Just What Does Medicare Cover?

Did you know that Medicare has been Australia’s universal health care scheme since 1984?

Medicare’s three major parts are: medical services, public hospitals, and medicines. Medicare is available to Australian and New Zealand citizens, permanent residents in Australia, and people from countries with reciprocal agreements.

Here’s a brief rundown of the Medicare funded support you can receive.
• Support for long term conditions like asthma, heart disease, diabetes and cancer
• Cancer screening
• Pathology tests
• Eye and ear health
• Diagnostic imaging and scans
• Mental health care
• Cost of medicines
• Services accessed over the counter, hospitals, doctors, Aboriginal health workers
• Social work, rural and remote support
• Cancer recovery
• Disaster healthcare

So, what does this look like for older Australians, retirees and individuals moving into aged care homes and in-house support? Well, Medicare will reimburse and cover some costs that include:
• Planning for aged care including living in an aged care home and at-home aged care services
• Immunisations
• Managing chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and asthma
• Incontinence management including costs of physiotherapists and continence nurses
• Costs of being a carer including income support, carer allowance and carer adjustment payments
• Support for hearing loss including hearing tests and hearing aids

This financial support also includes the same services provided through telehealth, meaning you can save on healthcare without visiting a clinic.

You can find out more about your eligibility and cover on the Services Australia Website.

• Topics:

• Health & Wellbeing