looky

I thought I knew enough about medicare but not so sure after reading the BE wiki http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Healthcare_in_Australia

It says;
I have been on a 457 for a little over a year now and have applied for PR in Aug/Sep 2008. I have always thought that because I took up private health insurance (visitor's insurance from Medibank private) this is what will cover me instead of medicare. Do I have to (is it a requirement for people residing in Oz who satisfy the medicare criteria to have a medicare card ?) apply for a medicare card even though I am on private health insurance? If so have I already exceed the one year limit and have to pay the extra loading?

I have actually applied for a medicare exemption cert for the last financial year from medicare as my home country does not have reciprocal health arrangement with Oz. However, the tax person who did my last tax return still put in the basic medicare levy (which was not refunded to me but I thought the whole idea of an exemption cert was to get the medicare levy refunded?) except the extra as I have private health insurance.

goldchoccycoin

If you applied in Aug/Sept 2008 you are eligible for Medicare.

There is no loading on Medicare - that is to do with private health insurance and won't be applicable to you if you get private health AFTER you get PR (within 12 months of getting PR).

Basically, keep your private til your PR is granted. Get your medicare card NOW. When you get PR you can either keep your private or get rid of it and consider if you need it. If you do need it make usre you get it sorted before 12 months as a PR are up - or you will pay the loading.

ABCDiamond

The quote on the Medicare site is There is a calculator available at: http://www.privatehealth.gov.au/dyna...althCover.aspx

I just ran this example:

By changing the Medicare answer, I then got:

Even if you had to pay the loading, it would currently be 0% anyway.

But I would double check with your EXACT details.

Swerv-o

Yes, ABCDiamond is right - this is incorrect. The 12 month grace period to avoid health insurance loading starts from the day that you register with Medicare, not the day you become a PR. So in the case of the OP, your 12 month clock starts when you register with Medicare for full benefit having become eligible by applying for a permanent visa. If you have already done this, then your clock has already started, and you should establish when your critical dates are.

Remember also that the lifetime loading doesn't come into effect until you are 30, so if you haven't yet reached that ageing milestone, then you don't need to worry about it until you do.


S

mulben

looky
However, the tax person who did my last tax return still put in the basic medicare levy (which was not refunded to me but I thought the whole idea of an exemption cert was to get the medicare levy refunded?)

The cert. just means you dont have to pay a Lifetime Health Cover loading it has
nothing to do with taxation

Swerv-o

Yes and no.

Everybody pays the Medicare Levy - 1.5% of your income, which gets added on at tax time.

If you earn over $70k, then you also have to pay the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS), which is an extra 1%, on top of the regular Medicare levy, also added at tax time.

If you have private health insurance, with an approved Australian health fund, then that exempts you from having to pay the MLS.

BUT private medical insurance is subject to aged loading, so that people don't just buy in when they get old, and in more need of medical cover. The aged loading is 2% of the premium for every year that you are over 30, to a maximum of 40% (I think though I could be wrong there).

If you are a migrant who is over 30, you have a years grace period from the date that you register with Medicare to buy private health insurance and be exempt from the aged loading - so if you are 40 when you arrive, but you take out cover within that 12 month period, they certify your age as 30 for the purposes of aged loading.

So, Medicare, private health insurance and taxation are all linked together in a complex system.

If you earn $70k, and have no private health insurance, then you will pay an extra $700 tax in the MLS. The cheapest rivate cover is about $500, plus you get a bit of health cover (though admittedly not very much), but it still saves you $200 in tax. Obviously, the more you earn over $70k, the better value private health cover becomes.


S

pumpkin blossom

OK, so now I am confused too, as on a student visa (nowhere near PR) we are entitled to medicare treatment. But for most of us it is likely to be near 3-4 years before we get PR. But we do have to have medical insurance while on this visa.
Anyone any ideas how this works?

Swerv-o

There is a difference between being entitled to full Medicare and the entitlements that are available under the reciprocal healthcare agreement.

though I am no expert, it sounds to me as though you are entitled to the latter.

You may want to check with the Dept of Health and Ageing though.


S

ABCDiamond

Confusion abounds ! I just read this on a government website: It was dated 2005.

and this from another government website: In regard to the Reciprocal Health Care Agreements, they do say: "If your application to enrol in Medicare is approved, you will receive an Australian reciprocal health care card"

This may not be a full Medicare enrolment...

I would send an email to the link at http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/...isitors/uk.jsp to double check all this.

pumpkin blossom

According to others on student visas they have claimed just for normal things from medicare.

Thinking back, I got a medicare card back in 1999 while on a WHV. It all gets very confusing.

looky

I just had a read of the link from ABC diamond and it says
I think I thought the loading applies to medicare (govt health cover), but having read the above its actually about taking up private health insurance...so my worries is nothing to worry about then since I will be taking up private health insurance anyway. The question remains if medicare card/registering with medicare is still required even having private health insurance?

EDIT: LOL I think I just answered my own question with the above quote...Yes i do have to get a medicare card even if I am on private health!

Apologies for being so thick about medicare!

looky

I finally get that now! LMAO

Had a busy day hehehe

benreffell

Oh ****!

I thought the Lifetime Health Cover only started when I became a PR (currently I'm a temporary res). I'm over 40 and I'm now 2mths over the 1yr limit (which I now see is the case). I'm sure this is what they told me on the phone. I've looked back through my paperwork and can't find any reference to it.

Does anyone know if it's possible to get the 1yr waivered or appeal in some way?

looky

Have a read of this;
Depends if they class new migrants as only those already with PR or if they include those on temp visa but applied for PR?

benreffell

Hi Looky,

Thanks for the reply, I suspect it begins when you are a temp resident, unfortunately for me.

I should have also mentioned I've got an "Interim Medicare Card" which I've had for just over a year.