Health care when first arrived

[ischa]

Hi,

 

We arriving mid Oct and need some advise regarding health cover please. What did you do regarding health cover until you have something in place. We have two small children therefore want to ensure we have some cover when we arrive. The normal travel insurance will not cover you because you not on holiday - I think. We will be on a 176 visa, how long does the medicare take to kick in? If anyone had private cover for the first few weeks please let me know who you used.

 

Having major "panic attacks" about everything today Realised when I got up so much to do and time is flying.

 

Any advise would be great thanks.

 

Lindi

[Guest kas17]

Hi we used one way travel insurance which covered us for our flights and about 5 days after. A lot of companies offered it, cant remember who we used. That will give you time to go and register with medicare

Karen

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

Hi Lindi,

According to DIAC you should be ok.

 

There used to be a 10 to 12 day delay between arriving and registering with medicare but it happens immediately now. Take all your passports along to Medicare (there's an office at the Colonnades centre in Noarlunga if you are in this part of the world). They will issue you with a medicare number and your cards will arrive in the mail within a couple of weeks. You will have immediate access to health care.

 

Tamara

 

What does this visa let me do?

 

This visa allows you and any secondary applicants included in your visa application to live as permanent residents in Australia.

Australian permanent residents can:

• live and work in Australia on a permanent basis
  
• study in Australia at school, Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector or university
  
• receive subsidised healthcare through Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
  
• access certain social security payments (subject to waiting periods)
  
• be eligible for Australian citizenship (subject to the residency eligibility criteria)
  
• sponsor people for permanent residence.
  

[Guest Aussie pat]

Aussie pat's other half here

 

Relax. For the flight out you will need one way travel insurance. You won't be covered by a normal travel/holiday policy. We used Go Walkabout and they gave us (Nov 2008) 21 days cover when we arrived in Oz as well. The cover in Oz is useful as it takes the heat off getting into Medicare when you arrive if you're sick or something else crops up. It cost us around 120 pounds for 2 adults 2 kids if I remember right, maybe a bit more. My memory's not what it was!