If you are a pensioner or hold a health care card, and are receiving State funded oxygen therapy, you are eligible to receive a 50 per cent rebate on the electricity used by your concentrator. Please tell your respiratory nurse/community nurse your pensioner health care card number.
If you have a self-funded portable oxygen concentrator machine you are not eligible for an electricity rebate.
The amount of electricity rebate is determined using the AGL tariffs regardless if your electricity supplier.
Depending on the hospital or health service funding your equipment, your electricity rebate:
- Will automatically be sent to you every three months following the service of your concentrator. Alternatively you can arrange a direct transfer into your account via your oxygen supplier.
or
- Will be sent to you upon receipt of your completed reimbursement form with an attached copy of you electricity bill.
or
- If you are an entitled veteran please contact the Department of Veterans' Affairs on 1800 555 254 to obtain the necessary application form to apply for your rebate.
Your respiratory nurse/community nurse will advise you of the process applicable to your rebate.
Please note: this does not mean you will receive a 50 per cent rebate on your entire electricity bill - the electricity rebate only applies to the electricity usage of your oxygen concentrator.
Some private health insurers provide subsidies for oxygen equipment. Contact your private health insurance provider for more information.
The Medical Heating and Cooling Concession helps South Australians on a fixed or low income who have a clinically verified medical condition which requires the frequent use of heating or cooling in the home to prevent the severe worsening of their condition.
The concession is indexed each financial year and is available in addition to the energy concession.
You can find further information about the Medical Heating and Cooling Concession including eligibility criteria, rates, and how to apply on the SA Government website.
People can use a personal alert device to call for help if they are unable to use the phone in an emergency. Some newer devices can detect falls, keep working when you leave the house, and find your location in an emergency.
You can apply for help to pay for an approved device and for monitoring services.
Visit the PAASA website for eligibility criteria and information about how to apply.
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme makes over 2,500 medicines more affordable and advises how you get the best value out of your medication. The Scheme is available to all Australian residents who hold a current Medicare card.
The PBS Schedule lists all of the medicines available to be dispensed to patients at a Government-subsidised price. The Schedule is part of the wider Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme managed by the Department of Health and Aged Care and administered by Services Australia.
This schedule is now on-line and updated on a monthly basis. This on-line searchable version contains:
- All of the drugs listed on the PBS
- Information on the conditions of use for the prescribing of PBS medicines
- Detailed consumer information for medicines that have been prescribed by your doctor or dentist
- What you can expect to pay for medicines.
Who is eligible for the PBS?
The Scheme is available to all Australian residents who hold a current Medicare card.
Overseas visitors from countries with which Australia has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) are also eligible to access the Scheme. Australia currently has RHCAs with the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Malta, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway, Belgium and Slovenia.
Residents of these countries must show their passports when lodging a prescription to prove their eligibility or they can contact Services Australia and get a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement Card to prove their eligibility. Some overseas visitors may not be eligible for this card.
Only those eligible for the PBS will receive subsidised medication and every time you present your script to the pharmacist, you will need to provide your Medicare card.
Eligible veterans may need to present their DVA card in addition to their Medicare card.
With your consent, the pharmacist may (at their discretion) keep a record of your Medicare number so that you do not have to show the actual card every time you lodge a script.
Patient co-payments
The co-payment is the amount you pay towards the cost of your PBS subsidised medicine. Many PBS medicines cost significantly more than the co-payment amount.
From 1 January 2024, you may pay up to $31.60 for most PBS medicines, or $7.70 if you have a concession card. The Australian Government pays the remaining cost (with the exception of brand premiums and certain other allowable charges).
From 1 January 2025, all Centrelink Health Care Card (HCC) holders will be eligible for concession travel (50% off standard fares).
You can purchase and validate a concession metroCARD or other ticket and carry your HCC to show on board Adelaide Metro when requested. You can also show your HCC when purchasing a ticket for regional bus services to receive concession fares.
You won't need a Transport Concession Card if you have a HCC.
A range of different cards or payments are eligible for free or subsidised transport fees on Adelaide Metro trams, buses and trains.
Visit the SA Government website for the current list of eligible cards.
Present any of these cards when purchasing a ticket.
You must have your concession card with you whenever you are using a concession metroCARD or Buy & Go ticket. View examples of acceptable Adelaide Metro concession cards and acceptable regional concession cards.
South Australian Seniors Card members are entitled to free travel at all times.
The Residential Park Resident Concession is a single combined concession to help with the cost of your energy, water and sewerage bills. It is available to eligible people living in a residential park or caravan park. You could also receive the Cost of Living Concession.
If you can receive the Residential Park Resident Concession then you cannot receive the Emergency Services Levy (fixed property) concession, as this levy is not normally charged to residents of residential parks.
The concession amount is indexed each financial year. The amount you can receive depends on your living arrangements and the utilities you pay for.
You can find further information about the Residential Park Resident Concessions including eligibility criteria, rates, and how to apply on the SA Government website.
You may be eligible for reduced fees for vehicle registration and driver's licences or be exempt from paying stamp duty on compulsory third-party insurance.
A new application is required each time a concession is applied to a vehicle, trailer or motorcycle.
The following concessions are available:
Pensioner concession
You may be entitled to this concession if you hold a pension card issued by the Australian Government.
This concession is not valid for heavy vehicles with a laden mass greater than 4,500 kg.
Benefits include:
- 50% reduction in the registration fee - you may only receive concession on the registration of one motor vehicle (or motorcycle) and one trailer (or caravan) that you own and use
- exemption from the payment of stamp duty on compulsory third party insurance
- 50% reduction in the driver's licence fee.
How to apply for the concession
Phone
Call Service SA on 13 10 84. Consent to a Centrelink confirmation check will be required.
In person
Complete an application form and attend a Service SA centre.
Concession applications will be verified electronically with Centrelink or the Department of Veterans' Affairs.
Incapacitated person's concession
You may be entitled to this concession if you have lost the use of one or both legs and you can't use public transport because of this.
Benefits include:
- 50% reduction in the registration fee - you can receive this concession on the registration of one motor vehicle (or motorcycle) that you own and use
- exemption from the payment of stamp duty on compulsory third party insurance - this is not a reduction in private vehicle insurance premiums
- exemption from the payment of stamp duty on the value of the vehicle.
This concession is not valid for heavy vehicles with a laden mass greater than 4,500 kg.
How to apply for the concession
In person
Complete an application form and attend a Service SA centrewith your medical certificate.
Incapacitated ex-service person's concession
You may be entitled to this concession if, as a result of your service in the military, you:
- are totally and permanently incapacitated, or
- are blind or have lost a leg or foot, or
- receive a pension from the Commonwealth for total incapacity or impairment of motion (at a rate of not less than 70% of the total incapacity pension).
Benefits include:
- 66.6% reduction in registration fees - you can receive concession on the registration of one motor vehicle (or motorcycle) that you own and use
- exemption from the payment of stamp duty on compulsory third party insurance - this is not a reduction in the private vehicle insurance premiums
- exemption from the payment of stamp duty on the value of the vehicle
- 50% reduction in the driver's licence fee.
This concession is not valid for heavy vehicles with a laden mass greater than 4,500 kg.
How to apply for the concession
- Complete the application form.
- Present a letter from the Department of Veterans' Affairs showing total incapacity and eligibility with your application. If you're a holder of a GOLD card that is endorsed with the letters TPI (totally and permanently incapacitated) or EDI (extreme disablement adjustment) you may be exempt from producing the letter.
- Lodge the application at a Service SA centre.
For more information, phone Service SA on 13 10 84.
Primary producer concession
A primary producer may be engaged in farming, beekeeping, fishing or other similar activity. Benefit includes:
- 50% reduction on light vehicle registration fees
- 40% reduction in some heavy vehicle registration fees.
A boat trailer is a non-commercial vehicle and therefore is not valid for this concession.
How to apply for the concession
Farmers
- Complete the application for vehicle registration concession with the location of the land being farmed.
- State whether the land is owned, leased or share farmed. If the land is share farmed - the current share farming agreement must be shown.
- Lodge the application at a Service SA centre.
Apiarists
- Complete the application for vehicle registration concession with the location of the land being farmed.
- State the number of beehives and have a minimum of 100 hives.
- Be registered with the Department of Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA).
- Lodge the application at a Service SA centre.
Fishing
- Complete the application for vehicle registration concession.
- Show that a marine scale or restricted marine scale fishing licence has been issued in your name by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions SA.
- Lodge the application at a Service SA centre.
For more information, phone Service SA on 13 10 84.
Outer areas concession
You may be entitled to this concession, providing the vehicle is:
- used wholly or mainly in outer areas
- registered to an owner who resides in an outer area
- kept at a premise situated in an outer area.
Outer areas include:
- the whole of Kangaroo Island
- the District Council of Coober Pedy
- the District Council of Roxby Downs
- all other parts of South Australia that are not within a municipality, a district council area, or Iron Knob.
Benefits include:
- a 50% reduction in registration fees for eligible vehicles with a gross vehicle mass less than or equal to 4.5 tonne (light vehicles)
- a 40% reduction in registration fees for eligible vehicles with a gross vehicle mass over 4.5 tonne (heavy vehicles).
Note: OA Concession is not applicable to heavy vehicles that are Rigid Truck types 1 and 2 or Special Purpose Vehicles.
How to apply for the concession
In person
Complete an application form and attend a Service SA centre.
mySAGOV account
Log in to your mySAGOVaccount to apply OA concession to your eligible vehicles.
Help to pay your water and sewerage rates at your principal place of residence is available to eligible South Australians on low or fixed incomes.
People living in a residential park can apply for a combined concession for energy, water and sewerage - Residential Park Concessions.
You can find further information about the Water and Sewerage Rate Concessions including eligibility criteria, rates, and how to apply on the SA Government website.