Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I also rise today to speak on the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Lifting the Income Limit for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card) Bill 2022. This bill increases the income limit for eligibility for the health card. It really is an overdue measure, and it will benefit so many seniors right across the country. As we all know, after a decade of mismanagement and neglect under the former Liberal-Nationals government, the cost of living in this country is soaring, and the cost of health care has soared as well. In particular, the former government put primary care in crisis, with the average out-of-pocket cost for GP visits increasing by 60 per cent over the past decade. This is impacting our older Australians severely. Remember, our seniors built this country. They paid their taxes and raised their families, and they must be treated with dignity and respect. They have that with an Albanese Labor government. And it's an Albanese Labor government that will increase the income limits for the Commonwealth seniors health card. This will see more in the pockets of our seniors, because we want to help ease the costs they are currently facing. Our government went to the election with a plan for a better future for Australians, and we are delivering on that.

The Commonwealth seniors health card serves those who have reached age pension or veteran pension age but don't receive any social security benefits or payments, due to their income or assets. The card provides eligible seniors with a number of beneficial health concessions, including concessional co-payments for Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme medicines; lowered PBS safety net; extended Medicare safety net; some bulk-billed visits to the GP, at the GP's discretion; and, in some instances, other concessions, including for public transport, utilities and council rates. So there are a range of benefits.

This will assist seniors because, with the Commonwealth seniors health card, medicines under the PBS are cheaper. Medicines that might have cost $42.50 under the PBS will not exceed $6.80. The seniors health card also provides access to the lowered PBS safety net from July this year. This threshold was lowered to $244.80, allowing cardholders to receive their PBS medicines for free upon reaching the lowered threshold.

Accessing these benefits really translates into savings for our seniors, particularly with those medicines that they may access more regularly, such as blood pressure and cholesterol medications. In addition, cardholders will gain access to the extended Medicare safety net, and that means, once the threshold is met, a Medicare rebate of 80 per cent of out-of-pocket expenses for the remainder of the calendar year. That really is a fantastic move.

As I said, the seniors health card can also provide for bulk-billed visits to the GP if the GP extends that eligibility to the cardholders. What's also great about this card in some states and territories—there are variations—is that cardholders may receive discounts on their property and water rates, electricity and gas bills, ambulance costs and public transport, just to name a few. That makes a huge difference with those day-to-day costs.

This bill increases the income limit for a single person from $57,761 to $90,000 a year and, importantly, may apply to a person who is a member of an illness-separated couple or a member of a respite-care couple. For a couple, this bill increases the income limit from $92,416 combined to $144,000 combined. These changes will allow approximately 52,000 self-funded retirees and seniors to become newly eligible for the card. The new income limits will also apply to both current and future cardholders and claimants.

This bill is a very welcome cost-of-living relief for our older Australians. I know in my electorate and throughout the country this has been an issue that many have raised for so many years. The Albanese Labor government is delivering on our commitment. This will make a big difference to many seniors. We're committed to restoring affordable and accessible health care for all Australians.

The Commonwealth seniors health card has been in place since 1994 as a means of providing access to health concessions for self-funded retirees. Increasing these income limits is a very important move that will affect the lives of many self-funded retirees as they deal with the costs of health care and the cost of living. By increasing the income limits our government is taking practical steps to really ease those cost-of-living pressures. I know how much it will help people across the country and, indeed, in my electorate of Richmond. I commend the bill to the House.

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