# applied for Medicare card but never got it in 6 months



## verynewuser (Sep 6, 2017)

I am a permanent resident. I applied for Medicare card in March and then had to leave the country due to some reason. The card never arrived at the provided mailing address or if it arrived it could not reach me. Now a week ago I returned to Australia and asked the Medicare persons to re-issue me. The representative told me that I have to apply for a new one through the complete process again as I was out of the country for last 6 months, that old card never got activated (something like this was told).

is it normal?


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## JandE (Jul 17, 2015)

Assuming the card was returned to them, and their records showed that you had left the country, it is feasable that it would have been cancelled at some point.


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## verynewuser (Sep 6, 2017)

*Update*

I called Medicare helpline and, strangely and interestingly, the representative after asking for my data and posting address told me that my new Medicare card has been mailed to my new provided address and it will reach me in 1-2 week time.


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## Skybluebrewer (Jan 15, 2016)

Happened to me. Signed up, waited months and never got the card. I called them and told them I never received it and after talking to two different people (the first telling me I'd have to go back to the medicare centre and do it again), they reissued the card and I had it in a week or so.


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## verynewuser (Sep 6, 2017)

Skybluebrewer said:


> Happened to me. Signed up, waited months and never got the card. I called them and told them I never received it and after talking to two different people (the first telling me I'd have to go back to the medicare centre and do it again), they reissued the card and I had it in a week or so.


Similar situation happened to me when I called the helpline.


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## verynewuser (Sep 6, 2017)

esands said:


> I have gone through the same situation but it wasn't any card, it was just package that i need to be delivered to me before i travel but i couldn't and when i came back i got to know that it never reaches me and returned to the sender, upon asking, the courier company told me that you mentioned the wrong contact number, although i provided them my company address but they just called and thought i m not available at the spot for sometime and returned it. Check if the same happened to you as well.


My issue is resolved by now. Check this:
http://www.australiaforum.com/gener...-card-but-never-got-6-months.html#post1697586


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## ricaj (Aug 20, 2015)

Great to hear that they are responsive to this kind of issue. My sister is getting her Medicare card and I'm crossing my fingers but if everything fails, I know what to do.

Cheers!


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