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Reciprocal Health Care Agreement for Australians Overseas
Australia has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) with 11 countries. This can offer Australians travelling overseas some free healthcare, but it doesn't replace travel insurance.
Reciprocal Health Care Agreements give Australians access to free medically necessary care in some countries.
There are 11 countries with Reciprocal Health Care Agreements (RHCA) with Australia.
The Australian government still recommends you take out travel insurance even if you are travelling to an RHCA country.
What countries does Australia have a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with?
The cover provided through the RCHA varies from country to country and there are 11 countries with which Australia has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement in place:
1. Belgium
The agreement covers:
50% of the of ambulance travel.
Partial reimbursement of hospital services
Medical treatment by general practitioners and by specialists
Some dental (75-60%)
Some allied health services eg. physiotherapy (75-60%)
Some reimbursement of pharmaceutical medicines.
2. Finland
The agreement covers:
Some dental
Outpatient medical treatment
Prescription medicine costs
Nursing and medical care from health centres
Some travel costs to get care
Limited subsidised health care.
3. Italy
The agreement covers:
Subsidised health care (max 6 months)
Urgent dental treatment at a public hospital
Medical treatment
Treatment in public hospitals.
4. Malta
The agreement covers:
Subsidised health care (max 6 months)
Ambulance travel
Hospital outpatient consultations provided by specialists in government service
Some emergency dental
Inpatient care
Medical attention at a health centre
Nursing care.
5. Netherlands
The agreement covers:
Ambulance or taxi travel partially refunded
Specialist care Nursing Paramedics Childbirth
Nursing
Paramedics
Childbirth Specialist care Nursing Paramedics Childbirth
Medical treatment from an NIS general practitioner
Some prescription medication costs
Children 12 and under get free services
Free doctors visits and prescription medicines for children 16 and under
Free psychological care for children 18 and under
Birth care
No charge for hospital.
8. Republic of Ireland
The agreement covers:
Care as a public patient in a public hospital
Maternity care
Some prescription medicine costs.
9. Slovenia
The agreement covers:
Subsidised public health medical treatment
Subsidised medical treatment by private GP's
Ambulance travel with a doctor's referral
Reimbursement of prescription medications (30%).
10. Sweden
The agreement covers:
Medical treatment
Partial private doctor fees
Maternity services
Health care for children
Some prescription medicine cost
Maternity services Health care for children Some prescription medicine cost
11. United Kingdom
The agreement covers:
Medical treatment
Inpatient treatment
Outpatient treatment
Some prescription medication costs
Ambulance.
What is covered by the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement?
The RHCA was designed to provide subsidised health services for essential medical treatment but not to replace private travel health insurance for overseas travel. It allows Australians visiting these countries to gain access to subsidised health services for essential medical treatment. The RCHA was NOT designed to take the place of private travel insurance. It also does not provide cover for those who have travelled overseas for the specific purpose of receiving medical treatment.
What isn't covered by the RCHA?
The following are just some of the things not covered by the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement:
Ambulance cover
Dental care
Elective treatment
Funerals
Medical evacuation to your home country
Para Medical Services
Treatment and accommodation in private hospitals, or as a private patient in a public hospital
Treatment that has been pre-arranged before arrival in Australia
Treatment that is not immediately necessary.
Do I need travel insurance If I'm going to an RHCA country?
Even if you're travelling to a country with a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement, the Australian government recommends that you take out some form of travel insurance. The RHCA may not cover all medical costs in these countries. It also won't cover you for other travel mishaps such as cancellations, lost luggage and personal liability.
Smartraveller says if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel.
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Frequently asked questions
The RHCA enables residents of participating countries to receive Medicare benefits when visiting or working in Australia and vice versa when Australians are visiting participating nations. However, the level of cover these non-residents receive when in Australia varies depending on the country they are coming from, much in the same way the level of cover provided to Australians varied from country to county in the section above.
If you are coming to Australia, you need to enrol for Medicare. This can be done at a Department of Human Services Service Centre. Once you have enrolled, you will be eligible to receive treatment under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement.
Gary Ross Hunter is an editor at Finder, specialising in insurance. He’s been writing about life, travel, home, car, pet and health insurance for over 6 years and regularly appears as an insurance expert in publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian and news.com.au. Gary holds a Kaplan Tier 2 General Advice General Insurance certification which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146).
Guide to high-risk travel insurance: What is and isn't covered.
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