Is there such a thing as Medicare travel insurance?
There's no such thing as Medicare travel insurance but you might be covered for medical care if you're travelling to a country with a reciprocal health care agreement (RHCA).
Australia has RHCAs with several countries such as the UK, giving you some access to free healthcare.
You will not be covered for free medical care in most countries – you will need travel insurance.
All international travel insurance policies cover medical treatment and repatriation.
Can I get access to health care overseas?
There are 11 countries that the Australian government has a reciprocal health care agreement with. This agreement allows Aussie travellers access to the public healthcare system in some countries. These countries are:
Belgium
Finland
Italy
Malta
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Republic of Ireland
Slovenia
Sweden
United Kingdom
The RHCA can pay for hospital costs but may not cover ambulances, medication or rehabilitation. However, a travel insurance policy can cover you for these things and more. If you’re travelling to any other country, you’ll need to take out an overseas travel insurance policy to ensure that you are protected against expensive medical costs.
Finder survey: What features are important to Australians of different ages when taking out travel insurance?
Response
75+ yrs
65-74 yrs
55-64 yrs
45-54 yrs
35-44 yrs
25-34 yrs
18-24 yrs
Medical cover
44.19%
35.4%
22.22%
20.29%
19.29%
20.39%
25.71%
Source: Finder survey by Pure Profile of 1112 Australians, December 2023
What medical expenses can travel insurance cover?
A basic travel insurance policy typically covers you for:
unlimited overseas emergency medical and hospital expenses
ambulance transportation
repatriation back to Australia
personal liability
Reciprocal health care agreements are great – but it's still worth looking into travel insurance. It covers unlimited medical expenses and other much more common travel mishaps, like lost or delayed luggage and cancellations.
Get covered for medical expenses – compare travel insurance quotes
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Am I covered my medicare if I am on a cruise in Australia?
In most cases, no. Even though you’re not travelling internationally, the doctor treating you on the cruise ship may not be registered to practice in Australia.
The exact cover offered by Medicare for cruise passengers is detailed on the Australian Government’s Smartraveller website:
Medicare benefits are only available to cruise passengers who are travelling between two Australian ports, with no stops outside Australia along the way, and if the medical services they receive are provided by a Medicare-eligible doctor.
Cover will not be provided by your private health insurance policy either, so your best bet is to take out a travel insurance policy that will cover your medical costs. Make sure you have read your policy document thoroughly, as some providers require you take out a cruise travel insurance policy additional option.
What travel insurance should I get?
You have plenty of options to choose from when shopping for travel insurance, and finding the right policy for your needs will depend on your budget and the type of holiday you are planning. Most providers will offer at least three levels of cover: basic, mid-level and comprehensive.
Basic policies typically provide cover for only the essentials, which usually includes overseas medical expenses and personal liability.
Mid-level policies will add risks such as cancellation fees and lost deposits, lost or stolen luggage and more to the list of cover.
A comprehensive policy, meanwhile, contains cover for an extremely broad range of risks and to a high level. Everything from medical expenses to rental vehicle excess and travel delay expenses are covered by such policies, so they’re perfect for those looking for the highest level of protection.
Next, decide on the type of policy you would like to take out:
Single trip cover. As the name implies, single trip travel insurance of policy covers you for the duration of a nominated journey.
Annual multi-trip cover. Frequent travellers can save a lot of money by investing in an annual travel insurance policy, which covers multiple trips over a 12-month period.
When you’re shopping around for cover, make sure to compare the list of benefits included in a number of competing policies. Ask yourself:
Does one policy offer a higher level of cover than others? Know the limits of the policies you are comparing. Looks for ones that provide high levels of medical cover.
How does it treat pre-existing medical conditions? If you have an existing medical condition, be sure to let you're insurer know. Don't try and slip anything by them as this will only result in your policy being voided should you need to make a claim.
What are the exclusions that apply to each policy? The last thing you want is to end up with an unpleasant surprise when you make a claim.
No. Medicare doesn't cover your healthcare costs overseas. You will need to take out an international travel insurance policy. Countries that have a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia (UK, Italy and more) may cover some of your costs.
If you're travelling within Australia, Medicare will cover you for medical treatment. However, domestic travel insurance can cover you for lots of other issues, including lost or delayed luggage, cancellation costs, the rental car excess, COVID disruptions and more.
Reciprocal health care agreements are deals Australia has made with a number of countries that allow you to access free healthcare. In return, citizens from those RHCA countries get free treatment in Australia.
No. Private health insurance provides cover when you fall ill or are injured in Australia, but it doesn't provide any protection when you're overseas. Even if you're on a cruise ship holiday in Australian waters, don't expect your private health insurer to provide the coverage you need.
If you're planning an extended trip overseas it could be worth your while to suspend your private health insurance cover until you return to Australia. As you won't be using your private health cover while you're abroad – the medical protection you need will be provided by your travel insurance policy – you can save money by putting your health insurance on hold and avoiding having to pay premiums. In fact, many private health insurers now offer travel insurance policies, which means you may even be able to get a multi-policy discount.
Suspending your cover is usually quick and easy to do with most providers, though certain restrictions and conditions may apply. A minimum suspension period of 30 days usually applies, while the average maximum suspension period is nine months. You'll usually also have to have previously been a member of the health fund for a certain period of time and be up to date with your payments.
Once you return to Australia it's simple to re-start your private health insurance cover.
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.
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