Indigenous services
On this page
- Caring about health, caring about community
- Are you enrolled in Medicare?
- Medicare Safety Net—more choices for you and your family
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access Line
- What is the Voluntary Indigenous Identifier?
- Where can I go for Medicare services?
- What is the Indigenous Ambassadors Program?
- What else can Medicare Australia help me with?
This artwork is an amalgamation of two separate works—one Aboriginal and one from the Torres Strait Islands. Sharon Patterson, Hands of Healing 2000, and Denise Nona, Waru A Karum, 2000. COPYRIGHT 2000.
Caring about health, caring about community
Our promise is that we will deliver great service to all Australians and we are working with Indigenous communities and health care providers to improve access to our services. One way that we are working towards this is through our Indigenous Access Program [PDF, 117Kb]
.
Are you enrolled in Medicare?
Medicare makes seeking a doctor and some health specialists cheaper or free. Medicare can help you:
- save money on blood tests
- save money on medicine
- keep track of children’s immunisation
- Have a Medicare card—it’s your right [PDF, 311Kb]
- find out more about enrolling in Medicare
Medicare Safety Net—more choices for you and your family
If you use an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island health service or other doctors who bulk bill—it will still be free. There may be a time when you need to see other doctors, specialists or have tests where you will have to pay money.
When you reach the Medicare Safety Net this may cost you less money.
Individuals are automatically registered but couples and families need to register.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access Line
We have a free-call telephone service to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customers.
The Access line is supported by the Medicare Liaison Officers for Indigenous Access who are culturally aware to the flexibility and special conditions that may affect Indigenous people. Call—1800 556 955.
What is the Voluntary Indigenous Identifier?
Medicare Australia promotes Voluntary identification within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander is completely voluntary and has been incorporated into all Medicare Australia forms.
The information captured will be used to assess the effectiveness of current and new initiatives and programs to enhance quality health status, and to improve access to health programs for Indigenous people, by directing services and funding to those locations which require them most.
All data we collect is held securely and protected by privacy rules. When information is grouped for statistics or reports, it contains no names or identifying facts. Your identity is closely protected.
If you would like more information, please call the Medicare Australia Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access line on 1800 556 955.
You can fill in the Voluntary Indigenous Identifier [PDF, 299Kb] form and send it to:
Indigenous Access Program
PO Box 1001
Tuggeranong DC ACT 2901
Where can I go for Medicare services?
Find a Medicare office or other Medicare claiming facility close to you.
You can also access some Medicare services from Centrelink Remote Area Service Centres and Customer Service Centres.
At some Centrelink Customer Service Centres you can:
- enrol in Medicare
- update your contact details
- hand in a Medicare claim
- order a new or replacement Medicare card.
This is part of the Department of Human Services commitment to making it easier for Australians to access more government services. Centrelink now offers some general Medicare services via the Centrelink Remote Area Service Centre (RASC) network, some Small Customer Service Centres (SCSCs) and some Centrelink Agent sites nationally.
To find a location near you, please call the Medicare Australia Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access line on 1800 556 955.
Also our Medicare customers in Northern Australia can now access Medicare Australia information and support via the Centrelink Indigenous Call Centre on 13 63 80.
What is the Indigenous Ambassadors Program?
This is another great initiative designed to inform Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people about payments and programmes available from Medicare Australia and other agencies in Department of Human Services
(such as Centrelink, Australian Hearing, Child Support Agency).
There are four Indigenous Ambassadors—Rugby League legend, Arthur Beetson, Olympic hurdler, Kyle Vander-Kuyp, women’s Touch Football champion, Bo de la Cruz, and Sydney Swans AFL star, Michael O' Loughlin. If you need more information about the Indigenous Ambassadors Programme visit the Centrelink website.
What else can Medicare Australia help me with?
Medicare Australia takes care of many of Australia’s national health programs, like:
- Medicare
- Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
- Family Assistance Office services
- Australian Organ Donor Register
- Australian Childhood Immunisation Register
Some documents on this page may require the free Adobe PDF reader.
Last updated: 29 July, 2008