I live in Aus. I'm pretty certain (please check) that all UK citizens are covered by Medicare in Australia.
https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/enablers/rhca-visiting-from-united-kingdom
Medicare covers all public hospital admissions, some GP visits (bulk billing clinics) and access to subsidised medications. All prescription drugs are max $38 (25 pens / cartridges) of insulin, packet of drugs e.g. statins (unless there is a generic brand that maybe much cheaper.
Private Health Insurance covers elective procedures e.g. knee reconstruction (you could get this done in a public hospital, but depending on a number of things you may need to wait months to years) whereas private, next week. Most private hospitals do not have emergency departments and do not perform complex procedures. Insulin pumps are also provided as part of private health insurance.
Private Health insurance also have an add on package Extras, this covers some or all costs of prescription glasses, dentist, physio, hearing aids etc.
You must get onto the NDSS, this gives you access to highly discounted pump supplies and blood glucose strips.
Also get Ambulance cover (sometimes covered by private health insurance). If you are healthy and don't need a pump for a number of years, Private Health insurance may not be of any benefit, because if you need emergency hospital you will be carried of to a public hospital.
NDSS is the National Diabetics Services Scheme show your card and a pack of 100 Blood Glucose Test Strips is about $16 instead of $66. You need to go through a process to get pump supplies added, but once you do it will cost around $27 per month.
I would suggest bring :-
- 3 weeks of insulin
- 2 months of pump supplies
find a good GP (keep shopping around until you do) and find out about ambulance cover.
Private Health Insurance is not that expensive in Australia, especially for basic that is all that is required for Insulin Pumps.
Let me know if you have any questions.