Medicare Children’s
Bulk Billing
Check Eligibility and Balance
From January 2014, eligible families, teenagers and approved care organisations will receive a letter to confirm eligibility.
A child or teenager’s eligibility is assessed at the beginning of each calendar year and is valid for the whole of that calendar year.
To be eligible a child must be:
- aged between 2 and 17 for at least 1 day of the calendar year
- eligible for Medicare and
- for at least 1 day of the calendar year the circumstances in the following table have to be in place:
Payment Recipient | Receives |
Child’s parent, carer, or guardian | Family Tax Benefit Part A Parenting payment or Double Orphan Pension |
Child | Family Tax Benefit Part A Abstudy Carer Payment Disability Support Pension Parenting Payment Special Benefit Youth Allowance Financial assistance under the Veterans’ Children Education Scheme (VCES) and cannot be included as a dependent child for the purposes of Family Tax Benefit because they are 16 years or older or Financial assistance under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme (MRCAETS) and cannot be included as a dependent child for the purposes of Family Tax Benefit because they are 16 years or older |
Teenager’s partner | Family Tax Benefit Part A or Parenting Payment |
Eligibility may be affected if you go from receiving fortnightly payments to lump sum payments. If you have changed your Family Tax Benefit Part A payments, you can contact us about your Child Dental Benefits Schedule eligibility.
Benefits available under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule
- In 2018, benefits for basic dental services are capped at $1,092 per child over 2 consecutive calendar years. The 2 year cap period starts when a child or teenager first gets an eligible dental service.
- If you do not use all of your $1,092 benefit in the first year of eligibility, you can use it in the second year if you are still eligible. Any remaining balance will not be carried forward at the end of the second year.
- Benefits will cover a range of services including examinations, x-rays, cleaning, fissure sealing, fillings, root canals and extractions.
- Benefits are not available for orthodontic or cosmetic dental work and cannot be paid for any services provided in a hospital.
- Child Dental Benefits Schedule services will not count towards the Medicare Safety Net or the Extended Medicare Safety Net thresholds.
How to use the Child Dental Benefits Schedule
- You can confirm your child’s eligibility and balance amount by accessing your Medicare online account at myGov or calling the Medicare general enquiries line on 132 011.
- Make an appointment with Bright Smiles and let our receptionist know you are eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule.
- At the time of the appointment, the dental provider must discuss your child’s treatment and any associated costs with you before providing the services. After this has been discussed, you will need to sign a consent form.
- When the dental provider has provided the services agreed for your child, they will be bulk billed for the services.