Make the most of your Medicare Card with a range of zero-cost screenings and services available at Pro Health Care for your Family. Angela Baker, Practice Nurse at Pro Health Care says it’s important to plan ahead because many health checks are only available for certain age brackets. These include:
Healthy Development in Kids
Around the time four-year-olds receive their recommended immunisations, they become eligible for a one-off healthy kids check with their GP. “It’s a good opportunity to look at a range of things,” Angela says. “We’re examining issues that might be happening at home, their social development and lifestyle. For instance, we ask about the child’s eating habits and what kinds of physical activity they’re doing. We’re also looking at hearing, vision and toilet training.”
Dental check-up for teenagers
This is currently the only rebated preventive dental check in Australia. Dr Saumya Rana, dentist at Pro Dental SA explains “Teens who are enrolled in Medicare and receive certain government payments (such as Family Tax Benefit Part A), either individually or as part of a family, can get a check-up, including X-rays, fluoride and oral health advice. However, you can’t have any fillings under the scheme,” she says. “You can go to any dentist who is willing to accept payment through that scheme. Pro Dental SA recommends teenagers take up this opportunity to engage in preventive oral health measures and we accept bookings under this scheme.”
Dental work costing up to $166 is covered for eligible teenagers aged between 12 and 17. The federal government says that in 2014 the scheme will be replaced with expanded dental care for children aged between two and 17.