Daft Medicare Question

[Carkyde]

Might be a bit of a silly question but whe you register for Medicare do you have to give an address?
Also what documentation do you need to register?

We have been planning to come to Adelaide (flights booked etc) but recently been offered a job in Melbourne so we are flying in to Adelaide, staying 4 or 5 days then going on to Mel, but I will be 19 weeks preggo and will need to register with Medicare asap and wondered if I could do it in Adelaide. We don't/won't have an immediate address in either Adelaide or Melbourne!!

Thanks for any advice and Happy Crimbo xoxox

[Kazzarazza]

Not a silly question at all. I would wait until you have an address. You don't need to have a card to get medical treatment. If you need to, just go to any accident and emergency at the nearest hospital or clinic and tell them you are an English citizen - you have reciprocal rights even as a tourist (you could maybe take your passport). My mother received treatment here twice last year (at the Royal Adelaide and at the Queen Elizabeth) and it really was very, very easy - they were more interested in talking about where she was from in England and how she was planning to spend her holidays here, than her not having a Medicare card. She was very impressed with the treatment she received, how thorough the staff were (she had a full medical almost, including blood tests, for what was really a minor medical problem) and how extremely friendly and helpful they all were. Good luck and Merry Christmas.

[Carkyde]

Thanks for your reply but as I will need a scan I thought I would have to organise through a GP rather than going into A&E.
We are going on 175 visa, just wondered how I would arrange a scan.

Thanks C and Happy Crimbo xx

[cornish Busdriver]

If your in Adelaide, Medicare is on Flinders Street.
You will need an adress and passport with your visa in it.
I think i used my aussie drivers licence as well.
Its only one form and takes about 5 minutes.
Hope this helps
Matt.
Christies beach

[Aussie pat]

Medicare is very strict about providing details about your residential address. They sent me away even though I was born in Adelaide! My husband had accidentally only put his name on the lease for our flat. We had to get it sorted before they'd give me my medicare number back. The irony was that my husband had never lived in Australia and I had. He got his no. and didn't get mine until we sorted things.

Hedy