Rajus abroad

Hi All

We are currently gathering all the documentation for our 457 Visa and as part of the visa we are required to take out private Health Insurance. Is it right that because we are British we qualify for Reciprocal Health Care? Can anyone with young kids advise me whether a basic Health Insurance Policy along with the Reciprocal Health Care is sufficient for most health care needs such as general doctors visits (Colds, Antibiotics, check ups etc), Minor accidents (we have 3 small kids). Or would it be advisable to get the Gold cover? The Platinum seems very expensive!!

I know its a personal preference but i wasn't sure what the Reciprocal Health care covered? Is it like the NHS in the UK? Would it cover Emergencies or do you need to pay for this depending on the level of cover you have?

Do you have to apply for Reciprocal Health Care, and is it right you have to be a permanent resident to receive Medicare?? Its all very confusing, never had to worry about this before, always just relied upon the NHS!!

Also with regards to the Levy Charge of salaries over $82,000 does that go on a basic salary, as my husband will be doing a job where he earns commission, or does it go on your earnings over the year.

Are dental visits expensive for kids in Australia, as the Platinum policy covers this, but if they're not too expensive then i don't see the point in paying X amount a month extra for dental appointments when we won't use it that much really.

Any help and advice on this is much appreciated!!

grozzy

Hi Rajas,

<snip>

As a British resident, once you arrive in Australia you will qualify for Medicare under the reciprocal agreement. Once you receive this you have the option of stopping your health insurance as Medicare meets the minimum health insurance standard.

In regards to the Medicare Levy, this is the total taxable income a worker receives in a year. So bonuses will be counted. As your husband will already be earning $82k you may find it almost cheaper to have health insurance (if bonuses exceed $6k.

On a personal note, I have been privileged enough to be an Australian resident and live in England (UK). What I noticed is the NHS is more comprehensive then Medicare. I was happy to just be on the NHS in the UK but here in Australia I have private health insurance for my family. This is due to two reasons:
1) Medicare only covers very basic public hospital treatments. If you require something like a knee reconstruction which is not an emergency you can wait up to a year for it. This something I'm not willing to do for my family
2) Medicare doesn't cover dental, optical and other areas so if you plan to see the dentist twice a year and may need glasses you need to look into the 'extra's' element of the policy.

Based on the above areas, I would compare Gold to Platinum and work out what you will really use and if its worthwhile (My family personally doesn't have the highest cover based on price). Also, make sure you compare the funds as some will most likely have policies more suited towards your specific situation.

If you have additional questions please just visit my site and leave an enquiry.

Regards
Justin

verystormy

Ok, complex questions but i will try and help.

When you arrive you go to medicare - there is one in most big shopping centres and register with them. You will initially just get a temp number on a piece of paper until your cards arrive. When you access healthcare you take your card and show it at reception.

It is very common now for people to have to pay to see a GP on top of what medicare cover. For example, medicare covers about $35 and my doctor charges $70, so i have to pay $35 out of my own pocket. There are some that dont charge and this is called "bulk billing" but they are getting harder to find and there are none in my town.

Health insurance normally does not cover GP charges nor does it cover most prescriptions. Here a prescription cost is what ever the drug is charged at. This can be better than the NHS - i have an inhaler that costs less than an NHS prescription. But it can cost a lot more - i recently had some anti biotics that cost $200.

Ambulances can also cost, depending on the state. In WA if you need an ambulance you will be charged about $700. A number of private health plans cover this.

Meicare does cover most hospital treatment, but not as comprehensivly as the UK and waiting times can be high for some things - i needed a gastric examination a couple of weeks ago and the wait was nearly a year, so i used my private and was seen in 3 days. Medicare does cover emergencies and accidents.

The levy applies to total income. Be aware there are not many policies that allow temp visitors (457) to get the advantage of the tax on the levy. The only cover i know does is BUPA visitors cover.

Dental costs in Oz (at least in WA) are very high and cover is a good idea for them.

You will have to have some sort of cover to travel as a condition of your visa. This can be just normal travel insurance for the trip. The look at if you want private cover

BobNorth1951

You really need to ask what the reciprocal health agreement specifies.
It definitely covers tourists on holiday, as we went to the UK last year, got a free visit to a GP in Cornwall and got prescriptions for free.
The same would be available for someone from the UK visiting relatives in Australia.
If you are a temporary resident working in Australia, firstly does the Reciprocal Health Agreement extend to people working temporarily in each other's countries??
If you're a Permanent Resident, then you're automatically covered by Australia's Medicare scheme. Temporary resident?? . . . . not sure.

Secondly, if the Australian gov't issues you a temporary work visa and insists on you taking private health insurance out, then what are the chances of them cancelling your visa if you don't take health insurance out when you land??

Your work visa might work out being very temporary if you ignore the rules.

denzil73

Reciprocal only works for travellers and not residents. Once here the Oz government want you using a little of their funds as possible and hence why they want you to have health insurance.

from when I did it the time period b4 benefits etc are available to you is 2 years.

as for the health system here, it is pretty crap cos even with medicare and health insurance you will be thousands of dollars out of pocket on many surgical procedures and especially dental work.

Basically the gov has a billing number for every medical procedure you could think of and this has a monetary value attched to it. Fine you'd think but the doctors have their own monetary value attched to each code and this far exceeds that of the Gov's number so hence you will pay thru the back teeth.

Health insurance can help you jump to the front of the queue for elective procedures i.e. not deemed by the doctors as immediate, and then it'll cover some of the post op care. Medicare itself will cover the bed costs and try to kick you out as soon as possible but any recovery therapy is not covered.

The UK system may take a while to get to you but at least it's free. Here, nothing is free. Oh and to add insult to injury they usually whack you with a medicare levy at tax time for those with good incomes and no health insurance.

Pollyana

When on a 457 one is covered by the reciprocal agreement ( if from the UK, can't comment on elsewhere). The 457 holder and dependents need proof of private health care to cover them until they arrive in Aus and register with Medicare. After that they are covered reciprocally, and its up to them whether they continue the private cover. There are several companies privding insurance on this basis, no cancellation penalty etc, they expect to only be used until the family are here.
Only applies to 457s as they are temporary residents, not permanent. if they go for PR then they become residents in the eyes of medicare and no longer get reciprocal care, but are entitled to full care.

lesleys

People on 457 visas are temporary residents so any private health insurance needs to be specifically for temporary residents, known in insurance-speak as overseas visitors. You will find you might be able to claim for things not covered by native Australian health insurance, eg pharmacy.
eg BUPA http://www.bupa.com.au/health-insura...FYVZpQodzCQA0g

Medibank also provide this insurance but it is much more expensive. There are other providers - you'll have to read the small print

ED Don't know if this is any good http://www.457visacompared.com.au/

grozzy

Hi Lesley,

That link is actually to my personal website. I'll update the comparison list on the 1st of April (when the price rises occur) but its 100% accurate.

Buzzy--Bee

Not in your case, because you haven't lived in the UK recently, so Australia does not include you in its reciprocal agreement.

My (British) friend left the UK, lived in NZ for 18 months, then arrived here and was given this piece of news. He now has to have private health for everything including GP visits, although he can be seen by A&E in case of emergency.

BB

quoll

Sounds like you were very lucky! British citizens just visiting UK now have to pay something towards any medical interventions - big sign up in our local A&E I saw the other day. No idea about non UK citizens but imagine there would be some kind of co-pay

The reciprocal agreement is for necessary treatment so some temp residents have been caught out by procedures which they may think are necessary but Medicare classes as elective - and therefore full cost. Mind you, with waiting lists as long as they are for public services I'd be inclined to go private these days (my son has just been quoted 44 weeks for a tendon re attachment!) on top of the 6 weeks to get to the specialist in the first place!