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Options
Concessions
Applying
Eligibility
General
Information
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OPTIONS
There are a number of ways in which children and young people in
foster care can be covered by concession cards. One option results
from a measure introduced on 1 July 2001, which gave all children
in foster care access to a Health Care Card (HCC) in their own name.
Eligibility applies to children and young people in both formal
and informal foster care. Formal foster care refers to placements
of children and young people through state child protection agencies.
Informal foster care is broadly defined to include relatives other
than natural parents, and significant others in the child or young
persons extended networks.
Other options for concession card coverage are:
- if a carer is receiving an income support payment from Centrelink
or Veterans’ Affairs, they may automatically get a concession
card with the payment that lists their dependants,
- if a carer does not receive income support, but is entitled
to receive the maximum rate of Family Tax Benefit Part A by fortnightly
instalments, they may automatically receive a Family Tax Benefit
health care card,
- if a carer does not qualify for the Family Tax Benefit health
care card, they may wish to claim the low-income health care card.
Claimants must have income under certain limits – details
are available from the Family Assistance Office.
CONCESSIONS
HCC cardholders (and in some instances their dependants) may receive:
- pharmaceuticals listed under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
(PBS) at the concessional rate; and free PBS prescriptions through
the PBS Safety Net, after receiving 52 PBS scripts in the 2005
calendar year. Further information on PBS concessions can be obtained
by calling the PBS Information Line on 1800 020 613;
- bulk-billed GP appointments, at the discretion of the doctor
(the Government provides financial incentives for GPs to bulk-bill
concession card holders);
- a reduction in the cost of out-of-hospital medical expenses
above a concessional threshold (currently $306.90 in the 2005
calendar year), through the extended Medicare Safety Net;
- additional health, household, transport, education and recreation
concessions from state/territory and local governments and some
private providers. However, they offer these concessions at their
own discretion, and they may vary from state to state. Details
can be obtained from the concession providers themselves.
APPLYING FOR A HCC FOR A CHILD OR YOUNG PERSON
IN FORMAL FOSTER CARE
For children and young people living in formal foster care, the
carer or young person needs to obtain documentation showing that
the child or young person is in their care and submit this to their
local Family Assistance Office. This information will include one
or more of the following:
a letter from your agency outlining the child’s name, child’s
date of birth, estimated length of placement, carer’s name/s
and addresses, and if appropriate, the child’s parents details.
- a copy of the child’s birth certificate
- a copy of the current court order
- proof of the carer/s identification (e.g. letter of appointment,
legal instrument, or ID card)
APPLYING FOR A HCC FOR A CHILD OR YOUNG PERSON IN INFORMAL FOSTER
CARE
For children and young people living in home based care without
official involvement, the carer or young person needs to obtain
documentation from professionals involved with the family stating
that show the child or young person is in a private or informal
foster care arrangement and submit this to the Family Assistance
Office. This can include a letter from a Social Worker, General
Practitioner, School Principal, or similar person familiar with
the case, and outlining the following information:
- child’s name
- child’s date of birth
- child’s parents details
- estimated length of placement
- carer’s name and address.
The documentation may also include:
- a copy of the child’s birth certificate
- a copy of the current court order
- proof of the carer/s identification (e.g. letter of appointment,
legal instrument, or ID card).
ELIGIBILITY
Children and young people in home based foster care and residing
with an Australian resident are eligible to obtain the foster child
HCC.
Children and young people in residential care are not eligible
for a HCC under the foster child provisions.
Where a carer is eligible for a concession card themselves, the
child or young person may appear on that card as a dependant. It
may therefore not be necessary to claim the foster child HCC separately.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The HCC is issued in the child’s name and is valid for a
period of six months.
When a child or young person moves to a new placement, the Family
Assistance Office must be notified of the new carer details. The
new carer will be required to make a claim for the HCC.
For further information contact the Family Assistance Office on
136 150.
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