From National Seniors

More than 22,000 low income self-funded retirees will lose access to their Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CHSC) from July next year under a cost cutting plan by the Government. The Rudd Government is tightening access to the CHSC by implementing more stringent income definition requirements. Gross income from superannuation incomes streams from a taxed source, and income that is salary sacrificed to superannuation, will now be included in the card's income test. In losing the CSHC older Australians will no longer receive: access to pharmaceuticals at a concessional rate; bulk-billed Medicare services (at discretion of the GP); the seniors' concession allowance ($514); telephone allowance ($139); and the seniors' lump sum bonus of $500 (if this is paid again next year). National Seniors CEO Michael O'Neill said it was a real shame that older Australians were being targeted. "Self-funded retirees do not
get any other taxpayer funded benefits and they have payed taxes all their lives so to take away their only government entitlement is goingto be really tough for them,'' O'Neill said. The changes to the income
test were contained in the 2008/09 budget and confirmed at a Senate Committee Hearing in June but it wasn't until this week that is was raised by Senator Ron Boswell in the Senate.