Health care, medicine and equipment costs

What Medicare covers

Medicare can cover all or part of the costs of some medical services, including:

• general practice (GP) or specialist appointments
• tests and scans
• most surgery and procedures by a doctor.

Services Australia has more information on:

• what's covered by Medicare
• things you can do to keep medical costs down.

Medicare Safety Nets can also help manage medical expenses. You get back more from Medicare if you spend over a certain amount in a calendar year on:

• doctor or specialist appointments
• certain tests and scans.

Learn more about Medicare Safety Nets at Services Australia.

Medicine costs

Recovering from a serious injury is not only about physical rehabilitation. It can also involve various medications that may be available at a reduced or no cost if:

• you have a concession or health care card
• the medication is listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

There is also a PBS Safety Net, which can help with costs if you spend over a certain amount on medicine in a year. Find out more about the PBS Safety Net at Services Australia.

Equipment and aids

If you need medical equipment to treat your injury, you may be able to get help with the cost of buying and running it from:

• Services Australia with a yearly payment to cover energy costs to run medical equipment
• Service NSW with an energy rebate for the cost of running life support equipment for retail customers (you get a bill from the energy company) or for on supply customers (you get a bill or invoice from the strata manager or community/village operator)
• the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and its Rehabilitation Appliances Program for veterans.

You may also be eligible for funding through EnableNSW if your injury is long term and its treatment requires:

• help with mobility devices such as a wheelchair
• self-care services
• travel costs to access specialist treatment.

Learn more about the equipment and services available at EnableNSW.