Medicare
 

Am new here so sorry if you already know this!

Was advised to phone Medicare to check whether we would be covered. Phoned and was told that I was definately not covered and would have to arrange my own health insurance.

Phoned again a week later to be told that we were covered under the UK reciprocal agreement!

I am now the proud owner of a temporary medicare card!

Hope that helps!

hi there,

so what did you have to do, ie forms that you filled, proof of visa etc.....?

and how long is a temporary card for ?

cheers

kev

Simple......everything here is!
 

That title isn't supposed to sound rude...lol...rather to underline the fact that once in Aus I have found unnecessary bureaucracy to be almost non existent!

Once I had my new visa stuck in my passport I took it into a medicare office ( again 5 mins down the road in Westfields)
5 min wait in line.
2mins filling a simple form.
2mins lady inputting the data.....
Hey presto a temporary medicare card which has to be renewed once a yr on temp visas.

Hope that helps.
Esther

Re: Simple......everything here is!
 

thanks a lot,

cheers kev..

when we were on a temp visa my daughter broke her arm, we were covered by medicare for some of the treatment but not all, as the agreement only covers 'immeadiatly nessesary treatment only' and apparently plastering of a childs broken arm isn't covered!! Once you have been diagnosed with something which turns out to be not covered under medicare getting insurance will be nearly immpossible - so be warned. Also i was involved in a car accident and as I arrived at the hospital, neck in a brace, attached to a heart monitor with an oxygen mask on - was stopped on the stretcher in the doorway and asked for the name of my insurance company!

vicki

Too true
 

I did know that it was for immediate treatment only but assumed that things like broken arms would be covered!!
Blimey bad experiences you had. I would agree with your suggestion that you should check out exactly what is and isn't covered.

For nurses i know it is not an issue as we will be covered by our employers. This was a part of my visa issue so I wonder if it applies to all people sponsored for 4yr working visas.

Esther