Low Income Health Care Card (LIC) 101-06040000

Privacy notice for customers

Personal information is protected by law including the Commonwealth Privacy Act. The authority to collect this information is contained in the social security law.

The screens you have accessed and the information contained within is captured and retained to ensure compliance with the Electronic Transaction Act 1999 and Commonwealth record-keeping requirements.

The information that you provide in this claim will be used to determine your eligibility for, and provide payments and services to you, and where relevant, third parties. This information may be used to detect or prevent fraud and/or recover overpayments. Centrelink usually gives some or all of your information to Services Australia and the Department of Social Services (DSS), and their contracted service providers where they are providing payments or services to you for the purposes of:

determining eligibility for correct payment
referral for appropriate assistance
provision of services and payments
evaluation and monitoring of services provided by Centrelink or contracted service providers
recovery of overpayments

Limited personal information collected from you may be used to conduct customer research run by Services Australia, Centrelink, DSS or by research organisations on their behalf. Your participation in customer research is valued, however if you do not wish to take part please call the Customer Relations number on Freecall 1800 050 004 (refer to the factsheet 'Customer Research and You') for more information.

Centrelink can give your information to other persons, bodies or agencies without your permission in circumstances where Commonwealth legislation requires or authorises the disclosure. For example, Centrelink may give some or all of your information about income and taxation matters to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) for their use.

You can obtain more information from the factsheet 'Your Right to Privacy'.

Examples of LIC backdating provisions

Table 1

Item

Example

LIC claim lodged on 22 June 2023

Fred lodges claim for LIC on 22 June 2023. Fred is residentially qualified for LIC. Fred provides evidence of a paid medical bill for treatment on 4 February 2023. Proof of own income from the period 8 weeks before 4 February 2023 and for the period from 4 February 2023 to 21 June 2023 has been supplied with the claim. Fred's income shows that Fred is qualified for LIC for the entire period.

Key dates:

date of treatment is 4 February 2023
date of claim is 22 June 2023
40 weeks before date of claim is 15 September 2022
claim is granted from 4 February 2023

Income would need to be coded from 10 December 2022 (8 weeks before 4 February 2023).

LIC claim lodged on 10 July 2023

Alicia lodges a claim for LIC on 10 July 2023. Alicia is residentially qualified for LIC. Alicia provides evidence of a paid medical bill for treatment on 20 September 2022. Proof of income from the period 8 weeks before 20 September 2022 and for the period from 20 September 2022 to 9 July 2023 has been provided with the claim. Alicia’s income shows that Alicia is qualified for LIC for the entire period.

The system will allow Service Officers to backdate LIC claims to the date of a medical service or treatment rendered to the claimant or an eligible dependant up to 40 weeks before the Date of Receipt (DOR) of claim. If the claim is to be backdated more than 40 weeks, record all relevant information on a DOC and refer to the Level 2 Policy Help Desk to consider and record a manual override.

Key dates:

date of treatment is 20 September 2022
date of claim is 10 July 2023

Forms

Claim for Ex-Carer Allowance (Child) Health Care Card (SS456)

Claim for a Health Care Card (SS050)

Patient claim for refund Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PB132)

User guides

Payment Rates and Thresholds

Concessions for cardholders and their dependants

Table 2

Concession type	Eligible card type
Prescription medicines listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme at the concession rate.	LIC cardholder and dependants.
Bulk-billed general practitioner appointments at the discretion of the doctor.	LIC cardholder and dependants at the discretion of the concession provider.
An increase in benefits for out-of-pocket, out-of-hospital medical expenses above a certain threshold through the Medicare Safety Net.	LIC cardholder and dependants.
State, territory and local government concessions.	Concessions may be provided to cardholders and their dependants, at the discretion of the individual organisation.
Private businesses and other non-government organisations.	Concessions may be provided to cardholders and their dependants, at the discretion of the individual organisation