Medicare costs

[Paula H]

For a family of 5 - how much (roughly) would we be expected to pay? (2 adults, 12 yr old, 10 yr old, 3 yr old)

[Adelaide_bound]

on a 175 visa Medicare is 'free' to a certain extent - it depends on what you need doing as it were. If you go to a bulk billing GP, that would be free, otherwise I think its about $30 after the rebate, meds depends on the prescription and whether its on the 'list' or not (subsidised meds) and so on....

If you are earning over a certain amount you would be taxed another 1.5% I believe (I don't know 100% as I don't think we will be earning enough personally), unless you get private healthcare, but you don't 'pay' for it as such, its a tax on your wages.

Did you have specific things in mind?

[Paula H]

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on a 175 visa Medicare is 'free' to a certain extent - it depends on what you need doing as it were. If you go to a bulk billing GP, that would be free, otherwise I think its about $30 after the rebate, meds depends on the prescription and whether its on the 'list' or not (subsidised meds) and so on....

If you are earning over a certain amount you would be taxed another 1.5% I believe (I don't know 100% as I don't think we will be earning enough personally), unless you get private healthcare, but you don't 'pay' for it as such, its a tax on your wages.

Did you have specific things in mind?

Thanks
still a bit confused about it all, we are on a 175 visa. Do we not have to pay monthly? My son has braces so will need continuation of tightening of those etc

[Adelaide_bound]

Medicare is pretty much like the NHS, you just have to pay for a couple of things at point of use - ie seeing a GP (unless bulk billed), I think you have to pay for a scan when you are preggers, and prescriptions (much like here) most other things in the general scheme of things are on Medicare, but if you have to pay for anything, you pay when you use it, there isn't a monthly fee for it.

Dentists aren't part of Medicare, again much like the UK generally (as most of us can't get NHS uk treatment anymore) - so you pay as you go. You can get 'extras' insurance to help with the costs, but there might be exclusions and so on (eg you may not be able to claim for the first x months or something), so you'd have to look at the fine print of any policy you were thinking of and grill the provider. I have heard if you already have braces, dentists in Oz like to remove them and start again or something - hope that doesn't panic you, and I'm sure its in the patients best interests (all the Ozzies I know have far far far nicer teeth than most of the Poms I know after all lol), but yes you have to pay I think - you pay your dentist as you would in the UK though, however with expensive treatments (like braces!) I think you can do a sort of payment plan. I've read about other people paying a certain amount each year, and claiming a certain amount back as well from their extras insurance, so I really think you just have to contact the health insurance companies and see what works best for your specific needs as a family.

If you don't get insurance (which you'd pay a monthly premium for, just like car insurance in the UK) then you'd just pay the full costs for dentist and optician, again like in the UK if you don't get NHS dentist, but again you might be able to get a payment plan instead of having to pay $3k in one go! :o

Hope that helps a bit.

[smurph]

i don't think there is a monthly cost... either way braces or teeth are not covered.. i would get extras or private cover that may help towards dentist expenses, well after 12months waiting.. ring up a few dentists to get quotes they all differ in costs.