OSHCstudents – Getting sick or injured in a new country can be confusing and scary, and sometimes it’s hard to know where to go or what to do. If you are in Australia on a student, visitor, or working visa, you may not qualify for Medicare. If this is the case, OSHC/OVHC can help meet the costs of medical and hospital treatment in Australia.
How to access the Australian healthcare system as a foreigner?
If you are an international student in Australia, purchasing Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is a compulsion to maintain health insurance for as long as your stay. An individual will need OSHC before applying for Australian Student visa.
OVHC is the health insurance provided to visitors and temporary workers to access health care on your budget. You should also purchase this before applying for the visa.
Having OSHC/OVHC is compulsory for foreigners to access health care in Australia.
Do I have to pay to see a general practitioner doctor?
If you don’t have OSHC/OVHC, and you’re not covered by Medicare you will have to pay.
If you do have OVHC, most Overseas Health Covers for visitors will pay a benefit towards the costs of seeing a GP. When a GP charges more than the Medical Benefits Schedule (MBS) fee (the set government fee), you will be left with an out-of-pocket expense. To minimize any out-of-pocket expenses, attend a bulk billing clinic (which is a clinic where the GPs charge the MBS fee) and always ask about any potential “out-of-pocket expenses” before your appointment. Out-of-pocket expenses are the difference between what you pay, and what your insurance will pay for.
If you hold OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover), you can visit GPs or Direct Billing Clinics. These clinics have an agreement with insurance providers to send the bill directly to your insurance providers. This is to help reduce or eliminate the upfront payment you would normally be required to make at the time of your appointment. Depending on the Doctor you see, you may on occasion experience an ‘out-of-pocket’ expense that your insurer does not cover. Please ensure you confirm any ‘out-of-pocket’ expenses you may have to pay prior to your consultation by contacting the direct billing clinic. Remember to take your OSHC membership card or digital card and photo identification, such as your student ID card, to your next appointment.
What is direct billing?
Direct billing is an arrangement between a health insurance provider and a doctor (or other medical facility), where the doctor sends bills for services directly to your health insurance company.
Direct billing network includes local doctors (GPs) and specialists who submit your claims to insurance providers directly. The insurance providers organize payments to be made directly to them, giving you a seamless electronic process, which means you don’t have to fill out paperwork to process your claim.
Please note: MBS fees will be charged following the terms of some insurance providers. You should always check with your provider if they a gap fee before incurring any costs.
You are international students or foreigners arrive to Australia, or Australian citizens traveling abroad who are looking for OSHC, OVHC, travel insurance, please contact OSHCstudents Team at email: info@oshcstudents.com and our partners for further information and assistance.
OSHCstudents(source: Medibank)
