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Travel Insurance Tips - Medicare

Information for Travellers to Australia

Medicare is the Australian reciprocal health care agreement which allows UK citizens access to limited subsidised health services for immediately necessary treatment while visiting Australia. Residents of the UK are covered for the duration of their approved visit to Australia.

Access to cover

Reciprocal health care agreements cover treatment that is medically necessary. Medically necessary treatment means any ill-health or injury which occurs while you are in Australia and requires treatment before you return home.

Your entitlements

As a resident of UK you are entitled to the following for any ill-health or injury requiring treatment while in Australia:

• Free treatment as a public in-patient or outpatient in a public hospital.
• Subsidised medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
• Medicare benefits for out-of-hospital medical treatment provided by doctors through private surgeries and community health centres.

Enrolling in Medicare

If you will be receiving treatment you can enrol at Medicare offices throughout Australia. If you receive treatment before you enrol, Medicare benefits will be back paid for eligible visitors.

To enrol in Medicare you will need:

• Your passport with a valid visa.
• To provide, in some cases, identification showing you are enrolled in your country's national health scheme.

If your application to enrol in Medicare is approved, you will receive an Australian reciprocal health care card in the mail.

For more information about Medicare and receiving medical treatment whilst in Australia visit: http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/public/migrants/visitors/uk.jsp