Reciprocal health care is an agreement that gives Australians access to medically necessary care when they visit certain countries and, in return, allows visitors to access some of Australia's public health care when they visit Australia.
At the time of writing, the Australian government has reciprocal health care agreements with 11 other countries. They allow eligible people visiting from those countries to access free or reduced-cost health care via Australia's Medicare system.
How does a reciprocal health care agreement work?
A reciprocal health care agreement gives foreign visitors from certain countries the right to access some of Australia's public health services. In return, Australians travelling to any of the 11 countries that the government has an agreement with can also access their public healthcare systems.
For eligible visitors to Australia, it's important to remember that you will have access to the benefits available under Medicare, not your own healthcare system. This means that you will only get access to basic medical services and emergency treatment under certain circumstances.
Medicare is not as wide-ranging as health services in other countries and does not cover you for ambulance, dental work, subsidised medicines or other out of hospital medical care. As a result, many Australians have private health insurance; this is essentially to make up for the gaps in the public healthcare system. If you want the same level of care you are used to back home, you might want to get overseas visitors health cover (OVHC).
Which countries have an RHCA with Australia?
Australia has RHCAs in place with the following countries:
The United Kingdom
The Republic of Ireland
New Zealand
Sweden
The Netherlands
Finland
Belgium
Norway
Slovenia
Malta
Italy
When a citizen of any of the countries above visits Australia, they have access to a range of subsidised healthcare services. Visitors with student visas from Norway, Finland, Malta and the Republic of Ireland who visit Australia are not covered under the RHCA.
Australian citizens can also access cover for the cost of essential medical treatment when they visit any of the 11 countries above.
What treatments are included in RHCAs?
Visitors from RHCA countries are entitled to the following while in Australia:
Free or reduced-cost treatment as a public inpatient or outpatient in a public hospital
Medicare benefits for out-of-hospital medical treatment and GP visits
Belgian visitors are entitled to the following:
Free or reduced-cost treatment as a public inpatient or outpatient in a public hospital
Subsidised prescription medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
Medicare benefits for out-of-hospital medical treatment and GP visits
Cover is available until the expiry date on your Belgium or European Health Insurance Card or for the length of your stay in Australia, whichever is earlier.
Finnish visitors are entitled to the following benefits when they arrive in Australia:
Free or reduced-cost treatment as a public inpatient or outpatient in a public hospital
Subsidised prescription medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
Medicare benefits for out-of-hospital medical treatment and GP visits
Cover is available until the expiry date on your Finnish Health Insurance or visa, whichever is earlier.
If you're visiting Australia from Ireland, you'll be able to enjoy cover under the RHCA for the length of your stay. This entitles you to inpatient and outpatient treatment as a public patient in a public hospital as well as medically necessary prescription medicines under the PBS.
Italian visitors are entitled to the following:
Free or reduced-cost treatment as a public inpatient or outpatient in a public hospital
Subsidised prescription medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
Medicare benefits for out-of-hospital medical treatment and GP visits
Maltese visitors can enjoy access to the following benefits for up to six months from the date they arrive in Australia:
Free or reduced-cost treatment as a public inpatient or outpatient in a public hospital
Subsidised prescription medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
Medicare benefits for out-of-hospital medical treatment and GP visits
If visiting from the Netherlands, you are entitled to the following:
Free or reduced-cost treatment as a public inpatient or outpatient in a public hospital
Subsidised prescription medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
Medicare benefits for out-of-hospital medical treatment and GP visits
Cover is available until the expiry date on your European Health Insurance Card or for the length of your stay in Australia, whichever is earlier.
Visitors from New Zealand are covered under the RHCA for the length of their stay in Australia. Under the agreement, you are entitled to inpatient and outpatient treatment as a public patient in a public hospital as well as medically necessary prescription medicines under the PBS.
If visiting from Norway, you are entitled to the following:
Free or reduced-cost treatment as a public inpatient or outpatient in a public hospital
Subsidised prescription medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
Medicare benefits for out-of-hospital medical treatment and GP visits
Slovenians are entitled to the following:
Free or reduced-cost treatment as a public inpatient or outpatient in a public hospital
Subsidised prescription medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
Medicare benefits for out-of-hospital medical treatment and GP visits
Cover is available until the expiry date on your European Health Insurance Card or for the length of your stay in Australia, whichever is earlier.
Swedish visitors to Australia are entitled to the following cover for the length of their stay:
Free or reduced-cost treatment as a public inpatient or outpatient in a public hospital
Subsidised prescription medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
Medicare benefits for out-of-hospital medical treatment and GP visits
Visitors from the UK are entitled to the following cover:
Free or reduced-cost treatment as a public inpatient or outpatient in a public hospital
Subsidised prescription medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
Medicare benefits for out-of-hospital medical treatment and GP visits
Cover is available until the expiry date on your British Health Insurance or visa, whichever is earlier.
What is not included in RHCA?
It's important to know that Medicare doesn't cover all health services. These are some of the healthcare services you will not be covered for:
Treatment in a private hospital or as a private patient
Ambulance
Dental treatment
Extras services, e.g. out-of-hospital care like optical, physio, chiro and more
You will need to pay for these services if you want them, which can cost a lot. Alternatively, you can get health insurance for overseas visitors which can cover all of the above.
Overseas visitors health cover vs reciprocal health care agreement
Foreign visitors to Australia also have another option available to them to ensure they receive the cover they need for medical treatment while in Australia: taking out private health insurance. Several Australian health funds offer what is known as overseas visitors health cover (OVHC), which is health insurance specifically designed to cover foreign residents while they visit Australia.
OVHC is designed to cover a portion of an overseas visitor's healthcare expenses while they are in Australia. This includes cover for the following:
Hospital accommodation and surgical fees for medically necessary hospital admissions
Partial cover for medical fees
Emergency room costs
Emergency ambulance
Cover for some pharmaceuticals
Cover for some extras services, such as dental and optical
Do I need overseas visitors health cover if I am from a country that has an RHCA with Australia?
No, the RHCA meets the eligibility criteria set out in Australian visa applications. Having said that, OVHC is an essential consideration for all visitors to Australia. Because Medicare doesn't take care of all your health needs, you could be left with substantial out-of-pocket medical and hospital expenses if you suffer an illness or injury while in Australia. RHCAs do not cover the following:
Treatment and accommodation in a private hospital or as a private patient in a public hospital
Treatment that is not immediately necessary
It's recommended that you consider OVHC before coming to Australia even if it is not a requirement of your visa. Having private health insurance in place means you can access the health care you need whenever you need it, and that you won't be left with a substantial bill for the cost of treatment.
I'm an Australian overseas, how does RHCA work for me?
The cover available to Australians travelling overseas varies depending on the RHCA country you visit:
You are covered for the following in Belgium:
Staying in hospital, where you'll pay an admission fee and daily fee
Medical treatment received in a hospital
Care from a GP or specialist doctor (you will pay between 25% and 40% of the cost)
Some dental care (you will pay between 25% and 40% of the cost)
Some allied health services like physio (you will pay between 25% and 40% of the cost)
Some prescription medicines
50% cover for ambulance service
You are covered for the following in Finland:
Medical care
Nursing care
Out-patient care from hospitals
Some dental care
Prescription medicines
Some travel costs to get medical care
You are covered for the following in Italy:
Cover provided for up to six months
Medical treatment, including specialist services at public hospitals and other authorised hospitals and clinics
Treatment as an inpatient in public and authorised hospitals
Immediately necessary public hospital dental treatment
You are covered for the following in Malta:
Cover provided for up to six months
Medical attention at a health centre
Nursing care provided by a public nurse or doctor
Inpatient care (including surgery, medicines, accommodation and meals)
Hospital outpatient consultations provided by government specialists
Ambulance travel to hospital after accidents or emergencies
Immediately necessary dental care in government hospitals
You are covered for the following in the Netherlands:
Hospital care (including specialist care and nursing)
Full or partially refunded prescription medicine
Partially refunded transport (urgent ambulance or taxi)
Paramedics
Childbirth
Out-of-hospital care including GPs, specialists and psychiatrists if you're 18 or over
Australian visitors to New Zealand can access limited subsidised health care for the duration of their stay. Inpatient treatment and accommodation at a public hospital is covered, maternity and some pharmaceuticals, but you will have to pay for all other medical treatment, ambulance and prescription medicine.
You are covered for the following in Norway:
You are entitled to health care under Norway's National Insurance Scheme (NIS)
Medical treatment from an NIS GP or outpatient department
Specialist services when referred by a GP
Hospital inpatient treatment
Ambulance travel
Emergency dental treatment
Ancillary care prescribed by a doctor
Prescription medicine – it's free after you spend around $347 over the course of a year
Free visits to a doctor for children aged up to 16
Services free for children up to the age of 12
Free psychological care up to the age of 18
Birth care, oxygen therapy and dialysis
You are covered for the following in Ireland:
Free public hospital care is provided as well as maternity care and part of the cost of prescription medicines if you spend over a certain amount in a month.
You are covered for the following in Slovenia:
Subsidised medical treatment in the public health system (in hospitals, health centres and pharmacies)
Subsidised treatment by private GPs, specialists, dentists and pharmacies contracted to the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia (HIIS)
Free ambulance travel when referred by a doctor in an emergency
30% for some prescription medication costs
You are covered for the following in Sweden:
Medical treatment by a doctor or at a hospital outpatient department
Free health services for children
Free maternity services
Cover for the cost of some prescription medicines
You are covered for the following in the United Kingdom:
Medical treatment from doctors
Inpatient treatment (including medicine, nursing care and accommodation in a public ward)
Outpatient treatment
National Health Service (NHS) prescription medicine
Ambulance travel to or from and between NHS hospitals
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Frequently asked questions
If you're visiting Australia from an RHCA country, to make use of the Medicare cover available, you must enrol in Medicare. To do this, you will need to complete a Medicare Enrolment Application Form, which is available online from the Department of Human Services website, and submit it at a Medicare service centre.
You will need the following documentation to enrol in Medicare:
Passport
Valid visa
Proof you are enrolled in your home country's national health scheme (only in some cases)
Meanwhile, if you're an Australian heading overseas to visit an RHCA country, you will need to supply the following in order to qualify for subsidised medical care:
Your Australian passport
Your Medicare card
No. It means that you will be entitled to some of the same public healthcare benefits that are available to citizens of that country. For some countries, like the UK, this does mean that a lot of your health care is free. But for many, you will likely have to pay a small fee, as many operate in a similar way to Medicare in Australia, so there will still be some out-of-pocket expenses.
Then you will not be covered by Medicare. If you are not from one of the 11 countries Australia has an agreement with, you will most likely need to get overseas health insurance. Not only will it ensure you don't have huge bills whenever you visit a doctor or hospital, but most visas also require that you have some kind of health insurance in place. These include the 457 temporary work (skilled) visa and the 485 temporary graduate visa.
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).
HIF Overseas Visitors Health Cover provide varying levels of hospital and extras cover that complies with visa requirements for those coming to Australia for work or leisure.
HCF Overseas Visitor Health Cover offers hospital and optional extras cover for overseas visitors who are eligible to work in Australia but who are not covered by Medicare.
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