The Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) will still be available to the vast majority of individuals already enjoying its benefits after the federal government kept changes to the qualifying taxable income level to a minimum in the 2009 budget.
It was anticipated that changes would be made to the method of calculation of the qualifying income thresholds, which currently stand at $50,000 for singles and $80,000 for couples.
It was thought the government would make individuals add back gross pension payments and any other superannuation payments like lump sums to their income to arrive at the qualifying income amount for the CSHC.
"Adding the gross pension payments back would have meant many people would have missed out on the Commonwealth Seniors Healthcare Card," ING national technical services manager Graeme Colley said.
"We've now seen in the budget announcement that salary sacrifice amounts will be counted, but not any gross pension or superannuation payments that are made," he said.
"Many people now can continue to qualify for the healthcare card, whereas they would not have if the other changes were implemented."
In another change, the qualifying age for the CSHC will increase in line with the age pension age.
The age pension age is set to increase from 65 to 67 in 2017.
