OSHC STUDENTS

banner image
03 | 10 | 22
710 views
03
10 | 22
431
710

Understanding your OSHC

OSHCstudents – If you are a student from overseas on a temporary student visa it is a condition of your visa to maintain adequate health insurance for the duration of your stay in Australia. This means you need to purchase Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) and keep your policy up to date whilst you are in Australia and holding a student visa.

OSHC assists international students to meet the costs of medical and hospital care they may need while in Australia. OSHC also includes ambulance cover and limited pharmaceuticals.

Some exceptions may apply if you are a student from Sweden, Norway, or Belgium. If this applies to you, you may have special arrangements under your own national schemes – check with the Department of Home Affairs to find out if special arrangements apply to you and if you are exempt from the requirement to purchase OSHC.

As holding OSHC is a visa requirement, take care to maintain your cover at all times. If you do fall behind in payments or renewing your cover, you will be able to continue your cover but you may not be able to claim for services you received while you were in arrears.

If your visa status or Medicare eligibility changes at any time, inform your insurer as soon as possible to find out whether your level of cover is still suitable. When your student visa expires, then you are no longer eligible to hold OSHC.  You can then swap over to a residents’ cover or to an Overseas Visitors Health Cover plan.

Medicare and OSHC

If you are in Australia on a student visa from the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Slovenia, Italy or New Zealand, you can also apply for Medicare under your country’s Reciprocal Health Care Agreements. (Students from Norway, Finland, Malta and the Republic of Ireland are not covered by the agreements with those countries.)

Any Medicare coverage you are entitled to under a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement will be in addition to OSHC. Having reciprocal access to Medicare does not exempt you from needing to take out OSHC.

What does OSHC cover?

OSHC policies assist to cover the cost of hospital and medical treatment. Benefits are also paid for ambulance services.

The minimum requirements of a OSHC policy are set out in the OSHC Deed. The Department of Health and Aged Care also provides Explanatory Guidelines for the Deed and a One-Page Fact Sheet about what is included under the Deed and how OSHC works. For further information, check with your OSHC insurer.

OSHC does not pay for general treatment (ancillary, or extras cover) such as dental, optical or physiotherapy. If you require cover for these treatments, you may take Extras OSHC provided by an OSHC provider or general treatment cover with any Australian private health insurer. You can also choose to supplement OSHC with other insurance such as international travel insurance.

OSHC and COVID-19

OSHC includes cover for Coronavirus (COVID-19) related illnesses, principally “Lung and chest”, “Kidney and bladder” and “Dialysis for chronic kidney failure” clinical categories.

International students who are stranded in Australia, due to mandated travel restrictions put in place by the Australian Government in response to the global pandemic, are recommended to contact their private health insurer for further assistance to ensure continuity of cover during this time.

International students who are offshore due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) while the holder of a student visa are recommended to contact their private health insurer about available options during this time.

For more information see the Department of Health and Aged Care.

OSHC and pharmaceuticals

Only limited benefits for pharmaceuticals apply, limited to $50 per pharmaceutical item to a maximum of $300 a year for single membership ($600 for a family membership). You may face significant out of pocket costs if you need treatment with pharmaceuticals, particularly oncology (cancer) treatment which can costs tens of thousands of dollars.

Travellers entering Australia may bring in medicines and medical devices for immediate use and to import small quantities for personal use. For more information see the Therapeutic Goods Administration website – Entering Australia and Personal Importation Scheme.

Where can I purchase OSHC?

OSHC is offered by certain insurers under a Deed of Agreement with the Department of Health and Aged Care to provide adequate health insurance to students at a reasonable cost. Only a small number of registered health insurers offer OSHC.

Annalink OSHCstudents is a partner of 5 Australian Government approved OSHC providers: Allianz Care Australia, Bupa, Medibank, AHM and NIB. Contact us to help you with any of your OSHC enquiries.

OSHCstudents (source: Privatehealth)

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News related

Things are not covered by OSHC in Australia 24/10/2023 | 636 Views

Things are not covered by OSHC in Australia

OSHCstudents-Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is mandatory for international students in Australia, and it provides coverage for a range of medical services. The specific coverage may vary slightly depending on the insurance provider and policy, but here are some common aspects of what is typically not covered by OSHC.
How to maintain a healthy diet as an international student in Australia? 22/10/2023 | 452 Views

How to maintain a healthy diet as an international student in Australia?

OSHCstudents-Embarking on an international academic journey is an exciting and enriching experience, but it often comes with unique challenges, including maintaining a healthy diet. As an international student in Australia, the unfamiliarity with local food options, budget constraints, and the temptation of fast food can sometimes make it a daunting task to prioritize nutrition. In this guide, we will explore practical tips and insights to help you navigate the Australian culinary landscape, make informed food choices, and ensure that your time as an international student is not only academically rewarding but also a journey towards a healthier you.
Baek Ah Yeon

I trust Allianz Care since it is one of the largest insurance companies in Australia, with the medical centres where I only have to pay for what is left from insurance support. (no need to claim later). Besides, those centres are located at the centre of the city, close to schools. Very convenient, right? Credits to Allianz Care for providing reliable medical centres for health check and treatments.

Baek Ah Yeon | University of Queensland

Ariella Pei

I’ve been living with homestay family for 2 years. I’m now 19, I can move out but I don’t want to leave my host, who has become my family. It feels like I’ve met my second family. Thanks OSHCstudents for sending me to this homestay!

Ariella Pei | University of Canberra

Chatchawat Paton

I realised how important insurance was when I started living in Australia. There I switched to using Allianz Care instead of the previous service. Allianz Care is extraordinarily good in its consulting service and customer care. I’ve learned a lot about Australian health care, also I was consulted with mental issues and how to live a healthy lifestyle. I am very happy now.

Chatchawat Paton | Torrent University

Phuong Anh

Having lived in Australia for 2 years, I’ve been reliant on AHM OSHC to pay for my health care, which supports me for other expenses. Last year, I sent my claim requests for several times and always received the claims within two days. Everything is easy, fast and simple.

Phuong Anh | Victoria University

Xiaoyu Cheng

Thanks to Allianz Care, every time I claimed my medical receipts it processed much more quickly and easily than I expected. I was initially a bit concerned since Allianz Care is more expensive than other insurance companies, but now I can ensure that it is totally worth the money.

Xiaoyu Cheng | Monash University

Emma

My homestay was very comfortable and convenient. My host was really kind. He showed me where to shop, which buses to catch, where the nearest train station is, to get off at which station so that I wouldn’t be taken to another suburb. Travelling was easy since the place was close to public transports. It only took 30 minutes to get to my college, actually I could go anywhere easily!

Emma | Macquarie University

Jing Zhang

When told that I was going to live with an Italian family, I was pretty nervous and doubted whether or not they could speak English well as the local people? Yet it was no longer a problem when I saw them. They knew the problems of people who first came to Australia and always tried to help me. I learned so many things about both Australian and Italian culture and enjoyed tasty Italian meals every time. Awesome!

Jing Zhang | Griffith University

OSHCstudents Services

Partners

  • PTE Platform
  • Inus
  • Flywire
  • Imagine Education Australia
  • Shorelight
  • Opera City English College

Providers

  • Pearson PTE Academic
  • King Education
  • North Sydney College English
  • NIB
  • HCC
  • Global Experience
  • Bupa
  • Vodafone
  • OVHC Iman
  • Allianz
  • Medibank
  • AHM