This was posted 2 years 11 months 9 days ago, and might be an out-dated deal.

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Up to 10 Free Rapid Antigen Tests over 3 Months (5 Per Month Cap) for Pensioner, Veteran, Health Care Card Holder @ Pharmacies

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Up to 10 Free Rapid Antigen Tests over 3 Months (5 Per Month Cap) for Pensioner, Veteran, Health Care Card Holder @ Pharmacies
Go to Deal
therealoptimus on 13/01/2022 - 20:12 health.gov.au (7142 clicks)
Last edited 14/01/2022 - 12:18 by 2 other users

This is simply a public service announcement for pensioners (various types eligible)
You heard it here first.
Starting the 24th concession card holders will be able to access up to 10 free RATs from their local pharmacy.

National Cabinet agreed that up to 10 Rapid Antigen Tests over three months (a maximum of 5 in a month) will be made available free through pharmacies to people holding the following cards:

Pension Concession Card
Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card
Department of Veterans' Affairs Gold, White or Orange Card
Health Care Card
Low Income Health Card

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-13/covid-live-blog-lates…

Remember you heard it here first! /s
Is that the right way to use this? /s

Mod: Republished as start date is now listed on Health Gov's site. See previous discussion.

Health & Beauty COVID-19 Test Rapid Antigen Test

Related Stores

Department of Health, Australian Government
Department of Health, Australian Government

closed Comments

  • bloom on 13/01/2022 - 20:14
    +181

    They might be free but they ain’t there

    • pharkurnell on 14/01/2022 - 08:47
      +7

      They may as well advertise them as "we will pay you $100,000 to come pick one up - no rain checks"

    • Legaldrugs on 14/01/2022 - 09:05
      +26

      Yea nah, this isn't happening anytime soon considering we haven't even been notified of this scheme or how it's going to be implemented. (I'm a pharmacist)

      • RichardZed on 14/01/2022 - 10:11
        +21

        Typical of the Liberal Party high on announcements , shit on follow through.

    • Bid Sniper on 14/01/2022 - 11:20
      +5

      Given to Hillsong for free

      https://www.reddit.com/r/CoronavirusDownunder/comments/s2sx7…

      • 2024 on 14/01/2022 - 12:12
        +2

        Scomo loves the Jebus

        • Bid Sniper on 14/01/2022 - 12:45
          +9

          And not doing his job, except when it for his mates

      • Juice-Wa on 14/01/2022 - 13:36
        -5

        Nice comprehension skills sir. It says attendees were given RAT tests to check for COVID on entry, Hillsong still paid for it. And unless I'm mistaken, it's the self test RATs which are in shortage, not clinical RATs. My workplace (a large mining company) regularly tests it's workers with clinical RATs, which are given by trained QML workers. Don't be mad about an entity using clinical RATs when many companies are doing the same thing.

        • ThisIsNotZeus on 14/01/2022 - 22:39
          +1

          Can you enlighten all of us here and tell us what “clinical” RAT is and who actually told you about it?
          Because there’s no such thing as clinical RAT test.
          RAT - rapid antigen test - takes 10-20 mins to get the result
          PCR - polymerase chain reaction - done in a lab and takes about 24 hours to get result.

          The only scenario I can think of is that what you are talking about is that they take 2 samples from you - do RAT on the sport and send the second sample for PCR test.

          RAT tests are not as reliable as PCR.

          But as far as I’m aware there’s no such thing as clinical RAT test.

          • JohnHowardsEyebrows on 15/01/2022 - 17:04

            @ThisIsNotZeus: There are 'point of care' RATs, which, as the name implies, are meant to be administered by trained staff, not done at home. Some pharmacies have gotten into trouble for selling them, and at least one is now charging a modest $25 to administer the point of care tests at his own pharmacy.

            Having said that, Hillsong are scum.

        • coffeeinmyveins on 15/01/2022 - 09:58

          The hell is a clinical rat? You just making stuff up to make it sound like scomo didn't give Hillsong free rat tests?

          • Juice-Wa on 17/01/2022 - 08:29

            @coffeeinmyveins: As @JohnHowardsEyebrows mentioned, there are tests that have to be administered by trained staff. They're widely available and have had large regular distributions for a long time now. The shortage everyone notices are the self test RATs

    • oO0Dam0Oo on 14/01/2022 - 13:42
      -1

      As Barnaby said… nothings from the Government is free. Costs just get passed on to the taxpayer.

      Not to suggest they are not needed. They absolutely should be available to all, but we will be paying for all of this for a very long time to come.

      • SBOB on 14/01/2022 - 13:50
        +4

        but they dont use that justification for the other things they spend money on

        and its an incorrect comment anyway… if you need one it has a cost, but the question is where is that cost more wisely obtained from
        1) government sources them 'on mass' at a huge discount (~$1 each) and provides them, with the cost being spread across the whole community (where the majority would need it anyway).
        2) the end user buys direct, at a large retail markup (~>$10 each)

        both solutions end up costing $, the difference is the second one costs the end user more.
        When PCR tests are ~100x more expensive, its a no brainer (which is also how i describe Barnaby)

        • oO0Dam0Oo on 17/01/2022 - 19:21

          Not sure why the negs. But if you think we wont be paying for this for decades to come you are deluded. And by "this"I mean all the government subsidies and grants during Covid. Nor am I a Barnaby fan boy.

          I never once stated that they should not be provided to people on a "at cost basis", that they were not required, or that significant mark ups should be regulated against. Get off your high horse.

          Bloody common sense.

      • Zephyrus on 14/01/2022 - 14:56
        +9

        Can't afford a few bucks for a RAT, but can afford $3.5 billion for tanks that will never get used.

    • sepa on 15/01/2022 - 09:03

      This ain't a deal, it's a debacle.

  • Tyrx on 13/01/2022 - 20:16
    +97

    Deal will be negged for insufficient quantity available come the 24th - and that's if pharmacies even bother to participate in the scheme. Apparently they announced it first without actually thinking through the implementation details (par the course of this government) so nobody has any clue how pharmacies will be compensated for tests or how quantities redeemed will be tracked.

    • SBOB on 13/01/2022 - 20:17
      +68

      No way ..
      You mean it was just something they probably wrote on a napkin the night before and thought it was a good idea?
      Sounds about in line with most of the covid related announcements they make

        • supersour on 13/01/2022 - 20:44
          +114

          You're not actually serious are you? FTTN was a LNP concoction.

              • UFO on 13/01/2022 - 21:41
                +150

                @entropysbane: Nothing like trying to re-write history hey mate?

                It was Turnbull and Abbott who destroyed what NBN could have been… not Labor.
                LNP have been in power for nearly 10 years, it's THEIR decision making that doomed NBN to a second rate mess it is now.

                LNP famously took it to the election to get into power. "Our model will be cheaper by going fibre to the node"…. and any person who can use google will find published news story after story (some quoting actual studies by such universities as RMIT) who very clearly state who's to claim. Take your LNP propaganda some place else, it's clear no one is buying it here.

                • slipperypete on 13/01/2022 - 22:16
                  +28

                  @UFO: summed it up perfectly. I'm not politically motivated but I still cringe at how they totally screwed it up when it was being shown smack in their face it was a farce. I can never understand politicians who turn such a blind eye when presented with factual information

                • fatal on 14/01/2022 - 02:50
                  +12

                  @UFO: Thanks for summing it up, I think I lost brain cells reading the mental gymnastics of thinking the NBN issue was bungled by anyone else but the LNP.

                • entropysbane on 14/01/2022 - 08:09
                  -7

                  @UFO: Perhaps you could point out where what I said was incorrect?
                  I said nothing about which policy was better or not, I pointed out how the original concept of the NBN was developed. On a plane, on a napkin.

                  Be less focussed on the thing, but on its origins.

                  • jerjergege on 14/01/2022 - 12:23
                    +1

                    @entropysbane: A good plan written down on a Napkin still better than your arguements againsts plans on a napkin.

                • Jzye on 14/01/2022 - 08:24
                  +3

                  @UFO: Beyond (profanity) ridiculous that national internet became a political option 1 or option 2.

                  99% of the (profanity) dipshit 50yo+ pollies involved can't tell the difference between a mouse and a keyboard.

                • entropysbane on 14/01/2022 - 08:40
                  +1

                  @UFO: Maybe Abbott and Turnbull did.
                  That does not change how the original concept was developed. On a napkin, on a plane between Rudd and Conroy as a plan b when their 2007 election commitment could not be implemented.
                  Why that story is seen as a problem I don’t understand. It is an interesting story, most major projects start somewhere like that.

                • entropysbane on 14/01/2022 - 08:53
                  +1

                  @UFO: Oh, I agree that the LNP made the NBN less than it was. That does not change the origin of the NBN. And why is it a problem? Most projects probably start that way. A drawing on a page.

                  • amahon on 14/01/2022 - 09:03
                    +2

                    @entropysbane: Dude you are wasting your time debating with these people. Facts don't matter. Just remember that old adage about arguing with fools.

              • smog on 14/01/2022 - 00:53
                +11

                @entropysbane: The gaslighting is strong with this one. I don't understand why people get all up in arms on the spending for the initial NBN rollout when the government has spent billions on Military and hand outs for businesses.

                So what if the budget will go over for the initial plan, this is an infrastructure that benefits every Australian and Businesses which would've put us with other 1st world countries and future proof in coming years. We're also now finding out the NBN change under Turnbull is costing 3x more than initially thought and they will be spending an additional 4.5bn to upgrade existing homes to fttp from the failure fttn which defeats the purpose of changing it in the first place. But yeah, great economic managers.

                https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/nov/10/secret-fi…

                • entropysbane on 14/01/2022 - 08:25
                  -3

                  @smog: Hmm, maybe if we must talk about the implementation, and I agree the original cost estimate doesn’t matter, it is a government program, of course it costs more than the original proposal.

                  The original 2007 Rudd election commitment was a$4b program involving Telstra and Optus. In government that was found to be unworkable. Plan b was worked out on a napkin, on a plane and was called NBN at a much higher cost. It also was a lot more ambitious, FTTP for everyone In the major cities, outside of that a mix of FTTP in some regional locations, FTTN, microwave and satellite outside of that. As it was developed it was inevitably going to cost more, in line with most government programs. It was also suffering significant delays as any major program like this would incur.

                  Coalition got elected, changed FTTP to FTTN and argued rollout would happen quicker and cheaper. Were they right or wrong? It has cost a hell of a lot more than the original proposal. It is ahead of the NBN timelines in 2013. A lot of people are upset with their speed, but others have a higher speed earlier than they would have. Shrug. I doubt it will turn the next election one way or another which will be Covid Covid Covid.

                  I am not arguing who is right or wrong. But I do know that Conroy and Rudd first put together the NBN proposal on a napkin on a plane. It is not unusual for politicians to make announcements with little planning behind them, it is in their nature. Regardless of which side of politics and they are playing with Other Peoples’Money, which makes it easy. And there is vast armies of public servants to flesh out the plan and make the idea workable. Why is recording for posterity how the original idea was conceived a problem?

                  • gearboxtech on 14/01/2022 - 09:06
                    +6

                    @entropysbane: I firstly suggest you get your facts right before introducing an opinon. The original NBN plan was FTTP, Fixed Wireless and Satellite. That's it. MTM, Multi-Technology-Mix or Malcolm Turnbulls Mess was introducing FTTN, FTTC and HFC when the coalition won the election in 2013. How well has that worked out again?

                    You're fixated on the conceptualisation of the NBN, time to move on. There have been much bigger ideas that have turned out to be white elephants despite formalised planning, I am sure. I could start with the F-35 purchases? How much is the goverment IT upgrade going to cost? Cancelled sub project how much? Do I really need to reference a bunch of examples? I'm already upto a cruisy 28 billion dollars and this isn't even the lowest hanging fruit.

                    The NBN "works" but is no-where near ideal, with a liberal govermnent in control of the program for 9 years, after which there are still people whom have not been connected to the network despite the rollout being dubbed "complete". In that time there was been plenty of evidence to show that the original costing was in fact reasonably accurate and that using an inferior technology mix has resulted in a much more expensive rollout, has lead to overbuilding to replace existing NBN networks with cost blowouts that are continuing to occur.

                  • Sleepycat3 on 14/01/2022 - 14:38
                    +1

                    @entropysbane: Why are you so biased against napkins? We don't tolerate napkinism here.

            • Wildesy on 13/01/2022 - 22:11
              +42

              @AntonioSantino: At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone on this website is now dumber for having read it.

              • Gotchacha on 13/01/2022 - 22:26
                +11

                @Wildesy: I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

            • ttlooshan on 14/01/2022 - 10:40
              +2

              @AntonioSantino: We are talking about rapid antigen tests and this is the the response? An absurd "but Labor" rant? I seriously can't believe this and sometimes I think we really deserve the government we currently have as there are too many people making excuses for these extremely low standards.

        • KILLER5196 on 14/01/2022 - 11:06
          +2

          Average Murdoch reader

      • pharkurnell on 14/01/2022 - 08:48

        Your thinking up market- Napkin?? More like a used shit ticket….

      • papachris on 15/01/2022 - 02:16

        To be honest, they had plenty of time between deciding to cancel Djokovic's visa and actually announcing it - just before the 6pm news on the Friday before the AO starts. Almost like there's an election coming soon…

    • djones145 on 13/01/2022 - 20:34
      +8

      they also have to order them themselves

      and like u said dunno how to track or how much they get…

      classic scomo

    • D3m3ntia on 14/01/2022 - 01:29

      Yup!

    • sam buster on 14/01/2022 - 09:53
      +2

      It doesn't matter if it's not do-able - history will show they made a policy to subsidise free RATs.
      They will probably factor it into their budgets too - regardless of what it's actually costing.

      • cameldownunder on 14/01/2022 - 11:01
        +1

        They also made price gouging and selling them individually illegal. Does that stop it from happening ? No, of course not.

      • papachris on 15/01/2022 - 02:22
        +2

        Bet it will show up as a dot point on their How To Vote cards in March~May. Those same cards that will be headed something like "This is NOT the time to change YOUR Government"…

    • cameldownunder on 14/01/2022 - 10:59
      +1

      Dodgy pharmacies will sell on to other reseller and they sell on. That's how petrol station are selling 1 kit ( without box ) for $25.
      The whole "price gouging is illegal" is just hot air. Too much hot air coming from the politician anyway in the past 6 month. Pulling new regulations out of their asses every day.

      I have tested positive, I had some symptoms, and the severity is similar to a cold in my case ( not like the flu at all )

  • SBOB on 13/01/2022 - 20:16
    +77

    Yep..
    Scotty from marketing saying they are free, and yet did nothing of substance to actually acquire stock to be available…

    Wouldn't want to 'disrupt retailers ability to make a profit'

  • Foodstamps on 13/01/2022 - 20:16
    +57

    I believe he's also giving away free unicorns

    • Aleigh123 on 13/01/2022 - 20:25
      +19

      while stocks last

    • papachris on 15/01/2022 - 02:25
      +1

      My guess is people won't discover until AFTER the election that those Unicorns were just broken down cart horses with strap-ons…

  • donkcat on 13/01/2022 - 20:17
    +16

    My understanding is this is expected to come out of the pharmacies allocation, are they really going to want to eat into their stock for probably $7 each when they can sell them for $10-$15 each

  • InsertANameHere on 13/01/2022 - 20:18
    +46

    Dont forget scomo gets these for free

    • PVA on 13/01/2022 - 22:02
      +34

      And NSW ministers get 20 per week free.
      Pensioners, if it works, get 5 per month and max of 10 in 3 months.

      And the rest of us, well tough luck..

      Crooks I tell ya.

      • Mr Haj on 14/01/2022 - 12:52

        20 per week? are they selling them 2nd hand??? why do they need 20!?

        • PVA on 14/01/2022 - 13:42
          +1

          I guess so their families can be tested free as well.
          I read Labor MPs were donating theirs to charities.

        • papachris on 15/01/2022 - 02:31
          +1

          I heard PerrottetSellerAU has them listed on eBay for $49 each, or 5 for $249…

    • cameldownunder on 14/01/2022 - 11:03
      +1

      I thought his wife is buying them for him. Not going to ask how much she paid tough.

  • Chocobros on 13/01/2022 - 20:18
    +19

    Targeted

  • bargain ben on 13/01/2022 - 20:19
    +69

    This isn’t a deal, this is a press release.

    • ph81 on 13/01/2022 - 20:41
      +4

      Sometimes being a tight ass comes second in life.

    • wakie on 14/01/2022 - 02:03
      +3

      A press release about a deal

      • skinny on 14/01/2022 - 11:20
        -1

        We should start to list all of the pensioner deals then.. starting with free money, discounted medicine, free hospital, etc !

        • Frunk on 15/01/2022 - 01:25
          +2

          I don't see a problem with that.

  • ce5himm on 13/01/2022 - 20:20
    +7

    These become new ps5

    • therealoptimus on 13/01/2022 - 20:22
      +1

      Or Bunnings lego. The crap people post ey?

      • King Steuart on 13/01/2022 - 20:25

        Wait, is my bunnings lego worth something?

      • canon1989 on 13/01/2022 - 20:32
        +4

        Did you just refer your own post as crap?

      • Lizard Spock on 13/01/2022 - 20:37
        +4

        Wait a minute, you revoked the upvote for your own deal. Nice 😎

  • stevo82 on 13/01/2022 - 20:20
    +42

    Hey we can not afford it we just spent 3.5 billion on tanks. The government could not give a rats for its voters.

    • a1b2c3e4f52002 on 13/01/2022 - 20:24
      +15

      Exactly right unless these tanks are capable of travelling underwater I do not see any need for them other than to suck up US's a$$s.

      • Aleigh123 on 13/01/2022 - 20:26
        +1

        I mean, wasn't there the whole AUKUS thing as well with the Nuclear Submarines?

        • raptormesh on 13/01/2022 - 23:01
          +11

          You warhawks are funny af.

        • GoodDealDave on 13/01/2022 - 23:20
          +9

          America will win finally given that Australia starts war against its most important trading partner, China, for USA's benefit. Do you think it is unreasonable that Australia still pays for weapons and fight for Americans? Scomo must love America more than Australia, and he won the election. What a great¡

        • frewer on 13/01/2022 - 23:55
          -6

          A physical war with Chyna ? I cant wait, bring it on

          • peeppeep on 14/01/2022 - 00:21

            @frewer: I thought she died a few years ago? Poor soul let her R.I.P

        • tonka on 14/01/2022 - 01:17
          +2

          An Australia war with China. The same China with 40x our population and prob 10x the military budget? That sounds like genius plan.

          • Jzye on 14/01/2022 - 08:27
            +2

            @tonka: Closer to 60x our pop.

            I'll bet their mil budget is equally as massive, and China develops their own new tanks, subs, planes etc not just buying old shit for exorbitant prices like Aus gov.

          • peterw1 on 14/01/2022 - 13:02
            +1

            @tonka: I'm already using plastic plates in preparation.

        • ihfree on 14/01/2022 - 08:33
          +3

          Lol, you should have a look at who is warmongering. Strange that this is occurring just before an election so it can be used as a wedge issue.

          The ASPI think tank includes weapons manufacturers and the US state department in its backers. War or fear of war is a great way to help the bottom line

          China also has nukes. I'm pretty sure nuclear missiles beat tanks and subs(nuclear or diesel). At least we won't be the country living through an "On the beach" style scenario.

        • tunzafun001 on 14/01/2022 - 11:41
          +3

          China is already at 'war'…. but doing it with $$ not bullets. They are buying all US treasury bonds and will just dump them and collapse their financial system at will.

          Just look at the south pacific…look at who owns our farms, our breweries our mines….why go and blow stuff up and waste billions on bombs when you can just go and buy it.

          • frewer on 14/01/2022 - 13:05

            @tunzafun001: Most people wouldnt understand proxy war and financial war if it hit their pocket x1000 times. The Tell-a-lie-vision and entertainment keep them really busy

          • tonka on 15/01/2022 - 00:03

            @tunzafun001: It does seem to be for sale though.

      • cameldownunder on 14/01/2022 - 11:04

        Can they run on coal? otherwise I dont see how they would be powered in case of war. Or does Australia have oil fields that I am not aware ?

        • bkksam on 20/01/2022 - 17:44
          +1

          Yes Australia does have Oil fields.

    • ChadHominem on 13/01/2022 - 21:34
      +2

      The government could not give a rats for its voters.

      RATs?

    • realist123 on 14/01/2022 - 07:22

      Yeah, tanks for nothin’

      • cameldownunder on 14/01/2022 - 11:05

        Someone played WOT in the parliament, and decided it would be nice to have some in real life.

    • AustriaBargain on 14/01/2022 - 13:33
      +1

      Thanks for nothing, Slomo.

  • Raj09 on 13/01/2022 - 20:24
    +39

    What the hell? 2 years into a pandemic and we are still running out of tests. Where is the planning? Seems like those governing sit there and contemplate about things

    • King Steuart on 13/01/2022 - 20:26
      +42

      They're all just sitting there in Canberra hoping that the majority are still retarded enough to vote for them again.

      • Raj09 on 13/01/2022 - 20:31
        +24

        Yes mate. If I was in a job and delivered such a performance, I'm sacked within months.

      • ghoulie1 on 13/01/2022 - 20:39
        +3

        Need to be in a marginal seat to get any.

      • mini2 on 13/01/2022 - 23:02
        +3

        Haven't you noticed a lot of folks suddenly suffered from amnesia at the voting booth?

    • djones145 on 13/01/2022 - 20:36
      +6

      if he's still around in May then we have to blame ourselves! or labor for being so bad that scomo looks like a saint

      • ihfree on 13/01/2022 - 22:03
        +11

        Don't forget Scotty's real boss Rupert who have almost never supported Labor and run attack campaigns against them.

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