jac16

Does anyone know if you are covered by Medicare as soon as you arrive.

We are going to take out travel insurance for the trip over (One months cover) but I don't know when medicare kicks in as I don't want to assume we are covered.

Thanks

Jac

Kirsty R

Hi Jac
I think you need to go and register with medicare.You are not automatically covered. Check other threads by putting "medicare" into the search. I think you go to a local surgery and register through them.
Kirsty

mlbonner

You need to go into a Medicare office (one in every large town/shopping centre etc). The official line is 'ten days after you get arrive', but most people seem to wait two weeks. You then take in your passport and just tell them you want to register. They'll issue you with a temp. card and you'll receive a medicare card in the post in due course

jac16

what about private medical insurance - Do you need this or is the Oz system as good at the NHS (e.g. will keep you alive but will takes its time)

mlbonner

OZ system is pretty good, works slightly differently in that you pay for everything up front and then claim a % of it back. I don't know a lot about private care but I did see it the other day on ....(just looking for it) .... this website http://www.immi.gov.au/settle/health/cover.htm

Peter

Don't most GP's still bulk-bill?

JackTheLad

Yeah what is bulk billing? Last time I was in Melbourne there was a big fuss about bulk-billing, debates on TV and everything, but no-one EVER explained what it was

Cheers,
JTL

Peter

It's where a doctor bills Medicare for your consultation, as opposed to you paying up front for a doctor and you claiming it back.

In essence, it's going to the doctor for free.

JackTheLad

The debate I saw about bulk billing was that alot of doctors didn't want to do it ( I assume this means they wanted to charge up front). If reclaiming from the gov works at the same rate as UK, I can understand their reluctance.

What was the outcome by the way, it was going into the budget I thought. Do doctors now have to bulk bill? Or is it still optional?

Thanks for the info Ulujain, I think the phrase (bulk billing) is one of these things that everyone just assumes others understand,

Cheers,
JTL

mlbonner

Yes, but I think it might be something to do with because I was on a reciprocal medicare card when I was there last time on a WHV?? There was certainly "we bulk-bill" signs in a majority of surgery windows.

ABCDiamond

Bulk Billing

You will find some areas where most doctors will Bulk Bill, and other areas where few doctors will bulk bill.

When we were in the cheaper areas of Western Sydney, almost all doctors bulk billed, but in the more expensive areas, very few doctors would consider it.

Due to recent legislation, we are now finding that more doctors are bulk billing for Children and pensioners, due to financial incentives from the government for the Doctors to do this,

In essence when someone visits a Doctor, the Government will pay the "Scheduled Fee" for such a visit. Lets say that is $27.00

If a Doctor fully bulk bills, they will not charge you, but they will get paid that sum of $27 direct from the Government.

Some Doctors wish to charge, say $35. so one of two things happens:

1: The doctor will charge you $35, and YOU claim the $27 back from the local Medicare Office. Net cost to you = $8

2: The doctor collects $8 from you, and gets you to sign the medicare benefit over to them, so they claim the $27 from Medicare. Net cost is the same.

This difference is called "A Gap"
More very recent legislation is putting a limit on the maximum "Gap" that you have to pay each year. ie: Once you have paid a certain figure, Medicare will step in again, and repay more of the doctors bill to you. I don't have full details to hand.

Public Hospitals don't charge anything, and sometimes even give you free medicine !!

PJK

I am sure this has been asked many times before so sorry in advance.

What is the % guide for medicare costs for a family of 5 (i.e. 2 adults and three children)

Regards

PJK
Moving to Perth Jan 05

markeh

Hiya jac16,

you should still be covered by the reciprical agreementg Oz has with the Uk over health. I know you need a form from the Post Office for European countries, but I don't know about Oz.

Bye
Mark

MarkMyWords

Although you will be charged for the ambulance that takes you there. You can (should) get ambulance insurance for this.

ABCDiamond

Good point, i forget about that, now that its been included in the Electricity bill for QLD residents.
So if you have a QLD address, you don't need to get it