medicare

[jim&nik]

Hi Guys
Please could anyone put in lamans terms the way medicare works. I know i will need additional cover but just keep reading things and dont understand all !!!!!

[lorluc]

Yes, it can be very confusing...

First of all, get yourself registered when you arrive. They will issue you with a card.

Bascially, it will depend on what doctors or other medical services you use...some doctors bulk bill...this means that as long as they have seen your medicare details, the full cost of your appointment is covered. Others, even though you have medicare, will still ask you to pay towards the fee...this is called the Gap..

I have no idea why some docs bulk bill and some still charge the gap...the gap is the difference between the original charge and what medicare will reimburse....

If you get referred to other places for treatment, such as scans etc...make sure the doctor marks on the form that your treatment is to be bulk billed!

Any hospital appointments you attend etc, will ask for your medicare card....

We have had a fair bit of medical treatment since arriving...our first docs used to charge us the gap, but we are now with one who bulk bill. Had various treatments at hospitals, which we havent been charged for, which has included some pretty expensive stuff!

Dentists etc are not covered on medicare...you will have to pay for that!

I dont have full private health cover...just extras, which helps out with dentists, physio etc...

Okay this is the way i understand it, and i've been over 4 years now....so this is from our experience...