Medicare card (Australia)

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A Medicare card is a plastic card, the same size as a typical credit card, issued to Australian citizens and permanent residents and their families. The card or the Medicare number is required to be provided to enable the cardholder to receive a rebate of medical expenses under Australia's Medicare system, as well as subsidised medications under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). The card is usually green in colour, although interim cards are light blue and cards for Reciprocal Health Care Agreement visitors are light yellow. The cards are issued by a government agency called Services Australia.

All permanent residents of Australia are entitled to a Medicare card, except for those who are deemed to be not residing in Australia. Citizenship is not necessary to be eligible for a Medicare card.^[1] The card lists an individual as well as any members of his or her family he or she chooses to add who are also permanent residents and meet the Medicare definition of dependent. The card must be produced or the Medicare number provided if the Medicare rebate is paid directly to the doctor under the bulk billing system. The doctor can retain the Medicare number for use when the patient returns for another consultation. It is also necessary to provide a Medicare number (although not necessarily show the card) to gain access to the public hospital system to be treated at no cost as a public patient.^[2] For non-elective treatment (e.g. emergency), public hospitals will admit patients without a number or card and resolve Medicare eligibility issues after treatment.