Marlene Posted May 22, 2007 Report Share Posted May 22, 2007 In NZ all visits for children under 6 and immunizations are free. Even if you're on a working visa of 1 year or more. What happens in Aus? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Posted May 23, 2007 Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 Visits for what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SASydneysider Posted May 23, 2007 Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 From my NZ knowledge, I assume Marlene means visits to the doctor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marlene Posted May 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 Yes, sorry...I sort of assumed under the health and wellness, that is what it means...doctors and hospitals etc.So, how does it work in Aus? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindy-Lee Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 (edited) Hi thereI've taken my baby and 4 year old for their shots to our GP and it was all bulk billed...so paid nothing.I think if you go to a dr that does not do bulk billing you will have to pay for his appointment only....otherwise you can go to one of the clinics and should be free there. Just take medicare card with.If you are not on medicare you must get a prescription for the shot, pay for it, take it to GP for him to inject it and pay him as well!Lindy-Lee Edited May 24, 2007 by Lindy-Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 Medicare is the Australian gov'ts "no frills" publich health care system.It began on 1st Feb 1984 and is a copy of the Canadian Medicare system, so if you've lived in Canada, you'll be pretty familiar with its workings.It provides free public hospital. The public hospitals in Australia are run by the States, and the Australian Federal (Commonwealth) gov't just hands the money over each year to the six States and two Territories, that make up Australia, to run their own public hospitals.Visits to GPs and specialist doctors are heavily subsidised. Medicare has a list of fair payments for all sorts of services and deliveries that doctors perform.A "scheduled fee" is what the Australian gov't deems a fair charge that doctors should charge their patients for these various services and deliveries.You get 85% subsidy of the scheduled fee of a doctors service or delivery.You pay the 15% "gap" between the Medicare subsidy and what the doctor's scheduled fee is.If the doctor charges over the scheduled fee, you pay the whole excess over.Medicare, being a no frills public health care system isn't as comprehensive as Britain's National Health, for example.Medicare doesn't include visits to the dentist, opticians, chiropractors, physio, etc nor does it provide any ambulance service.You'd be wise to insure privately against these services with a private health insurer.You get a 30% subsidy off the premiums of private health insurance by the Australian gov't and all Australians are entitled, by law, to insure.The premiums are "community" rated, meaning that anyone, no matter how sound or sick they are, how old or young they may be, all are charged the same premiums that the rest of the community pays out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MANDYL Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 Bob, you are amazing ! Thank you for explaining it in a such a way that it is easy to understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marlene Posted May 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2007 We're not residents yet and will apply for private health in the meantime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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