Registering for Medicare

[Dedrei]

Hi Guys

Just have a few questions to those that have their medicare cards already.

I see that you can have a group/family card which has all of the family members on one card and then you have individual cards. Did you guys apply for the group one or for one individually? Like mum and dad have separate ones and children added to mum’s card or something like that.. Which is best?

Those that were on 457 and applied for PR in Aus, what documents did you have to submit with the application form. I am assuming the acknowledgement letter is what they are looking for?

And then anybody know more info about the Medicare Safety Net? Care to explain this is plain simple English for me?

If we were to go to the doctor now, how much would we have to pay from our own pocket? Or does medicare cover 100% of your doctor’s bill? Some info on where and when you are able to use the card will also help.

Sorry for all the questions.

Cheers

Dedrei

[Vossie]

Hi Dedrei

Ons het aansoek gedoen vir Medicare net nadat ons PR goedgekeur is. Ons het net ons paspoorte gevat en ek dink amper hulle het iets gesoek wat ons adres ophet.

Ons het 'n familiekaarte, ek en Vossie het altwee 'n kaart met ons almal se name op, ek dink dis maar die maklikste.

Die uitbetalings kon ek nog nie uitwerk nie. Die een keer betaal ek $30 by die dr en kry gedeelte terug, volgende keer betaal ek $60 en kry alles terug, dan weer $60 en kry net gedeelte terug, so daar kan ek nie help nie. Die safety net is net 'n ekstra bedrag waarvoor jy registreer, dit kos niks, het laaste keer toe ek gaan eis het gevra van die safety net en toe is ons klaar geregistreer daarvoor, dit kos niks ekstra nie.

Ek is nie seker wat alles gedek word nie, maar soos ek kan verstaan kan jy nie na 'n privaat hospitaal gaan vir operasies nie behalwe as jy die verskil self betaal nie. Kan ook blykbaar op 'n waglys kom as operasies nie ernsig is nie, ek praat hier onder korreksie.

Ek kon nog nie agterkom hoe die voorskrifte werk nie.

Hoop dit help darem so bietjie

Lekker dag

Elmare

[Guest colton]

Dedrei you have to take your passport with when you apply for medicare so they can check you are a permanent resident. Because you only have the 457 visa in your passport so far they then need to see your proof of payment to the immigration dep for your permanent residency. Your acknowldgement letter should have proof of payment on it. That's how it worked for us.

They asked me how many cards I wanted, one for each parent.

[Mara]

Hi Dedrei & Vossie

I found the following website, it may explain it to you in detail!

http://www.medicare.gov.au/yourhealth/our_services/am.shtml

[Riekie]

Ons het twee kaarte gekry - een vir my en een vir manlief en 3 van ons is daarop. Omdat my seun op sy eie missie is, het hulle vir hom sy eie kaart & medicare nommer gegee, so alhoewel hy nog afhanklik is van ons, het hy sy eie kaart, en net sy detail is daarop. (Sy detail is ook nie op ons kaarte nie). Ons het ons paspoorte, PR goedkeuringsbrief en 'n "utility rekening met ons adres op saam gevat - dit is al wat hulle nodig gehad het en omtrent 5 minute later het ons ons tydelike kaarte!

My ervaring van Medicare dusver: Een van ons moes GP toe. Ons moes net die Medicare kaart vir hulle wys, en $12 inbetaal (die "gap" - wat die verskil is tussen Medicare se "rates" en wat die dokter vra. Daar is dokters wat NET die Medicare fooie vra - hulle verwys daarna as "bulk billing" - dan betaal jy niks). Daarna is dit bloedtoetse, waar ons net die Medicare kaart moes wys en het niks betaal nie. Vandaar na 'n Spesialis by 'n Publieke hospitaal (2 weke gewag vir 'n afspraak). By die hospitaal gekom, weer net die Medicare kaart gewys en niks betaal nie. Gestuur vir 'n baie gespesialiseerde mediese toets (hond duur as mens self moet betaal!!) - en weer 2 weke gewag vir 'n afspraak. Medicare kaartjie gewys en niks betaal nie. Gaan volgende week terug na die spesialis. Dalk is ons net gelukkig, maar ons het nog nie die "jy wag 6 maande vir 'n afspraak" ervaring gehad nie, en sover het die hele storie my net $12 gekos.

Ek het wel 'n vraag: 3 Uur die nag het my seun skielik oorpyn in albei sy ore en dit voel of sy ore wil bars. Ons jaag na die hospitaal op die hoek vd straat ('n Privaat Hospitaal) se noodgevalle. Daar gekom, word ons vertel dat Medicare niks betaal nie, en ook nie ons privaat medies nie, omdat dit 'n noodgeval is.... Ons betaal toe nou maar die $198 vir die konsultasie en pakkie pilletjies - moet nog by Medicare & ons privaat medies die saak opneem, want dit maak net nie sin nie. Hoe werk die rëels in so 'n geval? Moes ons na 'n publieke hospitaal toe gegaan het of maak dit nie saak waar jy gaan nie, jy word nie gedek in noodgevalle nie??... Kry mens hier iets soos 24 uur mediese sentrums en is DIT dalk waar ons moes heengaan? Mens dink mos nou nie aan hierdie goed nie, tot jy in die situasie is, en dan is daar nie iemand wie jy gou kan vra nie. Ek wonder nou net wat sal gebeur as mens 'n hartaanval kry of in 'n kar ongeluk is of iets..... (Skies D, wil nie jou vraag "hijack" nie, maar hierdie is die tipe goed wat mens hoort te weet...)

[Springbok]

Just checking:

I see for Medicare enrollment, you need 1 eligibility document and 2 residency documents:

Eligibility (born overseas):

- Aussie/overseas passport with valid visa

Residency:

- rates notice

- drivers licence

- firearm licence

- car registration papers

- rental contract

- employment contract

I can only satisfy the Eligibility requirement as I am still in South Africa, so it seems that I can only apply for Medicare once I have secured accomodation and a job in Australia?

Thanks

Charl

[Dedrei]

HI Rix

Ons het mos ook 'n emergency gehad, wel ons het net 'n publieke hospitaal wat ongevalle afdeling het. Wou nie ons Private kaart vat nie. Wat ons toe doen is om claim vir dit in te stuur na ons private healthcare toe en toe betaal hulle.

Weet nie of jy dalk net moet probeer en 'n fisiese claim, papierwerk invul om dit so te claim nie? Baie goeie vraag en sal graag ook hierdie wil uitvind.

Groete

D

x

[Guest colton]

Riekie,

On Sunday 2am I had to rush my daughter to hospital, appendix! Showed my medicare care at emergency dep. and they rushed her through. Lots of scans, x-rays and 2 doctors attending her. Spent the whole of sunday there, finally left at 10pm but need to go back tomorrow for more scans. Didn't have to pay a cent. I asked if we were going to be billed for the room or anything else and they said no medicare covers the lot. It was a public hospital though and I think at the private hospital here you have to pay upfront.

[steph]

Hi Charl

On arrival in Australia with your PR visa, your details will be sent from the Department of Immigration to Medicare. This normally takes between 10 and 14 days. Just visit your nearest Medicare office for the necessary forms and ask them when you must return them - you don't need to be employed to register for Medicare.

Stephanie

[Bob]

Charl,

if you've validated your permanent residence visa on your recent trip to Australia, the gov't will have all your personal details logged into the database.

When you rock up on Australian soil again, I'd just pop into a Medicare office dotted around the country and let them know you'd like a card, leaving an address for them to post it to.

Take 100 points of ID to verify who you are.

Dedrei,

when the present system of Medicare came in on 1st Feb 1984, every Australian and permanent resident was sent a card.

If there was a family involved, then usually, Mum got a card for the whole family.

As the kids got older, they could drop by a Medicare office and order a card for their own personal use.

That has been our experience. My three grown up kids all have their own cards today, as they live independent lives.

Basically, Medicare covers doctor's visits (local G.P. or specialist) with an 85% rebate on the "scheduled fee for service.

If the doctor charges over and above the "scheduled" fee, you pay the gap also.

Public hospital treatment is free anywhere in Australia.

Medicare, you'll find, is a "no frills" public health care system that is available to all Aussies.

"No frills" means it doesn't include ambulance, dental, spectacles, physio, chiropractic, speech therapy, etc.

My young bloke's mate is boarding with us at the mo, and had to have root canal treatment done a week ago.

Cost . . . . $1 000 up-front! cash

If you have teeth in your head or need glasses, you'd be wise to take out private health, the very least being the "Extras" cover.

This will cover your dental treatment needed, any glasses, ambulance cover, etc.

The Australian gov't keeps private health insurance affordable by giving a 30% rebate on premiums.

You can elect to have the 30% rebate taken directly off the premium, leaving you to pay only the remaining 70% of the sum.

I've found that to be the easiest way, personally.

www.medicareaustralia.gov.au

www.mbf.com.au

www.medibankprivate.com.au

[Riekie]

Riekie,

On Sunday 2am I had to rush my daughter to hospital, appendix! Showed my medicare care at emergency dep. and they rushed her through. Lots of scans, x-rays and 2 doctors attending her. Spent the whole of sunday there, finally left at 10pm but need to go back tomorrow for more scans. Didn't have to pay a cent. I asked if we were going to be billed for the room or anything else and they said no medicare covers the lot. It was a public hospital though and I think at the private hospital here you have to pay upfront.

Thanks - that makes sense. Guess it would be a good idea to know where the nearest public hospital is ..... with a 20 year old who thinks he's Superman, you never know!

[ptlabs]

When you rock up on Australian soil again, I'd just pop into a Medicare office dotted around the country and let them know you'd like a card, leaving an address for them to post it to.

Take 100 points of ID to verify who you are.

You won't need to pass a 100-point ID check to get a Medicare card. Just bring your passport with the valid permanent visa label and you'll be okay.

Peter

[SASydneysider]

Guess it would be a good idea to know where the nearest public hospital is ..... with a 20 year old who thinks he's Superman, you never know!

Hi Riekie,

Have you found out where the nearest public hospital is? I was wondering if it could be Hornsby Hospital - not sure if it is a public hospital.

SAS

[Dedrei]

Hi Girls

It seems that the public Hospitals are either Westmead or The Hornsby Kuring-gai Hospital. Just had a look on www.whereis.com.au to list hospitals in the Hills area. It seems though that there are more private hospitals in the Hills and surrounds than public hopitals

I have also been comparing MBF and Medibank for our private health and read on MBF's site that private health insurance doesn't cover out-patient costs, like see dr in emergency dept at all.

So it seems you'll have to rush to public hospital for emergencies if you want medicare to pay for it at least. Just stupid that private health funds don't cover this, even if you go to a private hospital. Just stupid.

Would love to find out if medicare would pay a part of your emergency visit in a private hospital?

[Lindy-Lee]

This link should give you all the public hospitals in Aus in alphabetical order. Hope this helps. sorry seems like it's not for the whole of Aus mostly in east.

http://www2.health.nsw.gov.au/services/Def...FTOKEN=69201825

Lindy-Lee

Edited May 28, 2007 by Lindy-Lee

[SASydneysider]

It seems that the public Hospitals are either Westmead or The Hornsby Kuring-gai Hospital.

Thanks for this Dedrei. At least this is not too far from us.

I have also been comparing MBF and Medibank for our private health and read on MBF's site that private health insurance doesn't cover out-patient costs, like see dr in emergency dept at all.

You might want to have a look at HCF as well - not sure if they cover outpatient costs.

Would love to find out if medicare would pay a part of your emergency visit in a private hospital?

Yeah, I'd also appreciate it if someone could give us an answer on this one.

SAS

Edited May 28, 2007 by SASydneysider

[ptlabs]

This link should give you all the public hospitals in Aus in alphabetical order. Hope this helps. sorry seems like it's not for the whole of Aus mostly in east.

http://www2.health.nsw.gov.au/services/Def...FTOKEN=69201825

Hospitals are the responsibility of the respective state/territory government. The link provided here is for NSW only.

Peter

I see that you can have a group/family card which has all of the family members on one card and then you have individual cards. Did you guys apply for the group one or for one individually? Like mum and dad have separate ones and children added to mum’s card or something like that.. Which is best?

Not sure if this question has already been answered in Afrikaans...

You can get duplicate Medicare cards with both parents' names and all childrens' names included - this allows either parent to bring the child/ren to the doctor's without worrying who has the Medicare card.

A Medicare card with all family members' name included can serve as a form of ID to prove family membership especially if father and mother have different surnames.

Peter

Would love to find out if medicare would pay a part of your emergency visit in a private hospital?

http://www.privatehealth.gov.au/informatio...ks/medicare.htm

[SASydneysider]

http://www.privatehealth.gov.au/informatio...ks/medicare.htm

From this link Peter has provided, it seems like Medicare will pay 75% of the scheduled amount (MBS - Medical Benefits Schedule) and the patient will be liable for 25%. This is applicable to private and public hospitals. It does not state whether this is applicable to emergencies though, but I'm assuming emergencies are included.

The 25% the patient is liable for, could be a substantial amount in a private hospital, because they charge a lot more than public hospitals.

SAS

Edited May 29, 2007 by SASydneysider

[ptlabs]

The 25% the patient is liable for, could be a substantial amount in a private hospital, because they charge a lot more than public hospitals.

You have to remember that the scheduled amount may be much less than the full price private hospitals charge...

Peter