Major Medicare change coming for one million Aussies
The new addition to the myGov app hopes to make access to Medicare cards easier for Aussies.
Australians will now be able to access a digital version of their Medicare card via the MyGov app, making healthcare more accessible for the now one million users of the app.
The app was launched last year and promised to be a 'one-stop shop' for Aussies to store their official documents and access government services, with Medicare now linked from Thursday.
It includes a built-in digital wallet (similar to the iPhone feature that stores bank cards) and will prioritise security alongside convenience, allowing the universal public health card to be accessible on the go.
The digital card is already accessible on the Medicare app and on the myGov website, but the latest addition to the app is part of the government's plan to eventually make everything available in the one place for users.
Security features in myGov app to protect privacy
The app includes several features which add extra layers of security for the highly sensitive documents being stored digitally.
Doctor shares confronting X-ray to highlight leading cause of death in US kids
Daniel Andrews slammed over 'secretive' trip to China: 'Not good enough'
Byron Bay surfer 'furious' after suffering horrific injury from reckless act
To set-up and gain access to the app itself, a six-digit PIN, fingerprint or face verification is required. Further security measures are also in place to view confidential documents.
“As with all items in the myGov wallet, the Medicare card has protections against fraud and theft, including a hologram and QR code,” Government Services Minister Bill Shorten told NewsCorp.
“The animated hologram shows that the card is not just a screenshot and the QR code can be scanned by health professionals to confirm the card is genuine and valid.”
The new myGov app hit 1 million downloads today!
Dr Evil may be my marketing ploy but this app is all about making life for Aussies easier.
Accessing government services, payments and IDs shouldn’t be stressful - we’re changing that.
Download it here: https://t.co/fggiwf7rnH pic.twitter.com/WGJpNmkHfa— Bill Shorten (@billshortenmp) March 9, 2023
At the start of the month the myGov app hit a milestone with one million downloads. The latest addition hopes to make healthcare more convenient and accessible for the people actively using the app on their phone, and is a step towards Minister Shorten's bigger plan for myGov.
“[It] is at the start of a significant evolutionary journey to deliver simple and secure access to government services, shaped around the needs and preferences of the people who use it,” he said.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
