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Tsunami healthcare assistance scheme

What is it?

The Tsunami Healthcare Assistance Scheme is an Australian Government initiative for people who have out-of-pocket healthcare costs in Australia arising from the Indian Ocean tsunamis on 26 December 2004. The Scheme covers:

  • reasonable out–of–pocket expenses for a wide range of health care for Australians who were in the tsunami affected locations
  • reasonable costs of counselling and psychological care for their families

The Scheme is operated by Medicare Australia, the government agency which administers Medicare.

For more information freecall Medicare Australia Special Assistance Line on 1800 660 026. 

How to register and claim out-of-pocket expenses

  1. Complete and sign a Tsunami Healthcare Assistance Scheme registration form.
  2. Provide either a certified photocopy of your passport showing that you were present in a tsunami affected area, or a statutory declaration advising that you were in a tsunami affected area on 26 December 2004.
  3. Any services received must be claimed through Medicare and/or private health insurance and/or any other insurance or compensation scheme before claiming through the Tsunami Healthcare Assistance Scheme.
  4. Complete a Tsunami Healthcare Assistance claim form.
  5. Attach all Medicare and/or private insurance benefit statements to the claim form. Where services do not attract a Medicare benefit and are not covered by any other insurance, attach all accounts and/or receipts for a case by case assessment.

Lodging your claim

Claims can be lodged in one of the following ways:

  • at your local Medicare office
  • fax to 08 9214 8129
  • post to:
    Medicare Australia Special Assistance
    Reply Paid 9822
    Perth WA 6848

For claim forms and reply paid envelopes call the Medicare Australia Special Assistance Line on 1800 660 026 (Monday to Friday between 7.30 am and 5.00 pm Australian Western Standard Time) or visit your local Medicare office.

Payments for paid accounts can be made to the person making the claim either by cheque or by EFT deposit into a nominated financial institution account.

For unpaid accounts cheques will be made payable, and sent directly to the provider of the service.

Please note: ensure that a Medicare claim [PDF, 190Kb]PDF reader required form has been submitted for all medical services before submitting a Tsunami Healthcare Assistance claim form.

For more information freecall the Medicare Australia Special Assistance Line on 1800 660 026.

Registration and claim forms

Replacement Medicare cards for tsunami survivors

Australians who lost their Medicare card and other identification documents in the Indian Ocean tsunamis can still easily access their Medicare benefits.

Doctors are able to obtain a patient's Medicare card number by calling Medicare Australia on 132 150 while they are seeing the patient.

Medicare office staff will assist survivors of the tsunami disaster by processing claims without requiring Medicare cards or other identification.

Replacement Medicare cards will be sent out to all Australian survivors identified by Centrelink, or can be requested by calling 132 011.

More information

Other types of assistance are available from other Australian Government agencies. To find out more call the Tsunami Assistance Hotline on 1800 057 111 (Freecall) or visit the Disaster AssistExternal link website

Some documents on this page may require the free Adobe PDF reader.

Last updated: 18 March, 2010