Guide to Medicare levy

When don't you have to pay the surcharge?

You do not have to pay MLS if you were in a Medicare levy exemption category for the whole of the year and you:

• did not have any dependants
• had dependants who were also all in an exemption category
• had dependants who all had an appropriate level of private patient hospital cover for the whole of the year.

You do not have to pay MLS if you had an appropriate level of private patient hospital cover for the whole of the year and you:

• did not have any dependants
• had dependants who all had an appropriate level of private patient hospital cover for the whole of the year
• had dependants who were all in an exemption category.

You do not have to pay MLS for the full year if you and all your dependants, if any, had private patient health cover for part of the year and:

• you and all your dependants, if any, were not in an exemption category at any time during the year, and
• your income (or combined income) for MLS purposes was above the relevant threshold.

However, you may have to pay MLS for the number of days you or any of your dependants did not have an appropriate level of private patient hospital cover and your income (or combined income) for MLS purposes was above the relevant threshold.

If this applies to you, refer to the section 'What if your circumstances changed during the year?' in M2 - Medicare levy surcharge.

Medicare levy - home

Sections within Medicare levy surcharge

• When don't you have to pay the surcharge?
• When do you have to pay the surcharge?
• Appropriate level of private patient hospital cover
• Family situation
• Income for MLS purposes