arvind

After enjoying the fantastic health care in UK for so long it is shock to see the system in Australia.
First i registered with Medicare as advised and got the medicare card.
Second health Insurance naively thought i could take any and came to know the that i can take only 457 visitor cover.
I had to pay Medical levy surcharge the family income is above the threshold(250k).
Contacted BUPA and they advised me take two policies

1.Normal overseas visitors cover+/- extras(Top Platinum one costs $375/month)
2.reciprocal health care cover, costs $110/month(to avoid MLS)

I tried to shop around and not a lot of them know much about this and concluded the opition is BUPA.

I was wondering if anyone else has gone through similar experience.

Arvind

elice_in_oz

Double check with BUPA that the cover will indeed exempt you from the Medicare levey surcharge. And maybe check with the ATO as well. A few years ago, even the top cover for visitors did not exempt us from paying the surcharge as it was classified as travel insurance by the ATO, not proper hospital cover. We ended up paying for an overpriced cover we hardly ever used as well as the surcharge

stuie83

I rang a few places and most tried to sell me hideously expensive insurance for overseas visitors that didn't cover the Medicare Levy surcharge.

Australian Unity were willing to sell me a normal policy for Australian residents. The guy advised me to take out the most basic hospital policy (with or without extras), he stated if I paid for a better policy I'd be wasting my money as Australian Unity would only pay out for items that my reciprocal Medicare card would cover.

Hebe

We suffered the same fate as the OP when we first came here - a very expensive mistake. As poster above says. Get basic hospital cover (you can't use it) and that should do the trick

Things may have changed since though as 6 years ago

verystormy

You want the BUPA visitors policy as this is one of the few that allows 457 holders to get the rebate.

Chortlepuss

You don't want to go to hospital as a private patient unless you can afford very large fees - you are charged a 'gap' fee which is the difference between what your private health cover pays and what the dr/surgeon/hospital charges. I have been in Oz for 5+ years, started off as 457 and have spent an absolute fortune in health cover, and gap charges - for 2 major dental and 1 minor op for my family. It is a serious significant expense of living in Australia

graniteman

hahahaha, i know its a terrible injustice but i guess you are just going to have to dig deep and pay what is due!

AB

Bermudashorts

Are you saying that because you are jealous of someody having a higher income than you perhaps?

Personally I think it is a bit ridiculous that a 457 holder has to pay MLS when they are not even entitled to full medicare.

Sugo

I agree, I am now on a NZ spousal visa here in Oz and even though I am a UK passport holder I am not able to get a medicare card. My last place of residence prior to Oz was NZ. I claim for the Medicare exemption certificate every year so I dont pay any levy or any medicare costs. I am on a special insurance that covers me for public hospitals and outpatients/GP through IMAN which is now owned by NAB. I think I pay around 120 bucks a quarter? Wifey deals with it.

TBH you are much safer in a public hospital. Its great to use private as an out patient but if your sick the public system is safer. Often there isnt senior doctor cover on nights and weekends in private hospitals, the nurses are also sometimes not as skilled as the public ones. The single room, flat screen tv and food is all good but I think I would prefer senior doctors on duty and an ICU that can care for sick patients.

I am an emergency dept nurse working in the public system. Many private patients who get to sick end up being ferried over to us to look after as the pvt cant handle it.

Also I would be pished off as a pvt insurance holder if I knew the real reason that a bed isnt available. Some doctors in the pvt dont accept admissions as they are playing golf, watching the footie or are in the south of France....true story.

fish.01

Interesting, I thought you might not get the exemption because of the reciprocal health care agreement between OZ/NZ.

I think Australia used to cover GP and other stuff as well as hospitals for NZ residents but cut it back to just hospitals because the NZ govt wouldn't provide the same service for Australians in NZ.

verystormy

It depends on the policy. We have numerous health issues over the last 4 years and biggest gap i had was $200 from a $3000 bill.

NZBee

I managed to get a medicare card; I am a UK passport holder, last place of residence was on NZ, and on a 461 visa? Weird...

bingobob777

My employer provides non resident medical cover for 457 visa holders, tucked away inside is one line which says it does not entitle you to claim an exemption from MLS.

I just lied on my tax return, saved a combined 4k from me and the missus.

elice_in_oz

If by lying you mean you said that you had eligible cover for the MLS exemption, then the ATO will most certainly send you a revised notice of assessment asking for the 4k. The health funds report to the ATO and we got stung once when we thought we had eligible cover (honestly!) and we didn't as it was 457 cover. Just sayin'

bingobob777