Health

Below is the list of concessions available in the health category. To view each concession, click on its name. To expand or collapse the information for every concession use the button below:

Health

Adult dental service

Subsidised emergency, general and denture services* are available to adults who have a:

  • Services Australia or DVA Pensioner Concession Card
  • Services Australia Health Care Card, or
  • DVA Veterans Card and meet specific criteria (contact DVA on 1800 838 272 to find out more).

* Waiting lists may apply for subsidised general and denture services.

For more information:

Oral Health Services Tasmania
Phone:
1300 011 013
Web: www.health.tas.gov.au

Services Australia Health Care Card; Department of Veterans' Affairs Pensioner Concession Card; Services Australia Pensioner Concession Card; Department of Veterans' Affairs Veteran Cards Orange; Department of Veterans' Affairs Veteran Cards White; Department of Veterans' Affairs Veteran Cards Gold
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Children's dental service

Free dental checks, preventive care and treatment are available to all children (0-17 years) under the Medicare Child Dental Benefits Schedule (where a bulk billing consent form is signed). Otherwise a subsidised service is available to children under 18 years.

Some exceptions apply.

For more information:

Oral Health Services Tasmania
Phone:
1300 011 013
Web:
www.health.tas.gov.au

Concession available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria
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Continuous Positive Airways Pressure Program

Equipment is available for people who have been clinically assessed as having a sleep-related breathing disorder requiring a positive airways pressure machine.

Please consult your medical specialist.

To be eligible, people must have a prescription from a sleep specialist and hold one of the following:

  • Services Australia or DVA Pensioner Concession Card
  • Services Australia Health Care Card.

For more information:

Department of Health
Phone:

General enquiries: 1300 135 513
Royal Hobart Hospital Department of Respiratory Medicine: 6166 8438
Launceston General Hospital Respiratory Unit: 6777 6708
Email (South): rhh.respiratory@ths.tas.gov.au

Services Australia Health Care Card; Department of Veterans' Affairs Pensioner Concession Card; Services Australia Pensioner Concession Card
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Enteral feeds and supplements

Subsidised nutrition may be available if recommended by a dietitian. The program is available when:

  • you are eligible for compensation (such as MAIB, workers compensation or any common law compensation) or where compensation payment has been made that includes future nutritional support.
  • you are receiving financial assistance from any other government-funded organisation or program (including DVA Veteran  Gold or Orange Card holders)
  • you have a funding package through an aged care provider (if their plan includes nutritional support)
  • you live in a residential facility, accommodation service or private hospital whose funding arrangements include nutritional support, or
  • you hold a NDIS plan that includes nutritional support.

A further reduction in costs is available if you hold a:

  • Services Australia Health Care Card
  • Services Australia or DVA Pensioner Concession Card
  • DVA White Card (conditional), or
  • are registered for the Closing the Gap program.

For more information:

Department of Health
Phone:

Royal Hobart Hospital: 6166 8145
Launceston General Hospital:  6777 6477
North-West Regional Hospital: 6493 6467

Services Australia Health Care Card; Concession available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria; Department of Veterans' Affairs Pensioner Concession Card; Services Australia Pensioner Concession Card; Department of Veterans' Affairs Veteran Cards White
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Home Oxygen Program

Oxygen supplies are available to patients assessed by a specialist doctor as needing oxygen therapy. Please consult your medical specialist.

The assessment needs to be approved by the Department of Respiratory Medicine at the Royal Hobart or Launceston General Hospitals.

Note: These arrangements do not apply to holders of a DVA Veteran Gold or White Card. For more information, DVA card holders should contact DVA on 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372).

For more information:

Department of Health

Phone:
General enquiries: 1300 135 513
Royal Hobart Hospital, Department of Respiratory Medicine: 6166 7353
Launceston General Hospital, Respiratory Unit: 6777 6708
Email (South): rhh.respiratory@ths.tas.gov.au

Concession available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria
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Patient travel assistance

Financial assistance may be available for Tasmanians required to:

  • travel more than 75 kilometres one way to access specialised health care services not available locally, or
  • travel more than 50 kilometres one way to access the nearest cancer or dialysis treatment centre.

Patient travel assistance is not available for those eligible for assistance from other sources (such as MAIB, workers compensation, DVA, private health insurance, or NDIS).

Levels of assistance reflect the distance, type of travel and accommodation required.

Patient contribution towards travel

Patient contribution towards the cost of travel is $82.50 per trip and capped at $330 per financial year. Patient contribution towards the cost of travel is waived for eligible concession card holders.

Eligible concession cards are:

  • Services Australia or DVA* Pensioner Concession Card
  • Services Australia Health Care Card.

*where DVA cardholders are not eligible under another scheme.

For more information:

Department of Health

Patient Travel South

Phone: 6166 8225

Email: ptasrhh@ths.tas.gov.au

Patient Travel North

Phone: 6777 6249

Email: lgh.patient.travel@ths.tas.gov.au

Patient Travel North-West

Phone: 6477 7734

Email: nw.ptas@ths.tas.gov.au

Web: www.health.tas.gov.au/hospital/ptas

For more information on eligibility criteria and available subsidies download the PTAS Patient Guidelines at www.health.tas.gov.au/hospital/ptas

Services Australia Health Care Card; Concession available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria; Department of Veterans' Affairs Pensioner Concession Card; Services Australia Pensioner Concession Card
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Pharmaceuticals

Concessions are available on medications dispensed to patients discharged from hospital, outpatients attending the emergency department, or hospital outpatient clinics in public hospitals.

Medicare Card holders are entitled to receive pharmaceuticals at a maximum cost of $30.00* per prescription item. Holders of one of the following cards will pay a maximum of $7.30* per prescription item:

  • Services Australia Health Care Card
  • Services Australia Pensioner Concession Card
  • Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
  • PBS Safety Net Concessions Card issued by a pharmacy
  • DVA Veteran Gold Card
  • DVA Veteran White Card (accepted conditions only).
  • DVA Veteran Orange Card.

Holders of a PBS Safety Net Entitlement Card will not be charged for their medication.

*These amounts are currently adjusted in line with inflation by the Australian Government on 1 January each year.

For more information:

Department of Health
Phone:
Royal Hobart Hospital: 6166 6700
Launceston General Hospital: 6777 6728
North-West Regional Hospital: 6493 6280
Mersey Community Hospital: 6478 5229

Services Australia Health Care Card; Commonwealth Seniors Health Card; Concession available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria; Services Australia Pensioner Concession Card; Department of Veterans' Affairs Veteran Cards Orange; Department of Veterans' Affairs Veteran Cards White; Department of Veterans' Affairs Veteran Cards Gold
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TasEquip

TasEquip is a Department of Health Service that provides a range of equipment to eligible Tasmanians to help them with everyday tasks at home.

The aim is to help people who:

  • wish to live independently at home
  • transition home after acute care
  • need help accessing education.

The equipment must be prescribed by the authorised therapist/prescriber. Some of the common equipment available for eligible clients includes, but it not limited to, shower chairs, walking aids, adjustable height seats, hoists, wheelchairs, and electric wheelchairs.

To be eligible, a person needs to meet all the following criteria:

  • Live in Tasmania (for at least 3 months)
  • Hold a Services Australia Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card
  • Live in the community and not in residential aged care.
  • Be ineligible for a Home Care Package level 3 or 4, workers compensation, MAIB, DVA* or NDIS**.
    • * DVA Health Card holders should contact DVA to check their potential eligibility.

TasEquip is designed to support people who do not have alternative funding sources. Clients are ineligible for TasEquip if they Home Care Package level 3 or 4, workers compensation, MAIB, DVA or NDIS.

NDIS clients should contact the NDIS for all repair, replacement and modification to any disability equipment, even if that equipment was originally sourced from TasEquip.

  • If you are aged under 65 and have a disability, it is essential that you contact the NDIS to determine your eligibility.
  • You can contact the National Disability Insurance Agency, (NDIA) on 1800 800 110 or enquiries@ndis.gov.au. They can provide advice about eligibility for the NDIS, how to access the scheme or answer any questions about a NDIS plan.

For more information:

TasEquip -  Phone 1300 827 387

South
Phone: 6166 7393
Email: southtasequip@ths.tas.gov.au 

North
Phone: 6777 4336
Email: nthtasequip@ths.tas.gov.au 

North-West
Phone:  6478 5599

Email: nwtasequip@ths.tas.gov.au 

Web: www.health.tas.gov.au

Services Australia Health Care Card; Concession available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria; Department of Veterans' Affairs Pensioner Concession Card; Services Australia Pensioner Concession Card
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Visual aids

Financial assistance is available for the purchase of glasses for pre-school aged children and adults. Low vision aids, prostheses and intraocular implants are subsidised up to $413.30 per item.

Eligible people include:

  • a permanent Tasmanian residents for at least three continuous months immediately  before they apply (refugees not required to satisfy this criteria) and
  • able to satisfy the means test.

Other persons eligible to apply include:

  • Services Australia or DVA Pensioner Concession Card holders
  • DVA Veteran White Card holders (accepted conditions only)
  • low income earners under hardship provisions, and
  • persons not able to claim from private health insurance, workers compensation or any other source.

To receive the subsidy, an application form must be completed and sent with the prescription to the Statewide Spectacles Scheme.

This subsidy does not cover school aged children; however they may be eligible for assistance from the Department for Education, Children and Young People. Refer to Education - Spectacles Assistance in this Guide for further information.

Note: People who can claim from private health insurance, workers’ compensation or any other source are not eligible to apply.

For more information:

Spectacles Assistance Scheme, Department of Health 
Phone:
1800 232 148
Web: Eyes and vision (Ophthalmology) | Tasmanian Department of Health

Concession available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria; Department of Veterans' Affairs Pensioner Concession Card; Services Australia Pensioner Concession Card; Department of Veterans' Affairs Veteran Cards Orange; Department of Veterans' Affairs Veteran Cards White; Department of Veterans' Affairs Veteran Cards Gold
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Wigs

Financial assistance is available to cancer and alopecia patients who are referred by a doctor and have a:

  • Services Australia or DVA Pensioner Concession Card , or
  • DVA Veterans Card and meet specific criteria (contact DVA on 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372) for more information.

For more information:

Department of Health
Phone:


Royal Hobart Hospital: 6166 8308
Launceston General Hospital: 6777 6477
Devonport Community Health & Service Centre: 6478 6119

Department of Veterans' Affairs Pensioner Concession Card; Services Australia Pensioner Concession Card; Department of Veterans' Affairs Veteran Cards Orange; Department of Veterans' Affairs Veteran Cards White; Department of Veterans' Affairs Veteran Cards Gold
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SPECIFIC MEDICAL CONDITIONS

Diabetes

Diabetes Australia - Tasmania offers free information, programs, individual health advice and services to people living with diabetes as well as those at risk of diabetes. We also offer support for their families, carers and friends.

We can help you with:

  • healthy food choices and shopping
  • monitoring your blood glucose levels
  • looking after your feet, eyes and emotional and mental wellbeing
  • information about diabetes medication including insulin and other injectables
  • information about joining a local peer support group.

We also offer health services based on your needs:

  • individual telehealth/video consults and coaching with a diabetes educator, dietitian, or nurse practitioner
  • social worker services and advocacy
  • camps and activities for children and youth with diabetes.

Insulin or non-insulin injectable medications:

  • NDSS (National Diabetes Services Scheme) subsidises products including pen needles to inject insulin or non-insulin medications.
  • To access these products, you need to register with the NDSS. Speak to your GP or Diabetes Australia - Tasmania to see if you are eligible to be registered with the NDSS.

Next steps

Contact us to find out more about Diabetes Tasmania’s free services and to help us book you into a program tailored to your needs.

For more information:

Diabetes Australia - Tasmania 
Phone:
6215 9000
Email: mailtas@diabetesaustralia.com.au
NDSS Enquiries: ndss@diabetesaustralia.com.au
Web: www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/Tasmania/

Concession available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria
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Lymphoedema

Financial assistance is available to people requiring compression garments to help manage lymphoedema and who have one of the following:

  • Services Australia Pensioner Concession Card
  • Services Australia Health Care Card.
  • DVA Veterans Card and meet specific criteria (contact DVA on 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372).

For more information:

Department of Health
Phone:

Royal Hobart Hospital, Physiotherapy: 6166 8634
Royal Hobart Hospital, Occupational Therapy: 6166 8314
Launceston General Hospital, Physiotherapy: 6777 6216
North-West Regional Hospital, Physiotherapy: 6493 6250
Email:
(South) rhh.physiotheraphy@ths.tas.gov.au
(North) lgh.ahs@ths.tas.gov.au
(North-West) burnie.physio@ths.tas.gov.au

Services Australia Health Care Card; Services Australia Pensioner Concession Card; Department of Veterans' Affairs Veteran Cards Orange; Department of Veterans' Affairs Veteran Cards White; Department of Veterans' Affairs Veteran Cards Gold
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Orthotic / Prosthetic Services

A reduced contribution charge for orthotic and prosthetic services is provided to eligible people whose costs are not met by other organisations such as MAIB, workers compensation, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs or the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

To access the service, clients must have a current referral from either a GP, an allied health professional or a medical specialist.

Those eligible for a reduced contribution include holders of one of the following:

  • Services Australia or DVA* Pensioner Concession Card
  • Services Australia Health Care Card.

* where DVA cardholders are not eligible under another scheme.

For more information:

Department of Health
Phone:

Orthotic Prosthetic Services Tasmania

(South): 6166 7377
(North): 6777 8562
(North-West): 6493 6272
Email: opst.tas@ths.tas.gov.au
Web: www.health.tas.gov.au

Services Australia Health Care Card; Department of Veterans' Affairs Pensioner Concession Card; Services Australia Pensioner Concession Card
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Key

These icons will help you locate the concessions available to you:

Services Australia Pensioner Concession Card

Services Australia Health Care Card

Services Australia Commonwealth Seniors Health Card

Seniors Card

Companion Card

Concession available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria

Department of Veterans' Affairs Pensioner Concession Card

Department of Veterans’ Affairs Commonwealth Seniors Health Card

Department of Veterans Affairs Veteran Cards - Orange

Department of Veterans’ Affairs Veteran Cards - Gold

Department of Veterans’ Affairs Veteran Cards - White

Find out more about these cards