Overseas student health cover
Australia has a special system of health cover for international students called Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). You must have health cover for the duration of your enrolment as a condition of your visa requirements. OSHC will help you pay for any medical or hospital care you may need while you’re studying in Australia, and will contribute towards the cost of prescription medicines and an ambulance in an emergency. Dental, optical and physiotherapy are not covered. Your institution arranges OSHC for you. When you arrive in Australia you must register with an insurance company to get your membership card.
OSHC providers:
The cost of OSHC depends on how long you will be in Australia and your OSHC provider. Generally, premiums start at about A$75 for three months’ insurance (A$312 a year). If your spouse and/or dependent children accompany you to Australia you will need to pay a family premium. If you come to Australia on a visa other than a student visa, and your course of study is under three months’ duration, you will not be eligible for OSHC. In this case travel insurance is recommended.
Homesick or lonely?
Feeling lonely or home sick? Please follow
this link for some good advice how to cope with it but also how to prevent feelings of homescikness. You will even find some great tips for parents~
Health Care in Australia
How is the healthcare system in Australia organised? Well in 1984 a comprehensive health care system, Medicare, was introduced. Medicare facilitates access by all eligible Australian residents to free or low-cost medical, optometric and public hospital care, while leaving them free to choose private health services. Individuals’ financial contributions to the public health care system are based on their income. People admitted to public hospitals as public (Medicare) patients receive treatment by doctors and specialists nominated by the hospital. They are not charged for care and treatment or after-care by the treating doctor.
Private patients
Private patients in public or private hospitals can choose the doctor who treats them. Medicare pays 75 per cent of the Medicare schedule fee for services and procedures provided by the treating doctor.
For patients who have private health insurance, some or all of the outstanding balance may be covered. Private patients are charged for hospital accommodation and items such as theatre fees and medicine. These costs may also be covered by private health insurance but are not covered by Medicare. Private hospitals provide about one-third of all hospital beds in Australia. Also most dental services and allied health services such as physiotherapy are done by private practitioners
About half of all Australians have private health insurance.
Are visitors to Australia eligible for medicare assistance?
The Australian Government has signed reciprocal health care agreements with the governments of the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Finland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand and Sweden. Visitors from these countries are eligible for Medicare assistance for medically necessary treatment.
If hospital treatment is required, such visitors are eligible for treatment only as Medicare patients, not as private patients. The agreements between Australia and these countries vary slightly. Other visitors are not eligible for Medicare and should arrange for health insurance to cover their stay in Australia.
Kanga Market
(0 comments)