Local senior residents are now eligible for Federal Government assistance with their power bills in an ongoing effort to ease cost of living pressures.
From July, all Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders are eligible for up to $500 per household in energy price relief – as part of the Government’s Energy Price Relief Plan to tackle price increases across the country.
That is in addition to the Queensland Government’s recently announced Electricity Rebate of $550 for all households – or Cost of Living Rebate of $1,072 for vulnerable households.
Blair MP Shayne Neumann said the relief will help older Australians deal with increases in the cost of living.
“We are delivering on our commitments to do what we can as a government to ease cost of living pressures,” Mr Neumann said.
“More pensioners and veterans in my community than ever before are saving on healthcare costs since we delivered on our election commitment to increase the income limits for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card last year.”
Higher thresholds
In November, the Federal Labor Government introduced higher income thresholds for eligibility for a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card. Some 2,730 Queensland residents have since gained access to the benefit.
“It’s great that in six months of the new income threshold limits being in place, so many older Australians have received access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card,” Mr Neumann said.
“Not only will these changes mean access to benefits like bulk billing, cheaper medicines, and concession card rates, it will mean more seniors will also receive our energy bill relief announced in the Budget.”
The Energy Price Relief Plan applies limits to the price of gas and coal used for electricity generation and focusses on investment into cleaner, cheaper, and more reliable energy for the future.
The Commonwealth Seniors Health Card provides access to Australian Government health concessions, including concessional co-payments for Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme medicines, the concessional thresholds for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme Safety Net and the Extended Medicare Safety Net, and bulk-billed visits to a General Practitioner.
For more information such as eligibility criteria or to apply online, visit servicesaustralia.gov.au/commonwealth-seniors-health-card.
To check your eligibility for rebates from the Queensland Government, visit queenslandsavers.qld.gov.au.
