner Concession Card
  • DHS Health Care Card.

  All clinics accept Medicare Teen Dental Plan vouchers up until 31 December 2013 for
  preventive care.

  A subsidised service is available to all other children under 18.

  Note: DVA card holders not eligible.

  For more information:

  Check under Health and Human Services in the white pages
  for your local children’s dental clinic.

  Web: www.dhhs.tas.gov.au

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• 

  Community Equipment Scheme (CES)

  

  Pensioner Concession Card

  Financial assistance is available to eligible clients who require:

  • mobility and personal care aids and equipment
  • specialised footwear
  • basic home modifications (limited to grab rail installation in the South)
  • continence aids
  • appliances to enhance their safety and quality of life.

  The assistance is available to people who have been referred by an authorised prescriber and who have a:

  • DHS or DVA* Pensioner Concession Card
  • DHS Health Care Card.

  * Where DVA card holders are not eligible under another scheme. DVA

  Repatriation Health (Gold and White) card holders should contact DVA to check their potential eligibility.

  Terms and conditions are outlined in the CES Guidelines available from the Department of Health and Human Services.

  For more information:

  Phone: 6222 7226 (South)
  6336 5036 (North)
  6426 2429 (North West)
  Web: www.dhhs.tas.gov.au

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• 

  Continuous Positive Airways Pressure Program

  

  Pensioner Concession Card

  Assistance through provision of equipment is available to people who have been clinically assessed as having a sleep-related breathing disorder requiring a positive airways pressure machine.

  Please consult your medical specialist.

  To be eligible people must have a prescription from a sleep specialist and hold a:

  • DHS or DVA Pensioner Concession Card
  • DHS Health Care Card.

  For more information:

  Phone: 1300 13 55 13 (general enquiries)
  6222 7353 (Royal Hobart Hospital Department of Respiratory Medicine)
  6348 7708 (Launceston General Hospital Respiratory Unit)
  Email (South): rhh.respiratory@dhhs.tas.gov.au

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• 

  Enteral feeds and supplements

  

  Pensioner Concession Card; Concession available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria

  Tube feeds and oral nutrition supplements are supplied at subsidised cost to people:

  • with serious medical conditions that affect their ability to meet nutritional requirements with normal food and drink; and
  • who are assessed by a dietitian as requiring nutrition support.

  The subsidised costs are based on estimates from the Household Expenditure Survey for food. The maximum weekly charges are reduced for children and where the products provided only meet a proportion of nutritional needs. The costs are adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index.

  A further reduction in the subsidised cost is available if you have a:

  • DHS Health Care Card
  • DHS or DVA Pensioner Concession Card (if ineligible to access products via DVA).

  The subsidised supplements are only available to individuals who are NOT eligible for financial assistance from any other government-funded program or where a compensation payment has been made that includes future nutritional support.

  There is also a process to apply for special provisions for a further reduction in fees
  based on significant financial hardship.

  For more information:

  Phone:
  6222 8145 (Royal Hobart Hospital)
  6348 7477 (Launceston General Hospital)
  6430 6597 (North West Regional Hospital)

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• 

  Life support machine rebate

  

  Concession available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria

  The rebate for life support machines varies according to the type of machine installed, and is available to people who:

  • are eligible on medical grounds and have a life support machine installed
  • live with someone who uses a life support machine.

  The approved life support systems and per-day discounts, current as at
  1 July 2013 are as follows:

  • Oxygen concentrator, 93.17419 cents per day
  • Peritoneal dialysis machine, 69.12956 cents per day
  • Haemo-dialysis machine, 69.12956 cents per day
  • Chronic positive pressure and airways regulator, 33.06186 cents per day
  • Respirator (iron lung), 123.2306 cents per day
  • OXCP (oxygen concentrator/chronic positive pressure and airways regulator) 126.236 cents per day
  • Phototherapy, 175.5835 cents per day.

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• 

  Patient travel assistance

  

  Pensioner Concession Card; Concession available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria

  Financial assistance is available for Tasmanians required to:

  • travel more than 75 kilometres one way to access specialist medical services or lymphoedema treatment not available locally
  • travel more than 50 kilometres one way to access the nearest renal and oncology treatment centre; and
  • the patient is ineligible for assistance from other sources (e.g. MAIB, Workers’ Compensation, DVA).

  Levels of assistance are determined by the distance, type of travel and accommodation required.

  Client contribution towards travel is reduced for holders of a:

  • DHS or DVA* Pensioner Concession Card
  • DHS Health Care Card.

  * Where DVA card holders are not eligible under another scheme.

  For more information contact the Patient Travel Coordinator:

  Phone:
  6222 8225 (Royal Hobart Hospital)
  6348 7249 (Launceston General Hospital)
  6434 6984 (North West Regional Hospital)
  Web: www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/ptas
  Email: ptas@dhhs.tas.gov.au

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• 

  Home Oxygen Program

  

  Concession available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria

  Oxygen supplies are available to patients assessed by a specialist doctor as needing oxygen therapy.

  Please consult your medical specialist.

  The assessment needs to be approved by the Department of Respiratory Medicine at the Royal Hobart or Launceston General Hospitals.

  Note: These arrangements do not apply to holders of a Repatriation Health Card – For All Conditions (Gold Card) or Repatriation Health Card – For Specific Conditions (White Card). For more information, DVA card holders should contact DVA on 13 32 54 or visit www.dva.gov.au

  For more information:

  Phone: 1300 13 55 13 (general enquiries)
  Phone (South): 6222 7353 (Royal Hobart Hospital Department of Respiratory Medicine)
  Email (South): rhh.respiratory@dhhs.tas.gov.au
  Phone (North): 6348 7708 (Launceston General Hospital Respiratory Unit)

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• 

  Pharmaceuticals

  

  Pensioner Concession Card; Concession available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria

  Concessions are available on pharmaceuticals dispensed to patients discharged from hospital, outpatients attending the emergency department or hospital outpatient clinics within public hospitals.

  General patients are entitled to receive pharmaceuticals at a maximum cost of $36.10* per prescription item.

  Holders of one of the following cards will pay a maximum of $5.90* per prescription item:

  • DHS Health Care Card
  • Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
  • DHS Pensioner Concession Card
  • PBS Safety Net Concessions Card issued by a Pharmacy
  • Repatriation Health Card – For All Conditions (Gold Card)
  • Repatriation Health Card – For Specific Conditions (White Card) where the pharmaceuticals are for treatment of specific accepted condition(s)
  • Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Card (Orange Card).

  Holders of a PBS Safety Net Entitlement Card will not be charged for their medication.

  *Under current arrangements, these amounts are adjusted in line with inflation by the Australian Government on 1 January each year.

  For more information:

  Phone:
  6222 6700 (Royal Hobart Hospital)
  6348 7719 (Launceston General Hospital)
  6430 6725 (North West Regional Hospital)

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• 

  Visual aids

  

  Pensioner Concession Card; Concession available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria

  Subsidies of 70 per cent are available on:

  • scheduled items such as lenses and basic frames
  • low vision aids, non-cosmetic contact lenses, prostheses and intra-ocular implants (up to $312.30 per item).

  Eligible people include pre-school age children and adults post-school year 12 who are permanent Tasmanian residents (for at least three continuous months immediately prior to application) and who:

  • have a DHS or DVA Pensioner Concession Card (excluding holders of a Repatriation Health Card – For All Conditions (Gold Card) and in some cases Repatriation Health Card for Specific Conditions (White Card)
  • meet an assessment of current income and cash assets. Other low-income earners may be eligible for the subsidy under hardship provisions.
  • The minimum Tasmanian residential requirement does not apply to refugees.

  To receive the subsidy, an application must be completed and forwarded with the prescription to the Statewide Spectacles Scheme.

  The subsidy does not cover wards of state or school age children for whom assistance is available through Children and Family Services and the Department of Education. See Education section.

  Note: People that can claim from private health insurance, workers compensation or any other source are not eligible to apply.

  For more information:

  Phone: 1800 232 148 (free call)
  Web: www.dhhs.tas.gov.au

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• 

  Wigs

  

  Pensioner Concession Card

  Some financial assistance to buy wigs is available for patients with alopecia who are referred by a doctor and for patients who have cancer and who have a:

  • DHS Pensioner Concession Card
  • DHS Health Care Card.

  Note:

  • Holders of a DVA Pensioner Concession Card should consult the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
  • People with private health insurance should claim from their private health insurance first. Any difference between the concession rate and the private health reimbursement will be provided.
  • People who can claim from workers compensation or any other source are not eligible to apply.

  For more information:

  Phone:

  6222 8314 (Royal Hobart Hospital)
  6348 7140 (Launceston General Hospital)
  Or contact your medical specialist.

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Specific medical conditions

health
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  Diabetes

  

  Concession available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria

  Free needles and syringes are available to all people who have a prescription for injectable medication for either of the following:

  • Insulin treated diabetes (all types – type 1; type 2; gestational diabetes; other diabetes conditions)
  • Non-insulin dependent type 2 diabetes requiring injectable non-insulin blood glucose lowering medication.

  And are:

  • residents of Tasmania, including those temporarily interstate
  • registered on the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS)
  • not receiving any other co-payment* to cover the cost of needles and syringes under the NDSS.

  * Holders of a DVA Pensioner Concession Card may be eligible for free needles and syringes and should consult the Department of Veterans’ Affairs in the first instance.

  For more information:

  Phone: 1300 136 588 (Diabetes Australia – Tasmania)
  Email: mail@diabetestas.com.au
  Web: www.diabetestas.com.au

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• 

  Lymphoedema

  

  Pensioner Concession Card

  Financial assistance is available to people requiring compression garments to help manage lymphoedema and who have a:

  • DHS Pensioner Concession Card
  • DHS Health Care Card.

  Note: For card holders of a DVA Pensioner Concession Card please consult the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

  For more information:

  Phone:
  6222 8634 (Royal Hobart Hospital Physiotherapy)
  6222 8314 (Royal Hobart Hospital Occupational Therapy)
  6348 7216 (Launceston General Hospital Physiotherapy)
  6430 6608 (North West Regional Hospital Physiotherapy)

  Email:
  (South) physio.rhh@dhhs.tas.gov.au
  (South) rhhot@dhhs.tas.gov.au (Occupational Therapy)
  (North) lgh.physiotherapy@dhhs.tas.gov.au
  (North West) physio.burnie@dhhs.tas.gov.au

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• 

  Orthotic/Prosthetic Services

  

  Pensioner Concession Card; Concession available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria

  A reduced contribution charge for orthotic and prosthetic services is provided to eligible people whose costs are not met by other organisations such as MAIB, Worker’s Compensation or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

  To access the service, clients are required to have a current referral from either a GP, an allied health professional or a medical specialist.

  Those eligible for a reduced contribution include holders of a:

  • DHS or DVA* Pensioner Concession Card
  • DHS Health Care Card.

  * Where DVA card holders are not eligible under another scheme.

  For more information:

  Phone:
  6222 7377 (South)
  6348 7562 (North)
  6430 6583 (North West)
  Email: opst.tas@dhhs.tas.gov.au
  Web: www.dhhs.tas.gov.au

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