Hundreds of dollars in Medicare rebates unclaimed by almost one million Australians

Almost one million Australians are missing out on hundreds of dollars in unclaimed Medicare rebates.

Services Australia said about $270 million in Medicare rebates is currently sitting unclaimed, largely because people have not updated their bank details with the government.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Millions in unclaimed Medicare benefits waiting for Australians.

On average, each person is owed about $275 each, Services Australia general manager Hank Jongen told 7NEWS.

Of the unclaimed funds, $85 million is owed to residents in New South Wales, $67 million in Victoria, $54 million in Queensland, $32 million in Western Australia, $20 million in South Australia, and $5 million in Tasmania.

Young people aged 18 to 24 make up the largest group missing out, with about 250,000 Australians in that age bracket owed money.

Jongen said many young people were unaware they needed to provide their own bank details, even if they were still listed on a parent’s Medicare card.

He said reclaiming the money was simple, requiring Australians to log into their myGov account, access Medicare, and ensure their bank details were up to date.

“You just follow the prompts to check your bank account details,” Jongen said.

“If you’re owed money, we’ll tell you how much you’re owed.

“And once you update your bank account details, you’ll be paid that cash within three working days.”

Jongen said awareness campaigns typically lead to an immediate drop in unclaimed rebates as people realise the money is waiting for them.

“People use their Medicare card at the doctor and don’t think any more about it,” Jongen said.

“When they change bank accounts, it doesn’t occur to them to update Medicare.”

Those who cannot access their Medicare account online are encouraged to contact Services Australia directly for assistance.