Private Medical Insurance for 475 visa holders before entering Australia

**evil_d** · 17-05-2011, 06:01 PM

HI,

I would like to whether Private Medical Insurance is a must for 475 visa holders before entering Australia.

Thanks

**niliclan888** · 18-05-2011, 02:35 AM

Having had a similar thought previously and spent many an hour trying to get a correct answer from the insurance companies & DIAC, here is what I believe is correct ...

* No, it is not a must on this Visa type, as you do receive certain benefits through Medicare
* Dependent on income, it may be beneficial to hold some form of Private Cover as you get a Tax reduction (you had best see an accountant for exact details however I believe it is based on income of $140k +)
* All this said, it is then up to you as to whether you see the benefits of Private Cover, and certain Benefits they have, as the system is quite different to UK
* Medicare will be the ONLY support you receive on this Visa
* One final note is that as you do receive Medicare benefits, you can apply for a RETAIL Private Cover and don't have to take Visitors cover

Hope this helps somewhat?

Thanks,

Jason

**Traceyp** · 18-05-2011, 03:04 AM

Hi Jason,we are on the 475 visa and have just arrived in Adelaide,what Medicare benifits are you referring to,there are no medicare benifits for 475 visa holders until you get PR.

We are researching private health insurance,Mutual and community is the one we decided on,we will pay $218 per month for 2 adults and 2 kids,wish it was cheaper as hubby is still trying for a job.

**niliclan888** · 18-05-2011, 03:45 AM

Hi Tracey,
we are on 475 Visa and went in to see Medicare when we 1st arrived and they confirmed that we receive INTERIM Cover.
I know that when you applied and received info from DIAC it states that you may NOT receive benefits, however I suggest that you check. Not sure how/why we'd receive if you don't?!?
Sorry I can't be more help.
I do know that you don't receive much else support, as it gets costly with Nurseries etc, having to fully fund everything.
We have used Mutual Community also, they are very easy to deal with (& if you use them for car/house cover etc, you also get a discount!).
Do check re Medicare though, as that could also change your Private Cover as mentioned (to Retail).
Cheers,
Jason

**Traceyp** · 18-05-2011, 03:49 AM

Thanks Jason,I will look into that asap.

**niliclan888** · 18-05-2011, 04:01 AM

Very Welcome, good luck to you guys.

**Tina P** · 18-05-2011, 04:25 AM

Hi

We were on the 475 visa when we joined Mutual Community Silver cover - this includes Ambulance cover. They didn't ask me which visa we were on !

Its just gone up, we pay $19.10 per week.

I wouldn't say its a must, the kids will get to see the school dentist for check ups but you will still need Ambulance cover which I think is around $120 per yr.

We didn't get it straight away - I think we had been here a good year before we joined !

Tina

**niliclan888** · 18-05-2011, 07:10 AM

It seems that with most things here, there are lots of companies giving different answers, so getting some resolution is always nice ! I always like to have the correct info, as you can take the wrong cover (not your fault, maybe the salesperson didn't listen properly etc) and then have big problems if you come to claim.

I know we get Medicare Interim, and becuse of this we are entitled to Retail Cover. The difference is not on the added benefits side (Silver, Gold, Platinum etc) but more on the Hospital side, as ..... if you are on a Visitors Cover, you only get basic hospital coverage (that would be the same as Medicare), whereas on the Retail Cover, you get Private Cover (again, depends on the depth of cover you choose).

The reason I know this is that we were advised by the consultant at Mutual Community to take Visitors cover, however I didn't think there was any benfit and questioned this, and their resolutions team confirmed that as I was entitled to Medicare, then I could use the Retail cover (& the benefits that actually come with it)

For us, e.g, last year we had a baby. He was born at Flinders as we had Medicare only. NO problem, NO cost.

Now that we have Private Retail Cover (not Visitors), and that we are expecting again (we will have had the cover for more than 12 months), we are entitled to Private Cover. Under Visitors cover, we would get the same cover as Medicare, thus NO benefit (waste of cover basically).

Hope this is all making sense?

Anyway, hope this helps anyone else that was having the same sort of thoughts or misunderstanding?

NOTE - my only advice is that whatever cover you take, PLEASE make sure that you explain the whole situation to the company/broker as a lot of people on the other end of the phone aren't there to give advice and if you simply call to take cover, they'll seal the deal.

All the best,

Jason

**evil_d** · 18-05-2011, 01:46 PM

Hi Jason,

Could please tell me how to enroll to medicare while on 475 visa.

Thanks

**niliclan888** · 18-05-2011, 11:57 PM

Originally Posted by evil_d

Hi Jason,

Could please tell me how to enroll to medicare while on 475 visa.

Thanks

Hello evil !,

I just went to the local Medicare office (CBD for me) the 1st week we arrived, with copies of passports for the family & visa confirmation from DIAC. We were staying at friends when we 1st landed so didn't have our own address and they were fine with that, they just needed the place we were staying.

It was that easy. They completed the necessary forms and we received our cards through the post within a week. When we got a place soon after, I just changed address. And when we had our little boy (3rd!!) we took the birth certificate to medicare and they added him onto the cover.

If you don't have Private Cover then I recommend taking Ambulance Cover also (you can sort this at the Post Office and its approx $10 per month)) - however under most private cover policies this is a benefit (do check tho).

Good luck with everything, hope you found some of the info worthwhile.

Brgrds,

Jason