For this reason, Australian international visitors must take out health insurance prior to arrival, unless their country has a reciprocal health agreement with Australia. Travel insurance and health insurance for foreign visitors (OVHC) can help cover medical expenses in Australia. CFL is not designed to replace private health insurance. For example, they don`t cover things like care in private hospitals, ambulance services, or extras like dental, physio, and optical services. A full list of exclusions can be found on the Australian Government website. Finns are subject to mutual agreement for the duration of their stay in Australia until the expiry date of their visa. www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/medicare/reciprocal-health-care-agreements However, there are several reasons why a person from a country with a mutual health agreement could still opt for the purchase of OVHC insurance. OVHC policies can cover items that are not covered by Medicare and are therefore not available to rhCA visitors without health insurance: it`s also important to note that even if you`re covered by an RHCA, you may still need to have health insurance to meet your visa requirements. Australia has mutual health agreements with – New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Italy, Norway, Malta, Belgium, Slovenia and Ireland. Each agreement is different and differs in both benefits and duration of eligibility. The agreements do not apply to all health services. Some services that are not covered by the agreements are: • treatment that is not immediately necessary, • outpatient insurance, • dental care, • paramedical services, • medical evacuation to your home country, • funeral, • treatment and accommodation in private hospitals or as a private patient in a public hospital, • electrical treatment, • treatment arranged before arrival in Australia.
For this reason, it is highly recommended that all visitors to Australia from Mutual Health Care countries under contract acquire appropriate health insurance. HICA has a series of guidelines that have been specifically designed for foreign visitors, depending on the type of visa and the length of your stay in Australia….