Medicare benefit tax statements

Request and receive your Medicare benefit tax statement online using ATO's e-tax application

To receive the net medical expenses offset in your tax return, download or request a copy of your Medicare benefit tax statement today.

• Your guide to the Medicare benefit tax statement information sheet [PDF, 163Kb]
• Medicare benefit tax statement via e-tax - FAQs [PDF, 333Kb]

What is the Medicare benefit tax statement?

Your Medicare benefit tax statement contains information about medical services and expenses for your nominated Medicare card. This information is based on claims processed by Medicare Australia within the financial year—not necessarily services performed within the financial year.

Medicare benefit tax statement does not include bulk billing and in-hospital claims made via the simplified billing claiming channel. Only services a person has been paid a Medicare benefit for are included.

Do I need a Medicare benefit tax statement?

You only need a Medicare benefit tax statement if your net medical expenses (including Medicare and non-Medicare items) are over the Australian Tax Office’s (ATO) threshold during a financial year.

Information about threshold amounts for this financial year are available on the ATO website

What is the net medical expenses tax offset?

If your net medical expenses are over the ATO threshold, you can claim an offset of 20 per cent (20 cents in the dollar) in your tax return.

To claim the medical expenses tax offset in your tax return, you need to know the total amount of medical expenses you incurred for yourself and your dependants. You then deduct any refunds from Medicare Australia, your private health fund or any other reimbursements that relate to those expenses receiving during the financial year.

Who can request a Medicare benefit tax statement?

You can request a Medicare benefit tax statement for yourself and your dependants under the age of 18 who are listed on your Medicare card.

You can also request tax statements for other members listed on your card who are 18 years or older and not a dependant. However, due to privacy reasons, the statement is sent to the individual at the address recorded with Medicare Australia.

You can only request a tax statement if you are aged 14 years and over.

How do I request a Medicare benefit tax statement?

Online through our Online Services

To download a copy of your Medicare benefit tax statement from our website, visit our Online Services. You will need to be registered for Online Services. If you’re not registered you can register now. Once you have registered and received your password, you will be able to download a copy of your Medicare benefit tax statement to:

• keep for your personal records
• give to your accountant
• lodge with your paper tax return

By completing a request form through this web site:

You can also request a copy by completing a Medicare benefit tax statement request form. Your Medicare benefit tax statement will be sent to your address recorded with Medicare Australia.

Online through the ATO’s e-Tax application

If you’re lodging your tax return online, visit the ATO website to download your Medicare benefit tax statement right into your e-tax application or to print a copy to use later. You don’t need to be lodging your tax return electronically, you can still use e-Tax to get a copy of your Medicare benefit tax statement—all you will need is your tax file number, Medicare card number and a previous notice of assessment number.

Medicare office (over the counter)

Ask the service officer to print your Medicare benefit tax statement. You can request a statement for the current year and previous year.

You will need to show your Medicare card and one of the following:

• current driver’s licence
• current passport
• birth certificate or extract
• naturalisation or citizenship certificate
• Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade identification documents
• Photographic school or tertiary identification card.

By mail (written request)

You will need to make a written request if:

• you need a statement for a financial year more than two years before the date of request
• you have been transferred or copied from one Medicare card to another during this financial year and you require a statement for the services provided on your previous Medicare card.

Send a completed Request for a Medicare benefit tax statement form [PDF, 143Kb] to:

ACT, NSW and Vic residents

Information Release
Medicare Australia
GPO Box 9822
Sydney NSW 2001

NT, QLD, SA, Tas and WA residents

Information Release
Medicare Australia
GPO Box 9822
Brisbane QLD 4001

Your Medicare benefit tax statement will be sent to your address recorded with Medicare Australia.

Note: information is only available for the past four financial years. Do not send your Medicare card when you send your request by mail.

Request for Medicare benefit tax statement [PDF, 143Kb]

By phone

To request a copy of your Medicare benefit tax statement over the phone, call 132 011 to speak to a service officer. The service officer will ask you for the following details:

• your Medicare card number
• your personal details
• personal details of the persons who require a Medicare benefit tax statement
• applicable financial year.

A copy will be sent to your address recorded with Medicare Australia.

What if I have been on two or more Medicare cards during the financial year?

If you have been on more than one Medicare card during a financial year you will need to submit two requests to get your Medicare benefit tax statements.

1.      For your current Medicare card, refer to ‘How do I request a Medicare benefit tax statement?’ .

2.      For a previous Medicare card, you will need to make a request in writing using a Request for a Medicare benefit tax statement form [PDF, 143Kb]. You will then need to send this to the Release of Information in your state/territory.

Note: If you have transferred off another card, you can make a request for your information from that card

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

Last updated: 20 January, 2012

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