Hi all,

I though I'd share with you the problems I am experiencing in registering with Medicare, just so that you may be forewarned.

I went in this morning to try and register and was told that the documents I had 'were not the right ones'. I took my passport with my visa, my contract from my job, my TFN advice letter and my local bank cards, as it suggests on the Medicare web site.

The (unhelpful) bloke behind the desk said that I needed more ID to prove that I was actually living here. Now, as I am in a shared house, and have only been here 10 weeks, I don't have any bills with my name and address on. I havn't received any bank statements yet and my credit card hasn't been approved yet.

So at the mnoment I'm really struggling with this. Has anybody else found this?

They gave me a really 'useful' sheet, and they are asking for things like letters form my previous employer stating that I have left, evidence of the sale of my UK property, customs documents relating to importing my possessions or evidence of closure of UK banking facilities. They also suggested that I could get a letter from the British High Commission stating that I have left the UK! I can imagine how easy that will be to get hold of...

Part of the problem is that I opened my bank account before I arrived, so don't have any documentation of having opened one after arrival. It seems that the system is heavily loaded against the independent traveller who comes with a couple of suitcases, then stays in shared accommodation.

Problem is that I could really do with going to see the Doctor, as I have had strange stomacg pains for the last 2 weeks, and they don't show any signs of going away...

Any suggestions?

S

We had similar sort of problems, usually when your visa is granted, medicare can access something on DIMIAs system to show all the visa details but for some reason, nothing showed up with ours!! I had to fill in a form and write a 'story' saying how we had settled and how we were making australia our home, i had to show them the rental agreement for our house, the school wrote a letter confirming that kiddies were enroled in school ,and also got our case officer from dimia to email them as well, it was a huge hassle but we did get it sorted eventually !!

Good luck ,and i hope you feel better soon

fee x

That sounds like a nightmare!!.

When we went, all I had to show was our passports It took about 20 minutes for us to get registered.

Maybe you got someone who is new and doesn't know the procedure?, I'd go back and ask to speak to a manager or supervisor, or go to a different office if there is one near you.

We opened our bank account before we arrived too.

I hope you get it sorted out

Sounds like a bit of a nightmare! How about going into the bank to change your details to your new address and asking them to print you out a letter there and then. If you feel like you need to see a doctor I would do that and pay up front and then worry about sorting out medicare later - your health has to be number one priority.

I hope someone else has some other good suggestions... good luck!
Suzi

I am very surprised as we had none of those problems and I would contact the medicare help line to check as this all sounds a bit OTT. We just went in with passports and 100 points of ID which included the passport as we had little else, we were in temporary accommodation so had no house details and had no problems at all.
Good luck.
Nicky

You don't need to prove residency in Australia if you are a new migrant. Your visa is enough.

Read this booklet, and try another office. If they are equally unreasonable, insist on speaking to a manager/supervisor:
http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/...ligibility.pdf

For future reference, you ought to know that the Parliamentary Ombudsman can call government departments and agencies to account for incompetent administration:
http://www.ombudsman.gov.au/

Thanks Jeremy,

I will print this off and take it with me.

Thanks all for your supportive comments!

S

Just to let you know, I've been to the quack, and she thinks that I have an inflamed bowel. Probably brought on by stress, and possibly combined with excessive alcohol consumption...

Ooops....

Anyway, I though I'd just remark on what an efficient and high quality service it was - 20 mins from walking in off of the street to prescription in hand, and all for $56, $31 of which are refundable.

There was no faffing about registering, or filling in health questionairres, just straight in and straight to the doctor with barely chance to breathe. A 15 min consultation, where she took blood pressure and did other doctorly things.

It was certainly a contrast to Doctors surgeries in the UK - probably wouldn't have been able to get an appointment until sometime next week. I think it's probably worth paying the money for that sort of convenience. I know there were times when I would have gladly paid over 25 pounds just to see the doc.

Anyway, hopefully I'm not dying after all, and I have a months worth of pills, so that gives me a month to get Medicare sorted out.

Thanks for your help,

S

I'm glad you got it sorted out. Now stay off the alcohol

Yes mum

I'm glad it's you that can't drink and not me

[QUOTE=Swerv-o]possibly combined with excessive alcohol consumption...

Is this the point where you sit there with your fingers in your ears going la la la la la I can't hear you ?
Nicky

She only said cut down, not rule out. How about if I only drink at the weekends?

S

[QUOTE=NickyP] Oh no, she was the most stunning Doctor I had ever met - it was hard not to hang on her every word, drooling like an imbecile...

S

Go for it