CSHC income test limits have now been increased to $90,000 for a single person (up from $61,284) and $144,000 for couples (up from $98,054), but you still must meet residency requirements and be of Age Pension age, Aged Care Guide reports.
Increasing the CSHC income threshold will allow more older Australians access to the relevant pharmaceutical and medical benefits discounts and other associated concessions that the card provides.
The Federal Government agreed to lower the income test threshold for the card during its election campaign, and the change came into effect earlier this month.
Chief Advocate of National Seniors Australia, Ian Henschke, has welcomed the change.
“This is good news for retirees struggling with rising living costs,” he says.
“Extending the CSHC card eligibility, according to Government calculations, means an extra 44,000 retirees will now get access to concessions to help ease cost-of-living pressures.”
But Mr Heschke is also advocating for changing pension income test rules to allow more older people to go back to work and fill worker shortages, without impacting their pension.
FULL STORY
Eligibility changes to Seniors Card to help with cost-of-living (Aged Care Guide)
