457 Health Insurance Advice Please

[pamdav]

Hello :smile: Im in the process of applying for my 457 visa and now have to arrange health insurance. Im not planning on going to oz until July. If i arrange health insurance now to submit my visa application does that mean i'll have to pay a monthly fee until I can register with Medicare over there? Also, can anyone recommend any cheap insurance providers? Apologies, this has probably been asked a million times...

[Guest Bannisters]

Hi

We had the same problem. Not arriving until Feb and went with HBA. I wanted it to start in Feb but DIAC would not allow it, they said we had to start cover now so we are having to pay $170 a month for basic health insurance even though we are not going to arrive until the end of Feb. We are a family of 4 by the way.

[Shinner]

Is there not someway your holiday insurance would cover this period. Heard if you had an annual policy this should cover you. Not 100% about this.

Anyone else?

S

[pamdav]

$170 a month? eek! :eek: that sucks. Especially when every penny counts in relocating. Oh well I suppose i better bite the bullet and get it organised. Thanks for the info!

 

I'll have to look into that Shinner, thanks :smile:

[Trixie]

we're at the tail end of applying for our 457. DIAC asked for health insurance and we did ours starting from 1st Feb as we wouldn't be arriving until mid Feb and it was accepted. Just our X-rays to go then if they are fine the case office said he would be ready to grant the visa.

 

Our health insurance is $156 per month for 2 people - I think it is the most basic one though.

[lynne1266]

I provided the Immigration with a copy of our E111 and also a copy of our Annual Travel Insurance that we have with our bank and they never asked for anything else.

 

Lynne xx

[Rudi]

I think there is a way to prove you have health insurance in place but just sending the agreement or something......but then you can cancel it immediately.

 

Not sure how the E111 helped - that only covers you for Europe LOL.....but if it worked then good on you!!!

 

Love

 

Rudi

x

[tommyc868]

Hi, im in the same situation, i am applying now but dont leave until feb. Do i need actual medical insurance or is travel insurance sufficient?? and does it have last the first full year or just until your out there and covered by medicare? this one is really worrying me as i wouldnt want to lose my sponser on a matter such as having the wrong insurance!! any help would be appreciated

[daddydaycare]

Hi, im in the same situation, i am applying now but dont leave until feb. Do i need actual medical insurance or is travel insurance sufficient?? and does it have last the first full year or just until your out there and covered by medicare? this one is really worrying me as i wouldnt want to lose my sponser on a matter such as having the wrong insurance!! any help would be appreciated

 

I suggest you just get health insurance to get the visa processed and then when you get to OZ and are now covered by medicare, you can always cancel it. This is what im going to do to avaoid any regrets. Im not even getting there until the end of May 2012 but will submit my visa application just after new year

[tommyc868]

Thanks, Yea i think ill just get it like ya say. Going to look into bupa health care i reckon. cant wait for it all to be submitted incredibly stressful!

[daddydaycare]

Thanks, Yea i think ill just get it like ya say. Going to look into bupa health care i reckon. cant wait for it all to be submitted incredibly stressful!

 

yes BUPA is a thumbs up!

[Guest ANWH1983]

BUPA are most definitely not a thumbs up. They happily sold me a policy that covered me for absolutely nothing and are still trying to convince me I need their policy for my visa, mainly because their staff don't understand how it works. I managed to cancel the policy today but I'm still fighting with BUPA to get the premiums paid refunded and have referred them to the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman.

 

The little detail health insurers in Australia tend to forget to mention to UK nationals is that there is a reciprocal health agreement between Australia and the UK. In a medical emergency, you are covered by Medicare. In fact, my wife and I even get Medicare benefits for GP visits. However, a myth persists that you need private health insurance in Australia even if you come from a country with such an agreement, a myth that the health insurers play no part in dispelling. The myth largely stems from a statement on the visa itself. It looks black and white, so read this DIAC link:

 

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/457-health-insurance-faq-visa-holder.htm

 

Yes, you must have adequate health cover as it says. But of this requirement it also says:

 

Visa holders who are enrolled with Medicare under reciprocal health care arrangements will be considered as having met this requirement.

 

Remember health insurers sell their visitors cover to people from all over the world and the sales staff don't generally know or care whether you are from a country with a reciprocal agreement so they sell you the product anyway.

 

What you will find is if you have the basic cover from one of these insurers is that they will pay you back the same for each medical treatment as Medicare would and no more (in Australia, every service has a basic fee - providers may charge more, the difference is known as 'the gap' - basic insurance won't cover this). If you are from a reciprocal country, they can then go and claim from Medicare the portion they must pay.

 

Let me give you an example of how my policy worked:

 

1) I paid BUPA $170 a month, after they said I needed the policy for my visa.

 

2) I went to the doctor and paid $90.

 

3) BUPA refunds the Medicare amount, about $60.

 

4) BUPA goes to Medicare and takes the portion they must cover. That's $60.

 

Alternatively, I could omit step one and do step 3 myself and save $170 a month.

 

By the way, being ripped off in Australia is not uncommon if you are not used to how things work. I love Australia and I know I'm a whinging pom but certain industries in this country are a disgrace. Insurers are near the top of the league of shame (it costs more to insure your holiday for two weeks from Australia than a year from the UK) along with telecommunications companies ($100 a month for limited broadband and a landline) whilst a lot of shops expect you to negotiate when buying something. Feel free to ask me how to avoid the pitfalls!

[daddydaycare]

BUPA are most definitely not a thumbs up. They happily sold me a policy that covered me for absolutely nothing and are still trying to convince me I need their policy for my visa, mainly because their staff don't understand how it works. I managed to cancel the policy today but I'm still fighting with BUPA to get the premiums paid refunded and have referred them to the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman.

 

The little detail health insurers in Australia tend to forget to mention to UK nationals is that there is a reciprocal health agreement between Australia and the UK. In a medical emergency, you are covered by Medicare. In fact, my wife and I even get Medicare benefits for GP visits. However, a myth persists that you need private health insurance in Australia even if you come from a country with such an agreement, a myth that the health insurers play no part in dispelling. The myth largely stems from a statement on the visa itself. It looks black and white, so read this DIAC link:

 

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/457-health-insurance-faq-visa-holder.htm

 

Yes, you must have adequate health cover as it says. But of this requirement it also says:

 

Visa holders who are enrolled with Medicare under reciprocal health care arrangements will be considered as having met this requirement.

 

Remember health insurers sell their visitors cover to people from all over the world and the sales staff don't generally know or care whether you are from a country with a reciprocal agreement so they sell you the product anyway.

 

What you will find is if you have the basic cover from one of these insurers is that they will pay you back the same for each medical treatment as Medicare would and no more (in Australia, every service has a basic fee - providers may charge more, the difference is known as 'the gap' - basic insurance won't cover this). If you are from a reciprocal country, they can then go and claim from Medicare the portion they must pay.

 

Let me give you an example of how my policy worked:

 

1) I paid BUPA $170 a month, after they said I needed the policy for my visa.

 

2) I went to the doctor and paid $90.

 

3) BUPA refunds the Medicare amount, about $60.

 

4) BUPA goes to Medicare and takes the portion they must cover. That's $60.

 

Alternatively, I could omit step one and do step 3 myself and save $170 a month.

 

By the way, being ripped off in Australia is not uncommon if you are not used to how things work. I love Australia and I know I'm a whinging pom but certain industries in this country are a disgrace. Insurers are near the top of the league of shame (it costs more to insure your holiday for two weeks from Australia than a year from the UK) along with telecommunications companies ($100 a month for limited broadband and a landline) whilst a lot of shops expect you to negotiate when buying something. Feel free to ask me how to avoid the pitfalls!

 

Thank for this.its such an eye opener. Didn't realize how it works. Your explanation above makes a lot of sense.

[robfromdublin]

To be fair, the rules over visas & healthcare are so convoluted that most people don't know them.

 

It's true that once you are enrolled in Medicare you don't need insurance for a reciprocal country (and there are grades of reciprocal countries. Irish people have lesser rights but don't need to enrol in Medicare, for example). You still need it up to the point that you enrol in Medicare though and often travel insurance doesn't provide the necessary cover. I just got insurance for one month then cancelled just to be sure but nobody at immigration checked.

 

It's a minefield alright and I'm not surprised some salesman in Bupa doesn't know all the rules.

[Alaska]

To be fair, the rules over visas & healthcare are so convoluted that most people don't know them.

 

It's true that once you are enrolled in Medicare you don't need insurance for a reciprocal country (and there are grades of reciprocal countries. Irish people have lesser rights but don't need to enrol in Medicare, for example). You still need it up to the point that you enrol in Medicare though and often travel insurance doesn't provide the necessary cover. I just got insurance for one month then cancelled just to be sure but nobody at immigration checked.

 

It's a minefield alright and I'm not surprised some salesman in Bupa doesn't know all the rules.

 

When did you cancel it? Do you wait until you are there and enrolled then?

[robfromdublin]

Yeah I had it sorted before I came out and it was due to start when I arrived. In the first week I then went down to Medicare and enrolled. Once enrolled I cancelled the insurance.

 

In theory I didn't need to get it, as I'm an Irish passport holder and hence am covered without needing to enrol, but then a UK resident so I was able to enrol and then get extra rights. Trying to explain that to immigration became too hard though so I just got the month's insurance! It was covered under my relocation allowance so I wasn't that fussed.

[Guest ANWH1983]

You can enrol in Medicare on the day you arrive in Australia. Before that get some nice cheap UK travel insurance that will cover you for everything you need.

 

I never got health insurance with an Australian company before coming here and got my 457 visa before taking it out too (I covered the gap with travel insurance). I made a big mistake in taking out insurance thereafter and I am keen to ensure no one else from the UK makes the same mistake.

 

I have raised the issue with the ombudsman and got my first response yesterday. They have asked me to continue working with BUPA for a solution and to raise it with them again before going back to the ombudsman but they will keep the case open. I have responded by advising that insurers should not be allowed to market this product to people from the UK as it provides no additional cover but have not yet received a response. Unfortunately, I know only too well that the insurance industry, unlike the banking and other financial services industries, are a law unto themselves in this country and I do not know how powerful/committed the ombudsman is.

 

Actually, if anyone else has similarly bought products they don't need, please get in touch. Numbers always help in these kinds of cases and I am challenging for full refunds.

[Guest marchatfield]

Hi There, I have just had my 457 visa approved today and I only submitted an annual multitrip insurence policy that cost £52 for a year.

[Guest Bannisters]

Insurance is a minefield. I think it must depend on which immigration officer you get as well. As our one would not accept travel insurance. They insisted we take out private cover before they would issue our 457.

[Alaska]

Insurance is a minefield. I think it must depend on which immigration officer you get as well. As our one would not accept travel insurance. They insisted we take out private cover before they would issue our 457.

 

Yes it seems that way doesn't it? I think we'll do the cover with someone like IMAN and then cancel it when we enrol with Medicare.

 

I guess we'll need travel insurance too for cancelled flights/illness as well then?

[Guest marchatfield]

I took out an travell insurence policy that allowed me to cancell with a full refund within 14 days if i had not travelled/claimed i was asked for my insurence form on wedensday provided my insurence policy thursday and my visa cleared friday (today).

[tommyc868]

Thank you so much, this is incredibly interesting, having read up myself about this it did look as if medicare would cover me but i thought i was missing something. i was thinkin of puttin on my application where it asks me for health insurance "reciprocal agreement with UK" or somethin along them lines to show that im entitled to medicare having been in oz previously for 2 years i have recieved it before. To be on the safe side i may take out travel insurance for the year as it is so cheap and get through it that way.

I appreciate all your help on this it is a minefield i cannot wait to jus get it subimitted...accepted and get there!!

thanks again people if i find anythin else out i will be sure to share!!

[Alaska]

Thank you so much, this is incredibly interesting, having read up myself about this it did look as if medicare would cover me but i thought i was missing something. i was thinkin of puttin on my application where it asks me for health insurance "reciprocal agreement with UK" or somethin along them lines to show that im entitled to medicare having been in oz previously for 2 years i have recieved it before. To be on the safe side i may take out travel insurance for the year as it is so cheap and get through it that way.

I appreciate all your help on this it is a minefield i cannot wait to jus get it subimitted...accepted and get there!!

thanks again people if i find anythin else out i will be sure to share!!

 

You will definitely need something to cover you until you enrol with medicare. You won't get a 457 visa without it. Does seem hit and miss whether travel insurance will be accepted.

[millers]

Thank you so much, this is incredibly interesting, having read up myself about this it did look as if medicare would cover me but i thought i was missing something. i was thinkin of puttin on my application where it asks me for health insurance "reciprocal agreement with UK" or somethin along them lines to show that im entitled to medicare having been in oz previously for 2 years i have recieved it before. To be on the safe side i may take out travel insurance for thet year as it is so cheap and get through it that way.

I appreciate all your help on this it is a minefield i cannot wait to jus get it subimitted...accepted and get there!!

thanks again people if i find anythin else out i will be sure to share!!

 

We have been in the same situation as you and i saw a post on here saying about use a company called" Go Walkabout" for insurance which is suitable for your 457 visa application. We took out a policy for 28 days i think and the man on the phone was very very helpful and knowledgable and 5 days later our visa was approved. All we have to do is register for medicare when we arrive in OZ in Feb......we were panicking initially thinking we have to have some kind of health insurance set up before we get the visa approved but that was not the case....save yourself stress and give them a call. I would highly recommend them......also we have started the policy from the date we leave the UK and it also covers us for the 3 days we are stopping over in Singapore.

[Alaska]

We have been in the same situation as you and i saw a post on here saying about use a company called" Go Walkabout" for insurance which is suitable for your 457 visa application. We took out a policy for 28 days i think and the man on the phone was very very helpful and knowledgable and 5 days later our visa was approved. All we have to do is register for medicare when we arrive in OZ in Feb......we were panicking initially thinking we have to have some kind of health insurance set up before we get the visa approved but that was not the case....save yourself stress and give them a call. I would highly recommend them......also we have started the policy from the date we leave the UK and it also covers us for the 3 days we are stopping over in Singapore.

 

This is very interesting information thanks. I had a look at their website and it's just travel insurance isn't it? It seems that some case officers will accept it and some won't. We have been sent information from the company's relocation agent with a massive list of criteria that needs to be filled, and travel insurance just doesn't meet it.

I have a dilemma now!