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Coming to live in Aus, need some help with health insurance

H

Hamish26

Newbie
Messages
4
Hi everybody,

I am new here and I'd appreciate some support here regarding one subject.
I am 26 years old British and coming to Aus on a temporary working visa for 6 months and after that will enroll on a permanent viza my gf will get from her company.

I cant really find a sufficient support in order to understand more about health insurance and what I am eligible to get?
I have my own insulin pump (I am type 1), but in terms of insulin and other quipment, what does Medicare sponsosrs, if they wont sponsor-how much would that cost?

I would appreciate any support from someone who had this experience before
 
This may be a starting point, until someone with more experience comes along.

I fear it will not be cheap. When you get permanent residency you will have access to the local private health cover for what it is worth. The system in Australia is not great. Even with the maximum private health cover, which costs me almost AUS$5k I am still out of pocket on pretty much every health related appointment I have.
 
Some medicare services are available for UK work visas as the UK has reciprocal arrangements. I don't know the extent but it should be easy enough to get information.

https://www.aussiemove.com/healthcare/healthcare-for-visitors-to-australia
Glenn
 
I fear it will not be cheap. When you get permanent residency you will have access to the local private health cover for what it is worth. The system in Australia is not great. Even with the maximum private health cover, which costs me almost AUS$5k I am still out of pocket on pretty much every health related appointment I have.[/QUOTE]

Hey Tony, is that 5k a year? Could you share how much every visit costs? (you can do that via PM)
 
It would be annual but I pay nowhere near that. You can also claim a portion when filing a tax return

Contact "Australian Unity" by email and ask them ... a major health fund

https://www.australianunity.com.au/

Again, you must take out ambulance cover ... cheap but essential
 
Hi @Hamish26 you can get International Private Medical Insurance from the UK so you can have it all in place before you go, its often used by companies whose workers are oversees longer than a travel policy would cover or for ex-pats.
An insurance broker would be able to provide free quotes or there are a number of insurers you can contact such as aetna or cigna
 
Hamish26 said:
Hey Tony, is that 5k a year? Could you share how much every visit costs? (you can do that via PM)
Click to expand...

Yep AUS$5k per year. It is the top end cover and the prices vary considerably depending upon what level of cover and what "extras" you want. (Extras include dental)

A standard consultation with my GP is AUS$74 and I get AUS$37.05 back from the government. Private health insurance does not cover this.

I had a tooth extracted last week and the cost from the dentist was AUS$455 - I got back 200 and then another 50 as a package bonus. (My policy is an older one and has no excess and I am reluctant to change coz all new ones seem to have an excess now - part of my policy allows me to get cash back over the years membership.) [I play the frequent flyer "game" and quite frankly even the most complicated aspects of that are way simpler than private health schemes in Australia.]

To be honest the whole public/private split in Australia is confusing and complicated. I'm with Medibank and it has it's "own" providers - if I visit one I will not be out of pocket...depending upon what they are providing.

Initially though you will be on a different policy because you don't have permanent residency. I guess it will be more akin to a travel insurance policy.

Scimama said:
Hi @Hamish26 you can get International Private Medical Insurance from the UK so you can have it all in place before you go........
Click to expand...

That is what I would do now I have plenty of hindsight!!
 
I lived in Australia from 1999 to 2017, and didn't get PR till 2003. I was covered by medicare from the start though, which made a big difference. Though I did have private medical cover (for tax reasons), it never helped me with any of my diabetic needs, though I believe it would have covered the cost of a pump but not the consumables if I'd chosen to have one (note you have to wait a year before existing conditions are covered).

So, double check whether your visa means you're covered by medicare. If you are, then you may or may not pay a small fee every time you see the doctor (eg $20, but some doctors "bulk bill" and see you for free, tends to depend on your location). You have to pay a fixed fee for prescriptions, but it's not much compared to the actual cost of insulin. If you see a specialist then part of his fee will be covered by medicare, but only part. If you pay more than a cetain amount per year then medicare will start covering all your fees, but I never got there.

Dentists are mouth wateringly expensive, BTW.

I only got private health insurance AFTER I became a PR, and only bothered for tax reasons. It won't save you money for care, though if you're planning a pregnancy and want a fancy private room it might be the way to go. (Nothing wrong with the public system, IMHO.)

So, double check you're covered by medicare. If you are, there won't be any massive individual fees (possibly if you have to buy a new pump?). The reciprocal health agreement means that emergency trips to hospital are free, BUT get ambulance cover because that isn't free (though maybe in some states?)
 
everyone, thank you so much it was useful. what i am going to do now is to assess all options here. I sent email to medicare, will send to Australian Unity. Appreciate all responses, will try to work my way from here
 
Hamish26 said:
everyone, thank you so much it was useful. what i am going to do now is to assess all options here. I sent email to medicare, will send to Australian Unity. Appreciate all responses, will try to work my way from here
Click to expand...
Start paying the premiums well before you come to Australia, this helps with the waiting period for some medical treatments after you get here.

As you did not say what state you are coming to, here;s a link that explains the ambulance costs /coverage state by state.

https://www.comparethemarket.com.au/health-insurance/ambulance-cover/
 
I wouldn't bother with health insurance unless
1) you're not covered by medicare
or
2) you need it for tax reasons (earning over $90,000 per year).
 
EllieM said:
I wouldn't bother with health insurance unless
1) you're not covered by medicare
or
2) you need it for tax reasons (earning over $90,000 per year).
Click to expand...

I'm in two minds about that. Tax reasons dictate I need some form of health insurance and it is part of my work financial compensation anyway.

If I had to pay myself I certainly would not be on the top rate, and I would certainly be thinking twice about it if my tax situation did not require it. I have not seen a benefit so far, but mainly because I have been in reasonable health.

The OP needs to research exactly what he will get from medicare, I would be nervous coming to Australia on a work visa without some sort of insurance for dental, ambulance, etc. I guess everyone's circumstances vary.
 
TonyHancock said:
The OP needs to research exactly what he will get from medicare, I would be nervous coming to Australia on a work visa without some sort of insurance for dental, ambulance, etc. I guess everyone's circumstances vary.
Click to expand...

Oops, I forgot ambulance. They absolutely need ambulance cover unless they're in a state which covers them anyway. I would agree with dental, but my cover (medibank) never seemed to cover that much of it. It was great for visits to a physio, though .
 
EllieM said:
I would agree with dental, but my cover (medibank) never seemed to cover that much of it.
Click to expand...

Yep agreed on dental costs. I have had some major dental work done and my, much preferred, dentist is not on the Medibank Members Choice list. It has cost me a small fortune over the last five years.

The whole private health insurance setup is a shambles in my opinion, with the government effectively forcing people to take it up via the threat of increased premiums as you get older and via the tax system. Don't get me started on the medicare levy!!!!!!
 
There ARE tax deductions for private health insurance as well.
 
Mike D said:
There ARE tax deductions for private health insurance as well.
Click to expand...

Yes I tend to forget it is income dependent, I guess in dome respects I am lucky that I don't get any tax deductions for private health insurance.
 
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