Dalt Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Hi, my husband and I are moving to Australia in January, Queensland. I know these questions have probably been asked before but I am quite confused. We're both doctors initially coming over on a 457, sponsorship is covering my husband and I am going over as a spouse on his visa but still able to work on it. I am told we will need insurance for the 457. So first round of questions: 1. I thought as Brits we had some reciprocal care under medicare? 2. Any recommendations and do we need the insurance before we apply for the visa? 3. I have a chronic disease; Systemic lupus, is there any chance I will be turned down for a 457? Does anyone have experience with this? Furthermore will insurance companies cover it - I've heard most have a 12 month policy until they cover it and then some may not cover it at all - what are my options for health care and prescriptions in the mean time and what sort of costs are we looking at? Going forward we would be looking at permanent residency and really the same questions apply: 4. Do we get any sort of medicare cover? 5. Does anyone know of companies that will cover the lupus/existing conditions? Any idea what prices we would look at? 6. Is lupus a deal breaker for permanent residency? What if I remained on spouse visa (husband is healthy)? Many thanks in advance. The medical side of things is confusing and concerning me and no one seems to have answers or experience. I can't see a stable, chronic disease being an issue, I am well, work full time as a doctor and contribute to society, I just need regular medications to stay that way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Cant help with whether it would affect your application but will try with your other questions. 1. I thought as Brits we had some reciprocal care under medicare? Yes. Some have successfully used this reciprocal agreement as the specified medical cover on their 457 application but I notice many on this forum took out private health insurance at least for a month or so. Just note the reciprocal agreement covers medically necessary treatment before you return home. In your case working for years this should be most things I would expect. Just a caution that it is not exactly the same conditions as a permanent resident. 2. Any recommendations and do we need the insurance before we apply for the visa? Hmm, you need it for your visa but not sure when you must show proof you have it. Somebody ? 3a. I have a chronic disease; Systemic lupus, is there any chance I will be turned down for a 457? Don't know sorry. 3b. Furthermore will insurance companies cover it - I've heard most have a 12 month policy until they cover it and then some may not cover it at all It is illegal for a private insurer to deny coverage for a pre-existing condition in Australia. If it is part or their policy they have to cover you like everyone else. All they can do is put a waiting period on the coverage. You can see these on the websites of each insurer. 3c- what are my options for health care and prescriptions in the mean time and what sort of costs are we looking at? Reciprocal agreement. I just wrote out an explanation of the public vs private system on another threat that I will paste below. Note the reciprocal agreement gives you use of the public option. You could optionally take out private insurance as well but I think as a temporary resident you use a different private insurance to everyone else...visitors insurance....it covers more because it assumes you can't access the medicare system - and because of this it costs more. General Practitioner ---------------------- These are private businesses. Medicare pays them a set fee to see you. Some will charge a gap on top of this set fee. Some won't. Some will charge no gap for low income, children and elderly but will charge working adults a gap ($10-$50). If they don't charge you a gap it is said that they "bulk bill" using medicare language. It is up to you whether you hunt out a GP that charges a gap or not. Some cities have more than others and lower socio-economic areas usually have far more than expensive areas. Specialists ------------ Whichever GP you go to "you" can ask to be referred to a 100% free public hospital outpatient specialist or to a private specialist where you will pay gap. Your choice. If you choose a free public hospital specialist you can't choose your specialist (though you can ask to change if you don't like them) and you usually wait longer for an appointment. You usually attend the specialist rooms attached to a public hospital. If you ask your GP to refer you to a private specialist it will often be in a suburban medical centre (though not always). It will usually be quicker and you can research which doctor you wish to see (or ask your GP). Medicare pays some of the private specialist fee as well but you will be left with a gap..often the 1st appointment has a larger gap than subsequent appointments. Hospital Treatment --------------------- If you opt to go to a public hospital for your surgery and your condition is deemed to be an elective surgery that is for medical reasons it will be 100% free for both hospital costs and your specialist/surgeons costs. Your specialist will put you on the public hospital waiting list at your local public hospital. You can look up the average wait times for your type of elective surgery at your particular hospital here: http://www.myhospitals.gov.au If you decide to go private you will want to use a private hospital that is a preferred supplier for your private hospital insurance. When you first take out private insurance waiting periods apply for some of the cover so you may not be able to use it straight away. Private hospital treatment has two components to the bill. One is the hospital accommodation, the other is the doctors fees. The private hospital accommodation is often fully covered except for the policy excess you signed up for. Private doctors gap fees can often be significant, sometimes in the thousands even with private insurance and even though medicare covers some of it. You can ask your private specialist to treat you as a "no gap" patient. It is up to them whether they do. If they agree your doctor will not charge you a gap above what medicare pays. I have had quite a few say yes but ymmv. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Going forward we would be looking at permanent residency and really the same questions apply: 4. Do we get any sort of medicare cover? Yes. Full access to medicare public system and ability to buy PR private insurance instead of private visitor cover. 5. Does anyone know of companies that will cover the lupus/existing conditions? Any idea what prices we would look at? Medicare system. What sort of things do you mean - medicines or treatment ? 6. Is lupus a deal breaker for permanent residency? What if I remained on spouse visa (husband is healthy)? I think whole family is assessed but many with illness do get in - sorry can't say which side of the fence lupus falls on but someone may be able to help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dalt Posted November 28, 2015 Author Share Posted November 28, 2015 That's brilliant and comprehensive thank you so much! Also reassuring. I've been reading around the forum and other people with equivalent sounding chronic disease seem to have had no issues getting temporary or permanent visas. I am feeling much more reassured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 No worries. Oh and this from the other thread may help as well: Medicare doesn't make them free but it does cover all costs of medicines that cost more than a set maximum that you must pay. The maximum price you pay is currently set at a maximum of $37.70 per prescription (or $6.10 if low income). Medicare pays everything above this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/enablers/medicare/reciprocal-health-care-agreements/health-care-for-visitors-to-australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sbond Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 Hi, I moved to Australia in June on my husbands 457 visa. Now if I can remember rightly for our application we had to purchase 457 visa medical insurance, we went with bupa. We then just had to provide the certificate to be granted the visa, they literally asked for cert and we were granted. So buy it last min, you can do it online and get cert instantly. Once we arrived we just cancelled it after signing up to Medicare. We do have ambulance cover ($200ish a year for a family) as on a 457 you would have to pay for an ambulance if you need it-very pricey[emoji51]. Medicare do not cover costs.We are in Perth but not sure if it's the same for Queensland?! I would definitely check the systemic lupus with an expert! My husband has arthritis and has v expensive injection. (Has not needed them since being here tho!) because of the cost it would mean we shall never get permanent residency. If he can stay off his meds for 5 years and prove he no longer needs them we may have a chance. We only managed to get a 457 visa because his employer agreed to pay for his meds. There is a medical care cost threshold, his med costs were way over! Your med costs may not be? Hope this helps? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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