Caz Posted March 5, 2013 Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 Hi,I have recently received a reminder from our GP that my 4 year old is due for the Australian Government Healthy Kids Check. Has anyone else taken their 4 year old for this check up? Is it compulsory? We are on a 457 visa and do not have medicare or receive any related benefits. I have taken him to the free immunisation clinic and all of his immunisations are up to date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HansaPlease Posted March 5, 2013 Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 It varies by state but I believe it's only compulsory if you're on benefits. You get part of your benefits revoked if you don't.To be blunt, it's an initiative to make sure that the losers are looking after their children properly (because a lot of the time they aren't!), and to help ensure that kids start school healthy. Generally doesn't apply to most people on this forum, if you know what I mean... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HansaPlease Posted March 5, 2013 Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 PS: We take our kids to the suggested check ups anyway, just for piece of mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrea_vk Posted March 5, 2013 Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 I think the suggested check up is just the immunization. I took my daughter for the check up thinking they needed to check her up, and the doctor was lost. He said the immunization is what they need and that is where he referred me to. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndreaL Posted March 5, 2013 Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 The 4 year old health check is part of the Healthy Start For School program and a means for those on Family Tax benefit part A to be able to get their payment of $726 and is aimed at low income families who previously automatically got this payment. They also check for things like hearing impairment, developmental delays and anything that might affect kids as they start their prep year.When my son was 4 we were on a 457 so I would have had to pay some silly amount for this privately. I also had to pay for his immunisations as no one seemed to know where I fit, ie not having Medicare. I did approach the lovely lady at the local child clinic and she gave him a once over and somehow got us in the system without having a Medicare number.Don't worry too much about it as they send the community nurses to the school during prep year to check the kids hearing and sight.......the funny thing was, every parent got a referral to the local optometrist to have their kids eyes re-checked, but this wasn't too expensive.Most of the time when I explained we were on a 457 and couldn't access any of these government initiatives, clinic staff or Doctors would try and help me out. You would be just as well ( if you have any concerns) taking your child to your GP or clinic nurse for an overall health check. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caz Posted March 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 Thanks all for your input. Great to have someone like AndreaL who has been exactly where I am now!I do not have any concerns and certainly don't like subjecting my children to any unnecessary medical examinations, etc. I've heard that all the really sick people like to hang out at the doctor's consulting rooms... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynnie Posted March 5, 2013 Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 Het dieselfde brief vir my kids gekry - ons is ook op 457. Ons het betaal vd dokters afspraak en dit terug geeis van ons medies - julle het sekerlik privaat medies op 457? Die immunisasies was gratis Maak net seker die immunisasies stem ooreen met Australie se vereistes vir immunisasies - hulle het nogal kopgekrap oor Suid Afrika se immunisasies en wat my kinders nog moes kry.Sterkte 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caz Posted March 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 Thanks Lynnie,I went to the immunisation clinic in Carindale with both my boys (4 and 6) and the nurses wrote a comprehensive list of the immunisations received as well as those outstanding. We had very few outstanding as I had their vaccinations done privately in South Africa and never went to the government clinics. The boys are up to date with all their Australian vaccinations now and only need to go again once they are teenagers.I'll phone the consulting rooms tomorrow to make an appointment and get this over and done with. Our private medical aid is generally very good and I seldom have to pay anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndreaL Posted March 5, 2013 Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 Actually, if the school or kindly should ask, you could tell them that you recently had a complete migration medical which included eye and hearing tests. I'm not sure if I was even asked for Adam's immunisation card as we came from WA to here, when we first arrived in WA we had to show Jade's card to get her in school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caz Posted March 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2013 Okay, so I have just spoken to the very friendly practice manager & practice nurse at my GP who have both confirmed that my son does not need to undergo the healthy kids check as we do not receive Tax Benefit A.The letter was sent to all patients in the appropriate age category and I may ignore it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackieO Posted March 6, 2013 Report Share Posted March 6, 2013 (edited) Thanks Lynnie,I went to the immunisation clinic in Carindale with both my boys (4 and 6) and the nurses wrote a comprehensive list of the immunisations received as well as those outstanding. We had very few outstanding as I had their vaccinations done privately in South Africa and never went to the government clinics. The boys are up to date with all their Australian vaccinations now and only need to go again once they are teenagers.I'll phone the consulting rooms tomorrow to make an appointment and get this over and done with. Our private medical aid is generally very good and I seldom have to pay anything. Yip, my daughter had hers at Carindale Medical centre, it cost alot of $ (also on 457) but we got everything back from medibankETA: It was worth doing because they added her immunisations onto the Australian register (even without medicare number) and the check up was comprehensive. Edited March 6, 2013 by JackieO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndreaL Posted March 6, 2013 Report Share Posted March 6, 2013 Hhhmmm, I think I was a bit stupid and never thought to claim things back through Medibank and they don't exactly fill you in on what you can claim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caz Posted March 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2013 @JackieO,Nope, we went to the Queensland government's free mobile immunisation clinic in Carindale and it did not cost a cent. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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