01/07/2026
If you’re not eligible for Medicare benefits for all or part of the financial year, you may be able to claim a Medicare levy exemption on your tax return.
This means you might be exempt from paying the 2% Medicare levy.
You can claim an exemption if:
✅ you have applied for and received a Medicare Entitlement Statement (MES) from Services Australia
✅ all your dependents (including your spouse) are also exempt. This means your spouse may also need to apply for their own MES.
⏰ It can take up to 8 WEEKS, so apply from 1 July! No MES = no exemption.
