UK student visa people..medicare question.
Aug 24th 2009, 6:09 pm
#1
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Location: Woodvale, WA
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UK student visa people..medicare question.
Quick question.
As you know we all needed to take out private health care. We did this and it was sent to the college. They lost it so applied for another which came through yesterday.
In the meantime, college told us to apply for medicare which I did and the cards for that came through this morning. The cards say reciprocal health care with visitor on the bottom and it lasts until our visas expire in 2011.
Roll forward to lunchtime when I was reading the private health care information pack. This clearly states that people on student visas are not entitled to medicare however, medicare and my sister in law who is a nurse here deny that is the case because of the reciprocal agreement with the UK. Medicare also took a copy of our visa so know exactly why we are here and seem satisfied with it.
Don't know who is right. Don't want to claim on medicare only for them to realise a mistake and then we need to pay them back.
Can I have both?
Should I speak to medicare again?
As you know we all needed to take out private health care. We did this and it was sent to the college. They lost it so applied for another which came through yesterday.
In the meantime, college told us to apply for medicare which I did and the cards for that came through this morning. The cards say reciprocal health care with visitor on the bottom and it lasts until our visas expire in 2011.
Roll forward to lunchtime when I was reading the private health care information pack. This clearly states that people on student visas are not entitled to medicare however, medicare and my sister in law who is a nurse here deny that is the case because of the reciprocal agreement with the UK. Medicare also took a copy of our visa so know exactly why we are here and seem satisfied with it.
Don't know who is right. Don't want to claim on medicare only for them to realise a mistake and then we need to pay them back.
Can I have both?
Should I speak to medicare again?
Aug 24th 2009, 6:13 pm
#2
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Joined: Apr 2005
Location: Burnham On Crouch Essex
Posts: 1,511
Re: UK student visa people..medicare question.
As far as I know all UK citizens are entitled to reciprocal health care, whether you are on holiday, working or a student.
Aug 24th 2009, 6:34 pm
#3
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Joined: Oct 2006
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 3,162
Re: UK student visa people..medicare question.
Before August last year students were not entitled to medicare. Then it changed, now we are. 
Aug 24th 2009, 7:07 pm
#4
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Re: UK student visa people..medicare question.
Aug 25th 2009, 2:01 pm
#6
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Joined: Apr 2005
Location: Burnham On Crouch Essex
Posts: 1,511
Re: UK student visa people..medicare question.
Not true. Many UK citizens have no entitlement.
