Is Medicare backdated to the date your PR is granted?

[easterby91]

Pregnant wife & many medical bills. My employer provided inpatriate health insurance plan which is extremely generous and covers 100% of most outpatient medical costs.

Since our PR was approved we have applied for Medicare, which will mean a change of health insurance plan to one for PR and Citizens, which is far far less generous. It will have us on the hook to pay $7,500 Obstetrician fees!! 

Kind lady in the health insurance company said "use the old inpatriate plan as you would have until you receive your Medicare number" - so we have just gone ahead and paid the $7,500 up front and early and lodged our claim on the old plan to get 100% back

When Medicare comes through and I supply the forms to the health insurance, will my Medicare coverage period be backdated to the date which our PR was granted (about a month ago)? Meaning we may have to repay the $7,500?

[rammygirl]

If you go public you will have very few fees to pay. Medicare will cover virtually everything. Ask to be referred to public care. Doctors will automatically refer to private. Even if you do go private you can shop around. Never be embarrassed to ask how much it will cost.

I worked with two people, one had her baby in public system and only laid a few hundred for extra scans, the other had private care and was out of pocket by around 7 grand!  Sure she had a lovely private room but the medical care was the same.

It can depend where you live……a bit like the NHS but even reciprocal Medicare would provide free treatment for pregnancy. 

[wrussell]

Is Medicare backdated to the date your PR is granted?

No