STEP 5Recommended

Health and insurance

Who gets Medicare, what to do if you do not, how to see a doctor, and the numbers to call in an emergency.

Medicare: who is covered

Medicare is the public system for citizens and permanent residents. Most temporary visa holders are not covered.
Reciprocal Health Care Agreements give limited Medicare access to visitors from 11 countries: the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Italy, Malta, Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Slovenia. Korea, Japan and China are not on the list.
Some people who have applied for permanent residence can enrol while they wait. Check the Services Australia eligibility page for your visa.
Enrol at a Medicare service centre with your passport and visa, then add Medicare to your myGov to get the digital card.

No Medicare? Get health cover

Students: Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is a visa condition for your whole stay.
Working holiday and other temporary visas: Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC). Home Affairs strongly recommends it and some visas require it. A hospital stay without cover can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Compare what the policy pays for GP visits, ambulance and prescriptions, not just hospital. Cheap policies often exclude ambulance.

Seeing a doctor

A GP (general practitioner) is your first stop for anything that is not an emergency. Book online through the clinic or apps such as HotDoc.
"Bulk billing" means the clinic charges Medicare directly and you pay nothing. Without Medicare you pay the full fee upfront and claim part of it from your OSHC or OVHC insurer.
Medicines: pharmacies sell many things over the counter and pharmacists give free advice. Prescription prices are subsidised (PBS) only for Medicare holders.
Need help choosing between GP, urgent care or hospital? Nurse-On-Call 1300 60 60 24 is free in Victoria, 24 hours.
Victoria also has free Priority Primary Care Centres for urgent but not life-threatening problems, which avoids a long emergency department wait.

Emergencies and support numbers

000 for police, fire or ambulance. It works from any phone, even without credit, and you can ask for an interpreter.
Ambulance is not free in Victoria. Ambulance Victoria membership costs around $50 a year for one person and covers the full cost; check whether your insurer already includes it.
Lifeline 13 11 14 (crisis support, 24 hours) and Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 (mental health).
Translating and Interpreting Service 131 450 connects you to an interpreter for many government and health services.

Medicare: who is covered

Medicare is the public system for citizens and permanent residents. Most temporary visa holders are not covered.

Reciprocal Health Care Agreements give limited Medicare access to visitors from 11 countries: the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Italy, Malta, Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Slovenia. Korea, Japan and China are not on the list.

Some people who have applied for permanent residence can enrol while they wait. Check the Services Australia eligibility page for your visa.

Enrol at a Medicare service centre with your passport and visa, then add Medicare to your myGov to get the digital card.

No Medicare? Get health cover

Students: Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is a visa condition for your whole stay.

Working holiday and other temporary visas: Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC). Home Affairs strongly recommends it and some visas require it. A hospital stay without cover can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Compare what the policy pays for GP visits, ambulance and prescriptions, not just hospital. Cheap policies often exclude ambulance.

Seeing a doctor

A GP (general practitioner) is your first stop for anything that is not an emergency. Book online through the clinic or apps such as HotDoc.

"Bulk billing" means the clinic charges Medicare directly and you pay nothing. Without Medicare you pay the full fee upfront and claim part of it from your OSHC or OVHC insurer.

Medicines: pharmacies sell many things over the counter and pharmacists give free advice. Prescription prices are subsidised (PBS) only for Medicare holders.

Need help choosing between GP, urgent care or hospital? Nurse-On-Call 1300 60 60 24 is free in Victoria, 24 hours.

Victoria also has free Priority Primary Care Centres for urgent but not life-threatening problems, which avoids a long emergency department wait.

Emergencies and support numbers

000 for police, fire or ambulance. It works from any phone, even without credit, and you can ask for an interpreter.

Ambulance is not free in Victoria. Ambulance Victoria membership costs around $50 a year for one person and covers the full cost; check whether your insurer already includes it.

Lifeline 13 11 14 (crisis support, 24 hours) and Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 (mental health).

Translating and Interpreting Service 131 450 connects you to an interpreter for many government and health services.