Huge change to Medicare card for all Australians

A huge change has been made to Medicare cards from today, with all Australians now able to access a new digital version.

Australians will be able to access a digital version of their Medicare card anytime and anywhere.

The universal public health pass will be available on the myGov app from Thursday and could soon be accessible through the Service NSW app.

The federal government says the update will make the card more accessible to Australians while also providing an extra layer of security.

But Government Services Minister Bill Shorten has admitted it may take time for medical practitioners and service providers to adjust their systems.

The Medicare card is now available on the myGov app. Picture: Supplied

The digital card has been accessible on the myGov website for some time but will now be added to the app in an effort to make it easier to access on the go.

The government says it designed the wallet as a safe and convenient way for people to keep their Medicare card with them everywhere they go.

“As with all items in the myGov wallet, the Medicare card has protections against fraud and theft, including a hologram and QR code,” Mr Shorten said.

“The animated hologram shows that the card is not just a screenshot and the QR code can be scanned by health professionals to confirm the card is genuine and valid.”

Anthony Albanese has tried to allay concerns the widespread uptake of digital Medicare cards could leave people exposed to a data breach such as those experienced by Optus and Medibank customers last year.

The Prime Minister said the government took the issue of digital security seriously, pointing to plans to set up a new agency to lead Australia’s fight against major data breaches as part of a broader seven-year cyber security strategy.

“Of course, cyber security is a major issue. There’s a cyber attack in this country every six minutes,” Mr Albanese told Network 10 on Thursday.

The government recently sat down with banks, the public sector and financial institutions at a roundtable to hash out cyber security reforms to better protect Australians’ data.

Mr Albanese said the roundtable had been “very positive”, before noting health records were becoming increasingly digitised and it was too late to turn back the clock on the use of online data storage.

“We need to take advantage of technology, while being very cognisant that there are risks if data isn’t protected,” he said.

“And that’s why my government is doing what we can to make sure that data is protected.”

Medicare is the No. 1 service linked to myGov, with more than 19 million accounts, although the myGov app is only used by one million people.

The Covid vaccination passport was rolled out at the end of 2021. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

“For too long the former government didn’t prioritise the benefits of digital health,” Health Minister Mark Butler said.

“Labor is the party of Medicare and we will always strengthen it.”

It is the latest form of identification to get a digital facelift after the Covid-19 vaccination certificate and Centrelink concession cards became available last year.

Australians will still be able to use their physical Medicare card if they prefer, with health service providers able to access both.

How to get your digital Medicare card

• Go to your myGov online account
• Link your Medicare account
• Open the myGov app on your smartphone
• Go to the wallet on the home screen
• Select “add” and simply follow the steps