Discovering Australia

Health Medical/Dental Systems Overview

The Australia health system is highly advanced. Health insurance is obligatory for everyone residing in Australia. There are two types of health insurance in Australia: public and private. Medicare is Australia’s public healthcare system and provides free or subsidized health care services to Australians and anyone living in Australia on a permanent visa. For information on Medicare Services, go to www.humanservices.gov.au/medicare or visit your local Medicare Service Centre. Some temporary migrants may also be eligible for Medicare services and those who qualify can register for a Medicare card. Helpful Hint: Australia has Reciprocal Health Care Agreements with New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium and Slovenia. Students from Norway, Finland, Malta and the Republic of Ireland aren’t covered by RHC agreements. Nationals of these countries can receive Medicare assistance for essential medical treatments while they are visiting Australia. However, this does not replace the benefits of private travel insurance, nor is it meant for long-term residents from these states. To apply for a Medicare card, you will need to visit a Medicare office nearest to you along with your passport and visa copy. You may also need to provide identification showing you are enrolled in your country’s national health scheme. Bank details need to be provided in Medicare application which is why it is important to open a bank account first. Medicare covers the cost of most essential treatments; however Australians are actively encouraged by their Government to have private health insurance to supplement Medicare. Almost half of all Australians have hospital cover, and more than half of all Australians have general treatment cover. Most of the temporary migrants need to take out private health insurance, the human resource departments will sometimes have recommendations for specific health insurances. Helpful Hint: You can find more information on the private health insurance providers on Australian government’s private healthcare site: www.privatehealth.gov.au Finding a Family Doctor Although registration with a family doctor is not needed, many people in Australia have their own family doctor – a general practitioner (GP) who they see for general health matters, including immunizations, prescriptions, medical certificates, health checks and health advice. You may visit www.healthdirect.gov.au that features a General Practice search to find your closest General Practice services.

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Discovering Australia