armamoza

Hello everyone,

We are a couple averaging 30 years old, both self-employed. We are Belgians, currently living in Belgium, but we are looking to work and live as permanent residents in Australia, also as self-employed workers. (Visa procedure ongoing.)

Would any of you be able to advise us on the suitable health insurance options for this situation to cover any waiting period that might apply for us before we could benefit from Australia's Medicare system? As we are quite happy with the cover we have in Belgium (public system + additional private hospitalisation insurance) we'd ideally be looking for something that gives us the same cover.

If you would have any experience going through the same search, we'd appreciate very much if we could "stand on your shoulders"! :-)


Thx & cheers,

Armamoza

furkew

http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/...isitors/uk.jsp

You have reciprocal healthcare agreements the same as we had when we moved from Holland a couple of years ago.

The health service is pretty good IMO, although the Dutch system was better.

JAJ

Reciprocal healthcare agreement is irrelevant if they arrive as permanent residents. If you arrive as a migrant and commence living in Australia you immediately register for Medicare and there is no waiting period.

comet555

As JAJ said if you arrive as permanent residents then you get immediate coverage under medicare (public health system).

Private health care coverage is another matter and it's entirely up to you if you want to pay for it. If you do decide to pay for it there may or may not be a waiting period for certain things.

furkew

True.

I was rushing to get to work when I replied. Sorry. My bad

armamoza

Thanks all for your quick response!

Would you know if we could avoid a waiting period if we could submit a declaration from a Belgian insurer basically saying that we have no prior conditions, that we already served a certain waiting with them x amount of time, etc.? Something like a carry-over from one insurer to the other?

Thx,

Armamoza

fish.01

Medibank Private (one of the large insurers) says:

Transferring from Another Australian Registered Health Fund (Portability)

Provided that:
• you join Medibank Private within two (2) months of the date on which you cease to be covered by another Australian fund;
and
• you have served the applicable waiting periods with that former fund,
....

JAJ

Hi
Did you understand there is no waiting period for Medicare?

(there might be for private health coverage).