Can Medicare Replace Health Insurance for Eligible Visa Applicants Under Condition 8501?
Do you know that you may be eligible to access Medicare even though you do not yet hold a permanent residency (PR) status in Australia? This is because the Australian government has an agreement with these countries. Passport holders from these countries may be eligible to enrol into Medicare without having to arrange a separate private health insurance and still meet condition 8501 for their temporary visa.
What is condition 8501?
Visas subject to condition 8501—Maintain adequate health insurance requires applicants to acquire and maintain health insurance for their whole stay in Australia to meet the health requirements.
Which visas are subject to Condition 8501?
What is a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA)?
A Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) is an agreement between two countries to provide medically necessary care to temporary residents of the reciprocal country.
The agreements cover or subsidise some emergency medical costs. Each country’s agreement specifies what will be covered or subsidised.
Which countries are covered by a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA)?
There are 11 countries that have a RHCA in place with Australia, which are:
Belgium
Finland
Italy
Malta
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Republic of Ireland
Slovenia
Sweden
United Kingdom
How long am I covered under Medicare?
Covered for the length of your stay in Australia
Finland
New Zealand
Norway
Republic of Ireland
Sweden
United Kingdom
Covered until the expiry date shown on your European Health Insurance card or the length of your authorised stay in Australia if that is an earlier date.
Belgium
Netherlands
Slovenia
Covered for a period of 6 months from the date of your arrival in Australia
Italy
Malta
How do I enrol for Medicare?
Check to see if you are eligible for Medicare and meet the requirements. You can enrol in Medicare through Services Australia online by completing a form.
Client Testimonials
….we call it Support Network
As navigating through the immigration law process may be difficult, our former clients have agreed to share their experiences through telephone chats, emails and meetings in person.
These are their stories…
How Can Agape Henry Crux Help
If you do not meet the health criteria that may affect your visa application, speak to one of our Accredited Specialist(s) in Immigration Law with our team of immigration lawyers at Agape Henry Crux. The team specialises in handling highly complex matters and can assist you with a health waiver for your visa application (if applicable). You can schedule with one of our lawyers or agents to seek professional advice by calling 02-8310 5230 or emailing us at info@ahclawyers.com.
We speak fluent English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Malay. If this isn’t your language, we can also help you arrange an interpreter.
This article/presentation (“publication”) does not deal extensively with important topics or changes in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you find this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances, please contact our office.
