medicare?

[Guest ASPIS4]

Just wondered if anyone knows about Medicare and wether you are covered for all health etc, we are applying on 138 skilled visa, we have seen some info on this but unable find a lot of detail etc. any help would be apprec:unsure:

[The Broughtons]

Medicare is one of those things that seems to confuse most of us that have made the move to Australia. I'm not going to try and explain anything in great detail because I'll only manage to confuse myself and you in the process.

 

Instead I think you should have a look at the website - it will help more than I can.

 

About Medicare - Medicare Australia

 

Felicity:wubclub:

[ali]

I'm still confused too and I've been here almost a year. I've only visited the doctor once and had to pay $50 for which I got about $36 back when I posted the receipt off to medicare.

 

It's one of the reasons ED's get full of trivial things here (more so than uk) as emergency treatment at a hospital is free but you have to pay a GP out of hours service and claim part of it back.

 

Ali

[Guest ASPIS4]

cheers for info, just trying to get head round all information now!!

[Quoll]

Medicare is very simple really. Australia and UK have a reciprocal medical arrangement so when you arrive you get a medicare card. GPs will charge you about $55 for a short consultation and then you have a couple of choices - either pay the $55 up front, take the receipt to a medicare office and get about $32 back or send the bill to medicare who will then send the doctor $32 and require you to pay the balance to the doctor. Either way for most GPs you will be about $20 out of pocket for a regular consultation.

 

Some GPs "bulk bill" which means that they bill medicare directly for their $32 and they dont charge you any more. Generally those practices (and this is a gross generalization) tend not to have a stable practice staff and you have to take which doctor comes.

 

Treatment in a hospital as a medicare patient is free - this is, as someone has already said, why people flock to A & E when they should be taking themselves off to a GP.

 

With pharmaceuticals, if a medicine is listed with the PBS (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) then you pay only up to a certain amount per prescription - about $30 IIRC. For drugs not on the PBS then you pay market price (ouch!) unless you have private medical insurance which will pay some of the gap but not all.

 

If you pay Australian tax, then there is a medicare levy (1.5% of your taxable income) which is taken from you at tax time. If you are a high earning tax payer then you pay an extra 1% of your taxable income as the medicare surcharge unless you have private medical insurance.

 

See, clear as mud!!!!

[Guest ASPIS4]

Medicare is very simple really. Australia and UK have a reciprocal medical arrangement so when you arrive you get a medicare card. GPs will charge you about $55 for a short consultation and then you have a couple of choices - either pay the $55 up front, take the receipt to a medicare office and get about $32 back or send the bill to medicare who will then send the doctor $32 and require you to pay the balance to the doctor. Either way for most GPs you will be about $20 out of pocket for a regular consultation.

 

Some GPs "bulk bill" which means that they bill medicare directly for their $32 and they dont charge you any more. Generally those practices (and this is a gross generalization) tend not to have a stable practice staff and you have to take which doctor comes.

 

Treatment in a hospital as a medicare patient is free - this is, as someone has already said, why people flock to A & E when they should be taking themselves off to a GP.

 

With pharmaceuticals, if a medicine is listed with the PBS (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) then you pay only up to a certain amount per prescription - about $30 IIRC. For drugs not on the PBS then you pay market price (ouch!) unless you have private medical insurance which will pay some of the gap but not all.

 

If you pay Australian tax, then there is a medicare levy (1.5% of your taxable income) which is taken from you at tax time. If you are a high earning tax payer then you pay an extra 1% of your taxable income as the medicare surcharge unless you have private medical insurance.

 

See, clear as mud!!!!

thanks for info, much clearer now! is there a list you can view on internet showing the PBS as OH has regular meds and would like to just check what may have to pay for.

[Quoll]

Remember that drugs dont always have the same name in different countries but the list is here

[Guest ASPIS4]

Remember that drugs dont always have the same name in different countries but the list is here

 

 

Cheers:jiggy:

[Guest Gollywobbler]

Hi there

 

I would just add to Quoll's comment about brand-names of medications.

 

When you come to complete Form 26 for your Meds( assuming that you are applying for PR from the outset) it asks you to list any regular medications that you are on. Use the generic cames, not the brand-names because UK brand-names mean nothing to a Dr in Oz and vice versa. Also, give the dosage as well as the name of the medication.

 

Cheers

 

Gill

[keily]

Remember that drugs dont always have the same name in different countries but the list is here

THANKS I WAS ABLE TO CHECK THE TABLETS THAT IM ON AND COST .GREAT LINK

CHEERS

MRS KEILY