There are hundreds of items to action when you separate, so we reached out to our pre-launch registered users to find out what burning questions they needed answers to. One was what to do with your Medicare account after you separate? With no details online, we went directly to the Department of Human Services to get the correct answers.
(This is for Australian citizens.)
My husband and I are separating so do we still use the same Medicare Card?
When a couple separates, each person can have their own Medicare card. One person can transfer from the family card onto a card of their own. They need to complete an Application to copy or transfer from one Medicare card to another form and take it to a Medicare Service Centre with supporting documents. If there are children on the family card, they can be copied onto both parents’ cards.
My name has changed back to my maiden name but my children have kept their surname. Do I have to change my Medicare Card?
You need to visit a Medicare Service Centre with supporting documents to update your Medicare card with your change of name. This won’t affect your children keeping their surname. A new Medicare card will be issued with your updated name.
I now have full custody of my children. Does my ex get removed from our family Medicare card?
You can transfer to a new Medicare card and leave the other person on the original Medicare card. Children can’t be removed from a card without the consent of both parents or a relevant authority such as a final court order. Children can be on both parents’ cards. Take your completed Application to copy or transfer from one Medicare card to another form with supporting documents to a Medicare Service Centre.
For more information on transferring to another card go to the Department of Human Services website.