Medicare

Medicare is Australia’s national health care system. It covers the full cost of public hospital treatment and provides free or subsidised treatment by medical practitioners. It is available to all Australian citizens and permanent residents living in Australia.

Some visitors to Australia have restricted access to Medicare for medically necessary treatment because their country has a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia. However, most visitors and temporary workers have no access to Medicare.

What does it mean if I have no access to Medicare?

No access to Medicare means you have to pay the full cost of basic health care and hospital treatment. What’s more, Australia’s health care services are not cheap. If you need to see a specialist or have tests, you could end up with high medical costs. That’s why as a visitor to Australia, you need to consider private health insurance. Whether you’re in Australia already or you’re planning to visit Australia, it’s easy to organise your health cover with the help of the iSelect website.

For more information visit:

How do I purchase Overseas Visitors Cover with iSelect?
Eligibility for Overseas Visitor Cover
Reciprocal Health Care Agreements (RHCA)