David82 Posted November 15, 2015 Report Share Posted November 15, 2015 I have read numerous threads on here and the common theme is that people coming from overseas are stumped by the aussie health care system. I have read about medicare online and now I need to turn to people on here to ask them what my best option is for health care cover in Oz. I am in the process of applying for a 457 visa. I have my medical this week and then the final piece of info i need to give the immigration department is 'evidence that I have adequate health insurance in Australia.' It gives me two options. I can provide them with A signed health insurance letter from a health insurance provider OR Evidence of adequate health insurance (including travel insurance) to cover your initial stay in Australia, provided you will be eligible for Medicare in Australia When I try to look at getting private health care it asks me details of my address in Oz. I am still in Scotland and haven't arranged any accomodation in Perth yet so I don't have this. In light of this should I just arrange a travel insurance policy and submit this as my evidence and sort out health care when I am there? As I am from Scotland I will be eligible for a medicare card when I get there anyway. By sorting out private cover in Oz I assume I won't be at any disadvantage or penalised in anyway for taking out a policy after arriving instead of before? In Australia are there advisors you can visit on arrival to go through all the various policies so that you can compare them all and see which one suits you better? Using sites like compare the market etc are confusing as they seem to offer all sorts of extras that I don't think I need. All I really want is an ambulance in an emergency, dental work and access to life saving treatment. I dare say if i take really unwell and was able to fly I'd head back to the UK. Likewise if my teeth were suddenly to turn manky I'd fly back to europe and get them fixed by the nhs at a reduced rate rather than pay a fortune to a private dentist in Oz at it would be probably cheaper to fly home. Has anyone experience of this? What would you recommend Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliomarie Posted November 15, 2015 Report Share Posted November 15, 2015 Hi, your 457 will not be granted without Health insurance that will cover you until you can register for Medicare. We got a health insurance policy here and were not required to give an Aussie address, then I registered for Medicare once there. Might be an idea to speak to some insurers this side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David82 Posted November 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2015 thanks for the reply. I am unsure as to what I need insurance wise. I don't have any health complaints at present so probably would only want to be covered in event of an accident and needing an ambulance and a few dental check ups a year. Once there can you cut back or upgrade your insurance cover fairly easily? also is it easy to swap providers as I am only looking to get the bare minimum before I go to satisfy the visa criteria and then I can shop around and get something better when I am there. I don't want to be lumbered with a rubbish policy (or a policy that is way too comprehensive) by signing up impulsively for one just now to get the visa. Last thing I want is to be tied to a provider who doesn't provide what I end up needing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieLou Posted November 16, 2015 Report Share Posted November 16, 2015 Hi @David82, Myself and my partner are here on a 457 visa. We were only required to have hospital insurance in place for the 457 to be granted. Unfortunately not all health insurance companies provide cover for 457 visa holders. We were originally with Bupa but have since changed to a company called Frank. You can add on additional cover for Dental and other things but it can quickly add up. Katie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David82 Posted November 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2015 Thanks Katie I spoke to Frank and they seem to be the cheapest. It is annoying that you can go on the website and look at all the prices for cover and then when you go to apply you find that 457 visa holders don't qualify for the cover. Frank is $75 a month but can be cancelled at any time and I can amend the date I want the cover to start so I can start it when I arrive and not have it covering me while I am still in Scotland. Any idea how long it takes to get a medicard issued when I arrive? As soon as I have that it looks like I can cancel my health plan and just take out an extras insurance to cover my teeth incase of any damage. The prices for the extras cover seem to be the same price as an Aussie pays which is good. The whole visa process seems to be rip off after rip off. I can't wait to just get there now and start enjoying being in the sun. Any longer and I'll start to think I should just have went travelling for 2 years instead and saved all this hassle and expense Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted November 17, 2015 Report Share Posted November 17, 2015 We applied for an oz insurance online and cancelled it a few months after we arrived. You should get your documentation in the post. Since arriving we registered with medicare and alo took out a new health insurance with Nib. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieLou Posted November 17, 2015 Report Share Posted November 17, 2015 Hi @David82, If you get to centerlink as soon as you arrive with your passport and a copy if your visa (maybe take someylthing with you aussie address on aswell just incase) and they will give you a form to complete to get your medicare card. You can fill it in while you are there and they will process is for you and give you your temporary medicare number. I think it took a couple of weeks for the actual card to come through. I think for your 457 visa to remain valid you have to have the basic hospital cover in place. If you cancel it you may be in breach of your visa conditions so maybe check first. Katie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verystormy Posted November 17, 2015 Report Share Posted November 17, 2015 Hi @David82, If you get to centerlink as soon as you arrive with your passport and a copy if your visa (maybe take someylthing with you aussie address on aswell just incase) and they will give you a form to complete to get your medicare card. You can fill it in while you are there and they will process is for you and give you your temporary medicare number. I think it took a couple of weeks for the actual card to come through. I think for your 457 visa to remain valid you have to have the basic hospital cover in place. If you cancel it you may be in breach of your visa conditions so maybe check first. Katie UK citizens on 457 do not need to keep private healthcare insurance once registered with Medicare. However, you do need to examine the financials of if you are best to keep it - people who earn over a certain amount are penalized if they don't have it in tax. Also, all dentists are private here and can be expensive - a crown will see you wave good bye to a few thousand, so many people take it for that. Also ambulances here are private and even a short basic trip in an ambulance is close to $1000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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