Medicare reciprocal

[patricia]

I am currently a dependent on student visa. I just find out I am pregnant. I have medicare reciprocal cover and student insurance. I am not sure if medicare will cover cost of pregnancy including labour (doctors, midwife, blood test, ultrasound ect). If yes, would it be covered fully or just partially. Will labour cost be coveredm Has anyone got any experience regarding giving a birth in Australia used medicare reciprocal cover?

[Ken]

5 hours ago, patricia said:

I am currently a dependent on student visa. I just find out I am pregnant. I have medicare reciprocal cover and student insurance. I am not sure if medicare will cover cost of pregnancy including labour (doctors, midwife, blood test, ultrasound ect). If yes, would it be covered fully or just partially. Will labour cost be coveredm Has anyone got any experience regarding giving a birth in Australia used medicare reciprocal cover?

I don't have any experience of this but a quick google makes it appear that you are fully covered - Maternity Medicare Ineligible (westernhealth.org.au)

This is from the website of Western Health (Hospital service in Western Melbourne). They make it clear that the only people who are ineligible for maternity care under Medicare "is someone who does not hold a valid Medicare card, is not an Asylum Seeker or is not a visitor from a country who has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia." You might want to give them a call (or find the details of your local service) to double check they haven't got it wrong on their website but it looks clear cut, there's nothing to even show there's any difference between full Medicare and the reciprocal health care cover.

One thing to watch for is that cover ends when your visa ends so you make sure you maintain a valid visa throughout your pregnancy and post-natal care!

Secondly there may be out-of-pocket expenses to pay even though you have medicare, since medicare only covers the government mandated fee and the cost charged may be higher (they should tell you in advance).

Edited April 28, 2021 by Ken

[patricia]

Thank you 

On 28/04/2021 at 16:22, Ken said:

I don't have any experience of this but a quick google makes it appear that you are fully covered - Maternity Medicare Ineligible (westernhealth.org.au)

This is from the website of Western Health (Hospital service in Western Melbourne). They make it clear that the only people who are ineligible for maternity care under Medicare "is someone who does not hold a valid Medicare card, is not an Asylum Seeker or is not a visitor from a country who has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia." You might want to give them a call (or find the details of your local service) to double check they haven't got it wrong on their website but it looks clear cut, there's nothing to even show there's any difference between full Medicare and the reciprocal health care cover.

One thing to watch for is that cover ends when your visa ends so you make sure you maintain a valid visa throughout your pregnancy and post-natal care!

Secondly there may be out-of-pocket expenses to pay even though you have medicare, since medicare only covers the government mandated fee and the cost charged may be higher (they should tell you in advance).