Medicare services

The Department of Human Services (Human Services) administers Medicare on behalf of the Department of Health (Health), who is responsible for developing Medicare policy.

Human Services pays Medicare benefits in accordance with legislation governing Medicare and has no discretion to pay benefits outside of this legislation.

The Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) is a Health publication listing services that are subsidized by the Australian government under Medicare. You can use MBS Online to check if a service is listed under Medicare.

Once you reach the relevant threshold, the Medicare Safety Net provides an

additional benefit for

eligible services, in addition to the standard Medicare benefit. This may mean that visits your doctor or having tests could cost you less for the rest of the calendar year.

Many types of medicine cost much more than the price you pay. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and the PBS Safety Net can reduce the cost of medicine.

If you or your family pay for private health insurance, you may be eligible for the Australian Government Private Health Insurance Rebate on your premiums.

If you aren’t already enrolled, you can complete a Medicare enrollment application form

. When you take the form to a Service Centre, you need to bring your identification and proof of residency documents.