sunny side up

hi all,

went to medicare just after i arrived here on my fiancé visa (T300) and was told that i couldnt get a 'proper' medicare-card till i got my temp spouse visa (T309). they could however give me a 'temp-card', but even without that card i would be entitled to health cover because of a reciprical (spelling???) agreement between australia and the netherlands.

sounded good, so i decided not to bother with the temp card, as i would still be able to claim without it and get my real card after we got married.
went to the doctor yesterday ($50 for a pill-prescription!!!! wasnt even in there for more than 3 minutes...'which one did you have in holland', 'well, that one', 'okay, here's your prescription') and went to medicare this morning hoping to get my bill refunded.

i wouldnt be writing this thread if they'd payed me my money, so as you've probably guessed by now, i was told that i didnt qualify.
the T300 visa doesnt make me elligible for medicare, i'll only be elligible once i get my temp spouse visa, and to claim it under the reciprical agreement i'd have to show a certificate from my dutch health insurance, which of course i dont have as i dont have any health insurance in holland because i no longer live there!!!

so now i'm worried...its not about the 50 dollars, but i has made me wonder - what if something serious happened to me now??? what if i had an accident in the next few weeks, who would end up paying the bills??? cos right now it looks like i'm on my own - not covered in australia, not covered in holland...

any ideas anyone????

thanks, tanja

JAJ

As soon as you *lodge* your application for the spouse visa (it will be an 820 onshore, not a 309) you will be entitled to Medicare.

Until then you are covered under the terms of the reciprocal healthcare agreement. While not many people on this forum will know the details as they relate to the Netherlands, usually these agreements cover *visitors* to Australia.

If you have no health cover, you will need private health insurance.

Jeremy

Laurie1st

I have been investigating private insurance to cover me for the few months between my arrival in Oz, and our wedding. It looks like it runs between $150 and $225, depending on the coverage.

Was that $50/month for the pill, or was that for several months worth?

Deadmeat

Aye, my position exactly ... I understand that the reciprocal agreement is for non-urgent treatment also.

Just had a docs appointment and x-ray on fingers (an injury sustained in Oz but a month old, so non-urgent) and it cost $50 + $70.

Basically I'm just a tourist until the application for the spouse visa.

Siren & Brian

Funny.... were you there when Kala and I were discussing the temporary Medicare card thing on St Paddy's?
I had the same issue.. no coverage here until I applied for the spouses visa. As soon as you have received your acknowledgement letter, hotfoot it to medicare and apply. They give you a temp one for a year and it's automatically renewed as long as your visa is still processing (and not cancelled because you've left etc..)

It was scary being here for a year without medical insurance (which takes a year to come into effect if you choose private anyway) but we managed. Thank goodness!

On the bright side... it's not long now, is it??

Siren

Deadmeat

Medical insurace is damned expensive too ... and you are right about the waiting and qualification periods, it pays to read the small print.

AND we still pay medical levy tax (which is higher if you don't have private insurance) without getting any advantage! Oh well, I'm sure the government is spending the money wisely ...

JayDeee

My sis had to go to the dr's with a perferated ear drum, she couldn't get an appointment and didn't have a medicare card (WHM visa so she is entitled but hadn't got round to getting one) so she called Medicare to ask what to do and they told her to go to A and E, with her passport, the reciprcal health agreement would be taken into account and she would not be charged for anything including prescriptions. She thought it odd so called the hospital to confirm before turning up at A and E with a bad ear and was told that most people do it, come on down and we'll see what we can do for you.

She is in the process of getting her ear sorted and has had 4 lots of antibiotics all free of charge.

Another girl stayi9ng here had a bad cough, she also went to A and E and was told she did not need antibiotics yet but it might get worse in which case she will, she was heading North where there are less hospitals and medical centres and was given 50 Penecillin free of charge to take with her just incase she needs them.

Strange healthcare system here, maybe all these free drugs from the hospital are where the Medicare Levy has gone

Kala

bondipom

I perforated my eardrum on the WHV. I turned up at St Vinnies on the Monday morning and was treated promptly without charge. I just showed my passport.

sunny side up

hi laurie,

that $50 was just to get the prescription...then had to go to pharmacy to get 4 months worth which cost me $39...i'm sure there will be price differences between the different pharmacies, but i, slacker, left it to the last minute and couldnt really be running around comparing prices
i remember seeing a thread on here not long ago where someone got 6 months worth (i think) for $25, so it might pay to shop around a bit.

siren, i agree, pretty scary to be here without any medical insurance, good thing i didnt know that till last saturday - have been very careful since
and you're right, not long now - we've set the date for 5 june!
oh, btw, rang immi in perth last week - was told that we have to do the whole application again and we're a bit too short on time to try and do it the way you and brian did - getting married on 5 june, visa runs out 14 july...bugger...

tanja

Pollyana

I'm now on a Temp Spouse Visa and you still have to pay towards prescriptions on that, as well as if the doctor is not bulk-billed you have to pay part of the cost of the consultation.
I actually found no difference between the card I had on Pros Spouse and the card I have now - same cost at our health centre ($70, $35 refunded), same prescription cost too. I appreciate that Tanja's situation may be different being Dutch, but am puzzled by Deadmeat - you are from the UK aren't you?

Deadmeat

I was told from a Medicare bloke that I could not have any non-urgent treatment or concessions at all until I was on the 2nd stage of the Visa ... hmmm, maybe I'll ask another Medicare bloke and claim my docs appointment and x-ray fee back.

Don't mind paying a levy if it benefits the community ... I ain't a Tory

Deadmeat

I thought the advice I got (straight from a Medicare desk no less) was gospel, no free treatment or concessions for non-urgent cases. He even checked my actual visa with "the powers that be".

Ah well, only a couple of weeks to go until Stage 2 ...