Medicare helps to provide Australians with affordable health and hospital services.2Â
It is funded by Australian taxpayers, who contribute 2 percent of their taxable income in order to help cover the costs of running the program.3Â
You can enrol in Medicare if you live in Australia and you’re:4Â
You can also enrol if you’re a citizen or permanent resident of:5Â
There’s also some good news if you’re on Bridging Visa A, B, C or E – in most cases, you can access some Medicare entitlements too!6Â
It’s a pretty straightforward process. There are detailed instructions on how to enrol in Medicare on the Services Australia website. Â
Basically, you’ll need to complete some paperwork and email it along with your r supporting documents to the Medicare Enrolment Services or post it to the address on the form.7Â
Once your application is approved at the Medicare service centre, you should be given a Medicare number and access to a digital card, which you can start using straight away. But it might take up to a month for your little green card to arrive in the mail.8Â
If you’ve been on your parents' Medicare card, once you are over the age of 15 you can apply to have your own card.9 Â
There is no limit to how long you can stay on your parents Medicare card, so really it’s up to you whether you’d prefer to get your own card or stay on theirs. If you want to stay on your parent’s card, you can get your own copy of your family’s Medicare card.10 Â
As we mentioned earlier, Australian taxpayers contribute a portion of their income tax towards funding Medicare, and bulk billing allows you to access these medical services from health professionals without paying any out of pocket costs.11 Essentially, the Medicare scheme picks up the tab for you.Â
Let’s say you visit your local GP. After your visit, your GP’s clinic bills Medicare directly and accepts the Medicare benefit as full payment for their service. Â
The term ‘bulk billing’ means that the medical practice bills Medicare in a batch of consultations to Medicare all at once.12Â
The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care then pays a benefit towards consultations or health services listed on the Medicare Benefits Schedule. The amount they pay for these consultations, also known as medical services, is listed in a behemoth set of documents called the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). You might want to make yourself a cuppa before trying to wrap your head around the MBS….Â
Typically, Medicare pays for 85 percent of the schedule fee for any listed procedure, 75 percent for private patients, and 100 percent for GPs.13Â
Some health professionals may charge more than the schedule fee, which means you may need to pay some out of pocket costs. Â
If you’re unsure about whether or not you need to make any payments, ask your medical practitioner before you visit them.Â
The Medicare system subsidises a large number of health services and medicines.Â
If you’re a public patient in a public hospital, you can access services and treatments covered by Medicare such as:14Â
The good news is that if you’re a public patient in a public hospital, your costs for these services are generally fully covered by Medicare!15Â
A number of medical services are also partially or fully covered by Medicare through the MBS. These include things like:16Â
While the list of medical services under Medicare is pretty comprehensive, it’s always a good idea to ask your local medical clinic whether they cover the service or treatment you require before you visit them.Â
Let’s say you’ve visited your local GP for a medical issue, and they’ve advised you to undertake some further tests to figure out exactly what’s going on beneath the surface.Â
You may be required to undertake some diagnostic imaging tests or scans. Medicare covers many of these services, such as:17Â
Keep in mind that not all imaging and scanning providers will bulk bill, so check with your provider to see if you will need to pay any out of pocket costs.18Â
MRI and PET scans must also fulfil a certain criterion before you can receive a Medicare rebate. This includes things like being listed on the MBS, being referred by a health practitioner and an accredited provider and being conducted on eligible equipment.19Â
Your doctor might advise you to get some tests done in order to screen for any medical issues or diseases. This includes things like blood, urine or tissue tests.Â
Some pathology clinics do bulk bill, but some don’t.20 Generally, Medicare will cover you for pathology tests and screenings.21 It’s also worth noting that if your GP requests more than 3 tests on the same day, Medicare will only cover the 3 most expensive tests.22Â
Whether you’re in your early twenties or approaching your late fifties, it’s always worth getting your eyes checked by an optometrist to make sure everything is in working order and your eyes are in good health.Â
Medicare covers eye tests by an optometrist once every three years if you’re under 65, and once a year if you’re over 65.23Â
Keep in mind that not all optometrists bulk bill, so ask them if they do before you make your appointment.Â
Many of us need to access different types of medicine at some point throughout our lives. And yes, that could mean more than the occasional Panadol or Nurofen.Â
While some prescription medicines can be expensive, many are subsidised by Medicare under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).24Â
Remember those vaccinations you got during your primary or secondary school days? Â
That’s thanks to the National Immunisation Program, which covers costs of a number of essential vaccines to help protect eligible Australians from a range of diseases.25
While your little green card can be a ticket to great savings at the doctor’s clinic, many medical services aren’t accessible via Medicare.Â
Medicare doesn’t cover the costs of:26Â
This is why many people choose to pair their Medicare card with Private Health Insurance to give them more options – and more potential savings – on healthcare.Â
Having private Health Insurance can give you invaluable peace of mind knowing that you’re covered for an even greater range of Hospital services and Extras such as dental, optical, physio, chiro and much more.27Â
In some cases, depending on your state or territory, you may also be able to combine Hospital and Extras cover with Ambulance cover.28Â
Basically, Private Health Insurance may fill the gap and cover some of the costs of medical services and treatments where Medicare doesn’t. Plus, you have greater freedom in choosing your hospital and doctor, too.29Â
If you’re ready to boost your healthcare cover (on top of your little green card, of course!) you can compare a range of policies from our range of providers right here.Â
You can also give us a call on 1800 784 772, and one of our friendly team members will help you find a policy that suits your budget and lifestyle.Â
Sources:
1Â Health Direct -Â What is Medicare?
2 As above.
3 As above.
4Â Services Australia -Â Enrolling in Medicare
5Â As above.
6Â Australian Parliament House -Â Appendix F - Bridging visa conditions and entitlements, pages 2-3.
7Â Services Australia -Â Enrolling in Medicare, How to enrol
8 Services Australia - Get your own Medicare card and number
9 Services Australia - Enrolling in Medicare, Enrolling when you’re on your parent’s Medicare card
10 Services Australia – What happens when I turn 15?
11Â Health Direct -Â Bulk billing for medical services
12Â As above.
13Â Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care - Medicare Benefits Schedule - Note GN.10.26
14Â Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care -Â What Medicare covers, What is covered, hospital services
15Â Services Australia -Â Health care and Medicare, Going to hospital
16Â Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care -Â What Medicare covers, What is covered, Medical services
17Â Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care - What Medicare covers, What is covered, Tests, imaging and scans, diagnostic imaging
18Â As above.
19Â As above.
20Â Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care -Â What Medicare covers, What is covered, Tests, imaging and scans, Pathology tests.
21Â As above.
22Â As above.
23 Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care - What Medicare covers, What is covered, Tests imaging and scans, Eye tests
24Â Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care - What Medicare covers, What is covered, Medicines
25Â Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care -Â National Immunisation Program
26 Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care - What Medicare covers, What isn’t covered
27Â Privatehealth.gov.au -Â What is covered by Private Health Insurance
28Â As above.
29Â As above.
Questions? Need advice?