Guest scoobydoo Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Hi All Myself and family hope to move over to Perth early next year as house is on the market and time is ticking on our permanent residency visas. I due a baby next June and mostl likely we will be in Perth by then and was wondering where we stand as regards hospitals fees/aftercare when having a baby on a permanent residency visa. I have recently found out that there is a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement between the British Isles and Australia which covers visitors for healthcare while over there free of charge. I understood that if on a residency visa that there is a waiting period to avail of Medicare Cover and that you had to take out private health care insurance but was wondering if this agreement covers us for anything. If anybody knows about this i would love to hear as we want to organise private health care if it is a thing we have to get it when we get over there. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Hi All Myself and family hope to move over to Perth early next year as house is on the market and time is ticking on our permanent residency visas. I due a baby next June and mostl likely we will be in Perth by then and was wondering where we stand as regards hospitals fees/aftercare when having a baby on a permanent residency visa. I have recently found out that there is a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement between the British Isles and Australia which covers visitors for healthcare while over there free of charge. I understood that if on a residency visa that there is a waiting period to avail of Medicare Cover and that you had to take out private health care insurance but was wondering if this agreement covers us for anything. If anybody knows about this i would love to hear as we want to organise private health care if it is a thing we have to get it when we get over there. Thanks If you are emigrating on a PR visa you are eligible for full public hospital benefits straight away. By the way: - For maternity cover on private health the policy must usually be taken out 3 months before you get pregnant. - The reciprocal health agreement is not British Isles based. The UK and Ireland have totally separate agreements with significant differences between them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 You're entitled to medicare being on a PR. Go to the office about 10 days after your arrival in the country (we went too soon, apparently it's about 10 days before the immigration computer and medicare computer talk to each other!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest17301 Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 According to my pregnant colleague (on a 457 temp via) she is entitled to free care throughout her pregnancy as part of the reciprocal agreement. Presumably she will have to give birth in a public hospital though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 According to my pregnant colleague (on a 457 temp via) she is entitled to free care throughout her pregnancy as part of the reciprocal agreement. Presumably she will have to give birth in a public hospital though. The only limitation I can think of is if you are from Ireland your agreement does not cover GP's so you might have to do all your pregnancy mgt through the hospital. Not a problem for UK though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest17301 Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Does anybody know...if you've applied for a 175 while in Australia can you access full medicare while waiting for your visa grant? 2 people at work have told me that you can? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest proud2beaussie Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Yes,if you are a temporary resident and have applied for a permanent resident visa then as I understand it you are eligible for Medicare enrolement. New residents - Medicare Australia People who reside in Australia - excluding Norfolk Island - are eligible if they: hold Australian citizenship have been issued with a permanent visa hold New Zealand citizenship have applied for a permanent visa (excludes an application for a parent visa)—other requirements apply. Contact Medicare for further information. WA health also has a flowchart the explains the different eligibility provisions. http://www.health.wa.gov.au/circulars/attachments/174.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rach28 Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Hi came over at 33 weeks pregnant on permanent visa. We got medicare when arrived that covered me for midwife and doctors at hospital, you also have diffrent blood and tests here to the uk so will have to have some but they are also covered. THe only thing we had to pay for was a scan because i wasnt very big they wanted me to have another scan. We had to pay for it then took recepit to medicare office and got some of the money back. Medicare also covers you in hospital and labour. I now have an ozzie citizen son lol, the only one in the family. Also if you on permenant visa you can claim the baby bonus ( its means tested) and also they have an immunisation bonus aswell. If you have anymore questions just pm me and will answer them. We only arrived in August and i gave birth in September lol. Rachael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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