OSHCstudens – International students studying in Australia can enjoy modern health care at a reasonable cost through the Australian government’s Overseas Student Health Cover program.
Australia has always been known as one of the countries with the best healthcare system in the world. Australia provides modern health care services at a reasonable cost for its citizens as well as international students through the international student health insurance program. This insurance is Overseas Student Health Cover, or OSHC for short, which helps pay for medical treatment costs both in and out of hospital during your study in Australia.
So what should international students keep in mind while using OSHC to stay protected, meet visa conditions, and save costs?
1. How to calculate OSHC length?
Before applying for an Australian student visa, you must buy OSHC, at least 07 days earlier than the admission date and the end date is as follows:
Course less than 10 months: Insurance period = course duration + 1 month
Courses over 10 months:
+ If the course end date is between January and October: Insurance period = course duration + 2 months.
+ If the course end date is in November or December: OSHC end date is on March 15 of the following year.
2. What should you do when you get sick or need medical treatment?
If you only have a mild cold, or headache, dizziness, stomachache, etc, you should visit your GP first. GPs are available everywhere in Australia. If you are an Allianz Care Australia member, you can use My OSHC app to receive online medical examinations via video call with a doctor or invite a doctor to visit your home.
In case of an emergency, you should immediately go to the emergency room of the nearest hospital. You can call “000” and ask for an ambulance to take you to the hospital.
If you need to go to a public hospital in a non-emergency situation, you should call your OSHC provider and check if your policy covers that situation. You should also ask your OSHC provider where their nearest bulk billing clinic/hospital is. You should call the hospital to confirm that they accept OSHC.
It is also important that you contact your OSHC insurance company before you are admitted to a private hospital because not all services will be covered if you go to a private hospital. and you may have to pay extra if the private hospital does not have a contractual agreement with you for OSHC coverage.
3. How can I get a refund (claim) after treatment?
When you get a bill for medical treatment, there are generally two choices:
– You can pay the bill to the hospital, receive all treatment documents from the hospital, then send it to your OSHC provider directly or by post to claim. The refund is usually sent to your account in Australia.
– Login to your OSHC account and submit your treatment documents, enter your bank account and your OSHC provider will process your claim.
For pharmaceutical prescriptions, you need to pay first and then claim from your insurance company. Hospital bills are usually sent directly to the OSHC insurance company for payment. However, the way in which treatment is paid for will vary between OSHC insurers.
4. Under what circumstances will you be refunded (partially or in full)?
You paid the OSHC fee and did not come to Australia to study.
Your student visa is not renewed or cancelled.
You must stop studying and leave Australia before the end of your allowed stay for reasons beyond your control.
You finish school early and are about to leave Australia.
You are granted permanent resident status in Australia.
You purchase OSHC from another provider.
Note: You will not be refunded for the policy with less than one month period.
5. How to purchase or extend an OSHC policy?
For new international students, you need to purchase OSHC before you apply for a visa. The OSHC is as note 1.
For international students who have been studying in Australia, that means you already have an OSHC certificate when applying for a visa. The term of the insurance is clearly stated on the card. Be sure to check the deadlines for maintaining your OSHC. If you study longer than expected and need to extend your coverage, you need to purchase it at least 10 days before it expires.
To buy a new OSHC or extend OSHC is very simple, you can contact Annalink’s partner education & migration agents or contact us directly via email info@oshcstudents.com
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