Guest china Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 Hello everyone, I was just wondering if anyone has any advice - we are heading to OZ in January, but we only plan on staying for 6 months (a long validation trip!) this time. I know we need to be covered with regard to medical costs, but have read a bit (not everything) about the Lifetime Loading Charges, and am not sure what we shoudl do. Should we sign up for medicare, and then when we leave do we have to keep paying while we're away (probably around two years), or can we sign up, then take a break? OR should we have some other cover for the first few months and then sign up to medicare when we make the move proper? Sorry if this is a bit garbled, but any input would be appreciated. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest31881 Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 Unless i have missed something here, you do not pay for medicare, if you are entitled to it (depending on visa) then you register and obtain your medicare card. If you want private health cover then you pay for that as you would for any insurance policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 You don't pay for medicare (although you can pay for a Drs appointment and get so much back with medicare) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 I think the OP's point is that if you don't take out private medical insurance within the first 12 months of registering for medicare you get hit by an age related loading when you do take it out. Unfortunately I don't know enough about the comparative costs to answer whether it makes sense to take out a policy during your validation trip and then keep up the payments or not (my validation trip was only for 9 days so I didn't have any reason to register with medicare). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuddysMum Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 You will need to register for Medicare when you get here. We did when we were over on holiday. When you see a GP here you pay up front and then claim back part of the money from the Medicare office. Unless your GP bulk bills in which case you pay nothing. If you are living in any state other that Qld then you should get ambulance cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest china Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 Thanks Ken - you managed to get my drift, even though it wasn't very clear! Yes I am worried aboutthe lifetime loading thing, my OH is a good bit over 30, so don't want to suffer from big penalties. I guess I will have to study and research more, it's just another one of those Ozzie things that i sort of understand, but don't really get.:twitcy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keily Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 Thanks Ken - you managed to get my drift, even though it wasn't very clear! Yes I am worried aboutthe lifetime loading thing, my OH is a good bit over 30, so don't want to suffer from big penalties. I guess I will have to study and research more, it's just another one of those Ozzie things that i sort of understand, but don't really get.:twitcy: when we arrived and registered for medicare ....we got a letter to say we had a year to take out private health cover [if we wanted] and get the lifetime loading ......it all depends on whether u are actually gona get private health cover ......we didnt .....might just add my o/h had a heart attack 7 weeks ago .....he was taken by ambulance to hosp [no charge].... got 2 stents put in and again no charge ......public hosp here give u exactly the same treatment as private and works basically the same as uk ....if u need anything done [unless emergency] then u go on waitin list ......with private u get the option to get it done sooner ....in my opinion its not worth paying the extra for private ....but that just my opinion ..... mrs keily Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 If you are living in any state other that Qld then you should get ambulance cover. Or Tasmania - ambulance is free here too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest china Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 when we arrived and registered for medicare ....we got a letter to say we had a year to take out private health cover [if we wanted] and get the lifetime loading ......it all depends on whether u are actually gona get private health cover ......we didnt .....might just add my o/h had a heart attack 7 weeks ago .....he was taken by ambulance to hosp [no charge].... got 2 stents put in and again no charge ......public hosp here give u exactly the same treatment as private and works basically the same as uk ....if u need anything done [unless emergency] then u go on waitin list ......with private u get the option to get it done sooner ....in my opinion its not worth paying the extra for private ....but that just my opinion ..... mrs keily Thanks mrs keily! That's very helpful. Glad we have a year to decide too. Are dental and optical insurances under the same rules? My oh wears contacts and glasses so will need to deal with that on a regular basis. X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockDr Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 If you're only coming for six months, just get comprehensive travel insurance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuddysMum Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 You know that Medicare isn't private health insurance??? It's a bit like the NHS. You need to register to get free or subsidised health care regardless of whether you are resident or a tourist. On our first holiday here we needed a GP in Sydney, we had to pay up front then they told us how to get the Medicare rebate. The balance would then have been claimed on our travel insurance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest31881 Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 when we arrived and registered for medicare ....we got a letter to say we had a year to take out private health cover [if we wanted] and get the lifetime loading ......it all depends on whether u are actually gona get private health cover ......we didnt .....might just add my o/h had a heart attack 7 weeks ago .....he was taken by ambulance to hosp [no charge].... got 2 stents put in and again no charge ......public hosp here give u exactly the same treatment as private and works basically the same as uk ....if u need anything done [unless emergency] then u go on waitin list ......with private u get the option to get it done sooner ....in my opinion its not worth paying the extra for private ....but that just my opinion ..... mrs keily I hope your o/h is now well and back to normal. :biggrin: Just to add to your post if you use private health insurance you can get the operation done quicker, but if your insurance does not cover the costs 100% then you can still end up with a gap bill and it can be a big bill. My wife and myself use the public system (cant afford insurance) and have had excellent care and treatment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KarenMer Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 The loading is only relevant if you earn over 80k p/year no matter your age so if ya not working... no worries!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest31881 Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 The loading is only relevant if you earn over 80k p/year no matter your age so if ya not working... no worries!! They are referring to the Lifetime loading fees, When you migrate to Australia and you are of a "mature" age you have 12 months to get private insurance and not be penalised by an age loading on your premium. If this does effect you then you will recieve a letter before your 12 month period has expired to remind you about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockDr Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 The loading is only relevant if you earn over 80k p/year no matter your age so if ya not working... no worries!! Pretty sure the loading applies to everyone, the 80k limit is to do with paying the medicarelevy surcharge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest china Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Yes, that is it. Basically, until we are 'settled' there, ie after six months there we are probably going to leave for two years for work, before returning, we won't know if we want/can afford private health insurance, but don't want to be priced out of it due to lifetime loading if we sign up for Medicare when we go in January. Sorry I know it's a bit confusing, I just wondered if anyone else had done anything similar. I guess we'll just have to do some more research on insurance prices. I know that Medicare is similar to the NHS but it just doesn't seem as simple or comprehensive, so we just want to be sure. Thanks everyone for your replies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KarenMer Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Opps!! Sorry I am throughly lost now but also now extremly glad I came out here in my 20's sounds way too hard, turning 30 in a couple of months and it's hard enough to work out if private health insurance is worth it wiv medicare! Especially as I fall in the under $80k bracket!! Good Luck!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Karenphil67 Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 My partner and i have read this in to completely different ways. I read it as get ambulance cover if you live in any state other than queensland as QLD is the only state you are covered in and he reads it as you will get it in any state apart from QLD......sorry could you confirm. We have just moved to the Gold Coast and we got Private medical insurance because we were told we had to but some people have said that they cancelled it as soon as they got here. We pay $182 per month which to be honest we could do with out as it is just me working at the mo. Karen You will need to register for Medicare when you get here. We did when we were over on holiday. When you see a GP here you pay up front and then claim back part of the money from the Medicare office. Unless your GP bulk bills in which case you pay nothing. If you are living in any state other that Qld then you should get ambulance cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurls Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 I believe the state governments cover the costs in Queensland and Tasmania but anywhere else you would need to organise ambulance cover. Medicare doesn't cover the cost of ambulances. As per link below. http://www.privatehealth.gov.au/healthinsurance/whatiscovered/ambulance.htm Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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