Calpespain

Retirement Visa 410 Health Insurance cover. Been out of country for a couple of years and now returning in January. I let Bupa health insurance elapse and now cannot find any Aussie insurance companies who are prepared to issue health insurance for me at 72 years old. Just 2 months ago before deciding to return, I checked the BUPA website and could obtain a quote for the visa 410. Now as of today, the website says no policies possible, although the 410 visa type appears in their dropdown box of visa types. Whereas once all of the companies would cover the retirement visa 410, it seems now as we are all getting older and the visa is no longer available the insurance companies are not prepared to insure the risk. Any ideas or suggestion of how to obtain cover to comply with the visa requirement. <snip>

old.sparkles

I've only scanned this briefly - https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/...t-visa-holders

Does it help - looks like UK expats on 410 might get Medicare but as I said, I've only scanned it.

If not, maybe send Bupa an email.

Calpespain

No a 410 visa holder is not entitled to Medicare. Bupa are not responding to emails, maybe because they have gone on Christmas break till Jan 4th. I link above is the appeal lodge years ago and it was refused. Just hoping that somebody in Oz will have a solution to problem. Thanks

tomar

We were with Medibank while we were on the 410 visa until 3 years ago, and well in our 70’s.
on overseas visitor cover ? It was very expensive and increased in cost substantially some years.
Unless things have changed as you must be totally self funded on the retirement visas, you are not entitled to Medicare or anything at all. We took the opportunity of applying for the special pathway 143 visa for holders
of the 410 & 405 retirement visas to get PR, introduced in November 2018? The cost is parable to the parent visa, but you do not have to have children in Australia.
Hope that helps

Calpespain

Hi, You say you may apply for PR however my reading of this means you must have children who are Australian, you say you don't have to have children in Australia but DO YOU NEED Australian children who are citizens somewhere.

tomar

Google pathway to PR for retirees. A special pathway 143 visa was introduced in November 2018 specifically only for holders of the 410/405 retirement visa holders, absolutely no one else. I don’t know if there was a time limit for this visa to be on offer? You do not need to have any children at all to qualify for this visa. The cost is the same as the 143 visa, there are limited spaces, from memory 125 annually? it is a completely separate special visa, to the regular 143 parent visa, and we weren’t added to the long waiting times for the ‘proper’ 143 parent visa. Our PR was through within 6 months. We didn’t need a sponsor, or had to lodge money against any centre link claims, had to have a medical, and be onshore to apply. it was really straight forward.
Many of people we know on the 410 visa decided they were too old to justify the cost, but when I worked out how much we had to spend annually on health insurance, and that increased substantially each year, against the substantially smaller amount we pay for similar cover as PR, felt it was well worth it. I seem to have sadly benefited greatly from having Medicare over the last 3 years!! Plus we are now eligible for any government help we may need,

Calpespain

Thank you. Once I´m back 16/01 I´ll look into this. Did you use an agent or do it all yourself...again thanks for the info.

tomar

We did it ourselves, but must give my husband the credit for doing it.

The link I gave does state that you must have health insurance in place otherwise you will be in breach of your visa

lizzieq

Does the benefits of gaining Medicare outweigh giving up the tax advantages of bein on a 410 visa? Assuming, of course, the main source of pension is not in Australian super

tomar

I’m not quite sure what you mean about 410 tax advantages?
Deciding to go for PR on the special pathway 143 visa from the 410 visa has to be a personal decision depending on your circumstances.
My husband was against it,
a). The cost of the visa
b) He thought we would pay more tax when taxed in Australia

I wanted the security of PR so I pointed out that we would pay at least $5,000 less at the current price for health insurance for the same cover as PR. x 10 years = cost of visa for one of us!!!

Have paid tax onshore for the first time and no more expensive, husband pleasantly surprised, all our income is from UK.

Since getting PR 3 years ago, both have sadly needed Medicare far more than anticipated, even paying the gap the amount is nowhere near the extra we paid for overseas cover, but we still also have health insurance

Yes the cost of the visa is expensive, but I think we did the right thing, and my husband on balance almost agrees!!!

Retirednow

How much does a visa cost if you don’t mind me asking?

tomar

The cost of the 143 pathway visa per person is the same as the 143 parent
1st application $4,225
2nd instalment $43,600

Add in extra cost of medical & police clearance. No sponsor needed.