mgazia10

I am moving to Oz for a year on a working hol visa, but wasnt sure about health care.
I ahve tried finding out on various websites but dont have a clearer picture??

Is it the same as Britain, where you can register at a docs, and go there for free? or do you have to pay for this service?

Pollyana

The Australian version is called Medicare. Some WHV holders are eligible for some emergency treatment under Medicare but it depends what passport you hold.
Even then doctors here are not free, anything from $30 upwards, dependin gon who you see. You don't register with one either, you can see a different one each time if you wish.

Do a search of the forum for "Medicare" for more details.

hevs

Have to disagree with you on this point. If you can find a Dr who Bulk bills there are plenty of free ones

quoll

What is it with the poms and the need to find free healthcare? Bulk billing was designed as a safety net for those who could not afford the co-payment most Aussies pay out the $30 or so per visit.

mgazia10

I think thats a sad response, I live in UK where healthcare is free, the only resource I have is the internet to find out what actually is offered in Oz, not 'trying' to get free health care, and even if I was, I dont see the harm, in being treated when required without having to cough up a ridiculous amount of money!

fish.01

I found it more common to cost between $0 to $30 rather than $30+. You do register, but it is a quick and simple registration so different to UK. If they are full they can refuse to register you but never had this happen to me. Probably depends whether you live in city or not. Plenty of free one's in the big cities if you look. The rest of the hospital system is very similar to the NHS. Some British immigrants will say it's worse, some will say it's better....so you can probably assume it is similar to UK.....luck of the draw depending on location.

hevs

So you know how much everyone earns now then do you? I love the generalization of "most Aussies" pmsl!

hevs

A very sad response especially as the person who wrote doesn't have privvy to anyones financial situation!

There is no harm in it what so ever, in fact I would struggle to find a surgery that doesn't bulk bill around here...Good luck and enjoy your time here

Eastend Girl

The OP will have to register with Medicare in order to take advantage of bulk billing. I had to pay $900 towards my Medicare card when I came here 12 years ago on PR visa.

Tooterelli

Healthcare is never free. Don't you know how much you pay in N.I. contributions?

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong but I think Ozzies pay twice. Once as a deduction from salary and then again on visiting a practitioner. Is that correct?

Sammy T

In effect yes, there is the standard Medicare levy of 1.5 % , then any additional costs when attending the GP, I can't find a bulk billing practice anywhere that will take on new patients so stuck with paying out approx $20 $30 a time. And we also have private health insurance!

There is the additional Medicare levy if you earn over a certain amount as well, which you have to pay if you have not taken out private health insurance.

Sam

Centurion

I think some people are missing a point. When you go to the doctor and you pay, you take your receipt to your Medicare office and they give you cash back for any and all eligible services provided, up to the limit for a particular service.

The bulk billing thing just saves you from saving to go and do that. Normall we just save some receipts up and nip into the office when we're in the shopping centre.

So there is no disadvantage from using a non bulk billing doctor ultimately. In fact I prefer it since I am paying myself and thus the doctor is aware that I have the choice of who I see and where I go.

leftfield

This is so stupid.

On that basis schools are not free libraries are not free, police, ambulance, fire are not free.
Of course the money has to come from somewhere but it is free at the point of use.

Sammy T

Maybe I have misunderstood, I thought if you went to a bulk billing practice you had no upfront costs to pay at all.

Whereas I go to a non bulk billing practice and have to pay them, then go to Medicare office and usually get half back, so costs me about $20/$30 a time, but if it had been a bulk biller I would have no out of pocket expenses at all. I thought that was why everyone wants to go to a bulk biller?

Sam

hevs

Sam, thats exactly how it works