Medibank Overseas Visitor Health Cover

Why do you need OVHC?

To satisfy your visa requirements, you might to need to have some form of healthcare in place. Medibank offer Overseas Visitor Health Cover for most visa holders. They offer student cover, working holiday visa cover and more however, if your visa is subject to Condition 8501 this cover may not be suitable. Read below to -find out what Medibank OVHC covers and whether it is the right cover for you.

Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC)

• Overseas Visitors Everyday Hospital and Medical. This is tailored to those visiting Australia who are fit and healthy, whether to see family or for an extended holiday. It covers you for medical essentials and accidents.
• Overseas Visitors Starter Hospital and Medical. This mid-level range of cover offers protection for young people visiting Australia. It covers hospital treatments including heart, joint and cancer. However, if you need health insurance for your visa, this option does not meet condition 8501 as required.

Working Visa Health Cover

• Overseas Workers Base Hospital. This provides you with basic treatment as an admitted patient in a public or private hospital and satisfies your visa requirements.
• Overseas Workers Standard Hospital and Medical. Helps cover the cost of everyday medical services like seeing a GP. Outpatient pregnancy and birth services are not included.
• Overseas Workers Advanced Hospital and Medical. This comprehensive hospital cover includes pregnancy and birth and assisted reproductive services, heart and vascular system admissions and benefits towards GP visits, x-rays and blood tests.
• Overseas Workers Premium Hospital, Medical and Extras. As well as comprehensive hospital cover, this also cover extras, which includes out of hospital services like dental and physiotherapy.

Student Cover

• Essentials OSHC. Cover that meets your student visa health insurance requirements (for all course types), while helping towards your hospital and medical needs. Purchase online quickly and easily.
• Comprehensive OSHC. Cover that meets your student visa health insurance requirements (for all course types), helps towards your hospital and medical costs, as well as providing added value above Essentials OSHC. This product is only available through selected universities and schools. Check with your institution to see if you are eligible for this cover.

Compare Medibank OVHC options

Product	Finder Score	Meets condition 8501	Hospital cover	Dental	Medical repatriation	Price
Medibank Overseas Workers Base Hospital	Finder Score 8.7 Great					From $67.90 per month	Get quoteMore info Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Medibank Overseas Workers Standard Hospital and Medical	Finder Score 8.9 Great					From $107.50 per month	Get quoteMore info Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Medibank Overseas Workers Advanced Hospital and Medical	Finder Score 5.8 Standard					From $491.25 per month	Get quoteMore info Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Medibank Overseas Workers Premium Hospital, Medical and Extras	Finder Score 7.6 Great					From $529.35 per month	Get quoteMore info Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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How OVHC works

• Medicare procedures. These are specified medically-necessary procedures. With this cover you can access all Medicare procedures in a private hospital, except fertility treatments.
• Excluded treatments. Generally, your health insurance will only ever pay for Medicare procedures. When a treatment is excluded, it specifically refers to a Medicare procedure that's not covered. Non-medically-necessary treatments, such as cosmetic surgery, aren't covered either despite not being specified as an exclusion.
• Gap Expenses. This is the difference between the amount charged by a hospital or medical practitioner and could vary depending on the hospital, doctor and treatment. Before undergoing medical treatments you can check the cost of a procedure and if you'll have any gap expenses.
• MBS amount. The cost of a treatment as specified by the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). Some doctors might charge more than the MBS amount for their services, but where specified you'll still only be able to claim the MBS amount and will have to pay any difference yourself.
• PBS amount. This is the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme amount. You'll need to pay a set amount yourself and can then claim up to the specified amount on your health cover for the remainder.

Waiting periods and limitations

Waiting periods

You can't claim immediately for all services. Generally, expect 12 months for pregnancy/pre-existing conditions, 2 months for most other hospital services (even pre-existing), and no waiting period for accident-related treatments.

The excess

A hospital excess is an amount you pay per admission, up to an annual maximum. Choosing a higher excess can lower your premiums, or a lower/no excess means higher premiums.

Private and public hospital limitations

Hospital accommodation cover (room, theatre fees) varies based on public vs. private hospitals, the specific hospital, and whether you're formally admitted. Always confirm cover with Medibank before hospitalisation.

Hospital and non-hospital admissions

Hospital services are treatments after official admission. Non-hospital services are those outside a formal hospital stay (e.g., an X-ray not leading to admission).

How to use your health insurance

For hospital stays, Medibank usually settles directly, and you pay any excess/gap. For out-of-hospital doctor visits, you can claim back by post or in-store. Extras (on premium policies) can be claimed on-the-spot with your Medibank card. Members also get 24/7 access to Medibank's Health Advice Line.

Frequently asked questions

• Does Medibank OVHC meet 8501 visa conditions?

  Yes, several Medibank Overseas Workers Health Cover options are specifically designed to satisfy the 8501 visa condition.

• What waiting periods apply to Medibank OVHC?

  Generally, 12-month waiting periods apply for pre-existing conditions and pregnancy. Most other hospital services have a 2-month waiting period, while accidents have none.

• How do I claim with Medibank OVHC?

  Hospitals often bill Medibank directly. For out-of-hospital services, you can pay upfront and claim back via form/store, or swipe your card for extras at participating providers.

• Can I choose my hospital with Medibank OVHC?

  Your cover for private vs. public hospitals and specific room/theatre fees varies by policy and situation. Always confirm with Medibank prior to admission.

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been reviewed by Tim Bennett, a member of Finder's Editorial Review Board.

Written by

Gary Ross Hunter

Journalist

Gary Ross Hunter has over 6 years of expertise writing about insurance, including life, health, home, and car insurance. Having reviewed hundreds of product disclosure statements and published over 800 articles, he loves simplifying complex insurance topics for everyday readers. Gary has contributed to major outlets like Yahoo Finance, The Sydney Morning Herald, and news.com.au, and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Literature from the University of Glasgow, along with a Tier 2 General Advice certification, ensuring his work adheres to ASIC’s RG146 standards. See full bio

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