Government health entitlements: Your 2025 wellbeing checklist

One of our most popular articles last year was a guide to Putting your health first, by author and academic, Professor Cassandra Szoeke.

It’s well worth your time clicking on the link to reread Cassandra’s helpful insights. While the main focus of Retirement Essentials remains your financial health, we also urge you to prioritise your physical and mental wellbeing. To quote a well-worn saying – ‘There’s no point in being the richest man or woman in the cemetery’. To support you in this endeavour, we have created a handy list of health services provided by federal and state governments as well as some specific programs for older Australians.

We hope you find this reminder useful and encourage you to share it with any friends or loved ones you feel it might benefit as well. We all often neglect our health at the expense of other, seemingly, more important activities. But that’s not generally the best set of priorities. In fact, taking our health for granted is a risky plan. Putting your health first, second and third in 2025 will provide a firm foundation for all the other ‘must-dos’ in your life.

But first, a note of caution. The following summary is far from exhaustive. The Federal and state governments sponsored HealthDirect website provides much more detailed information, with a comprehensive list of checks for people aged 60, 70 and over.

Medicare/assistance with health costs

We often overlook the safety net of Medicare when discussing health costs for older Australians. Some of the different ways this national scheme can help with health care costs includes:

If you have a lot of out of hospital costs, the Medicare Safety Net can help keep them under control. If your costs for the year reach a threshold amount, the scheme will pay more of your costs.

There is more support with the costs of medicines. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) lowers the costs of many prescription medicines. The PBS Safety Net further lowers the costs of your medicines when you spend over a threshold amount. Here’s some further detail about help with medical costs.

Health concession cards

There are two main concession cards issued to retirees by the Australian Government. Again, the following offers a brief summary; by clicking the links you can read more detail of specifics of these cards, including eligibility and benefits.

Pension Concession Card

This card is automatically issued to those who qualify for an Age Pension, as well as some other Government benefits. You do not apply for the card; it is issued when your eligibility is confirmed. It is a valuable card as it can be used to save on medical appointments, pharmaceutical expenses, some energy bills, transport expenses and other needs including eye and ear health requirements. You can read more about health cards here.

Commonwealth Seniors Health Card

This card is offered to self-funded retirees aged above Age Pension age. It can be used in similar ways to the Pension concession Card but must be applied for through Centrelink. There is no assets test for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, but there are income limits. Retirement Essentials can assist with your application.

Vaccinations

A free, or subsidised, vaccination program assists older Australians to stay up to date with important vaccinations such as those for influenza and Covid etc. these are offered through the National Immunisation Program (NIP) and are available from a range of health services including GPs, community health clinics, and participating pharmacies. You can locate a local service by searching the National Health Services Directory.

As the influenza virus strains can change every year, vaccines are created to match recent strains. That’s why it’s important your immunisation is up to date.

Other free NIP vaccinations include pneumococcal for people aged 70 and over and shingles for those aged 70-79. 

You can download the full schedule of NIP vaccines, as well as advice on when to get vaccinated.

NIP vaccines are provided for free by the Australian Government. But some vaccination providers may charge a consultation/administration fee for the visit. It’s smart to ask your preferred vaccination provider whether they charge a consultation or administration fee so you don’t get caught out.

State vaccination support

Here’s a list of state-based contacts in case you need to check:

State and territory immunisation schedules

• ACT Schedule
• NSW schedule
• NT schedule
• QLD schedule
• SA schedule
• TAS schedule
• VIC schedule
• WA adult schedule

Pharmaceutical Benefits

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) was first introduced in 1948 to assist Australians to get necessary prescribed medicines without paying full price. Through the PBS, the government subsidises the cost of medicine for most medical conditions. Individuals also pay co-payments,  which is a set fee for all PBS medicines. This co-payment amount changes on 1 January each year. You can check the current patient co-payment amounts. The good news is that co-payments are lower for those with concession cards. Those who spend a lot of money on medicines may be able to apply for the PBS Safety Net. As of 1 September 2023, some medicines are now available on 60-day prescriptions.

Medical tests and imaging

The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program will send you a free testing kit every 2 years, once you turn 50.

Through Breast Screen Australia, mammogram reminders for free screening are issued every two years from age 50 – 74. You can also get free tests if older or younger, but need to make contact yourself.

Bone density imaging can be also free if aged over 70

Health screening for vision and hearing is free or subsidised depending upon the provider.

We hope this brief checklist is a useful prompt to organise your checkups and appointments for this coming year. And wish you good health and happiness as the year unfolds.

How do you manage your health checks? 

Do you make diary notes?

Or do appointments and government reminders sometimes come as a surprise?

If you are unsure if, or when, you will qualify for a Pension Concession Card or Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, using the free Retirement Essentials Age Pension (and CSHC) Entitlement Calculator is a great way to find out.

Improving digital inclusion of older Australians

Be Connected is a program which helps older Australians learn the basics of digital technology. It supports people aged 50 years and over to gain confidence and safely use the internet and digital technology through free, online courses and learning resources. It also informs participants how to identify and avoid scams.