457 health insurance dispute

Noo

I know this has been done to death here but i need a dispute settled...do you or do you not need health insurance for the 457 visa because of our reciprocal health agreement, and is there a link or anything that says it as proof.
Thanks.

Feelgood

No health insurance needed, reciprocal is enough to meet 457 requirements.

I don't have a link, but I got my 457 without health insurance.

Noo

Thanks. Ive been on boards long enough to know you dont need it but he is fighting me all the way saying other irish he knows had to get it, I said that most people will say we've to get it because we're not entitled to medicare therefore no medicare=must get health insurance, but we have a unique agreement that most aussies wouldnt know about so they shouldnt be telling you you have to get it.

hussey

Yeah we don't need it for the 457, but companies may insist that you have health insurance cover

Batgurl

Here's what you need:

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/457-health-insurance-faq-visa-holder.htm

I am from a country with a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia. Do I also need insurance?

If you are from a country with a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia, you may be eligible to access Medicare. For further information you should refer to the Medicare Australia website.
See: Medicare Australia – Visitors to Australia

Being enrolled with Medicare under reciprocal health care arrangements is sufficient to meet the health insurance requirement at visa grant and to comply with visa condition 8501.

You can only enrol with Medicare if you are in Australia. If you have enrolled with Medicare you should provide evidence that you have been issued with a Medicare card as part of your application.

If you are overseas, you must arrange adequate insurance for your initial period in Australia and provide evidence of this insurance as part of your application. You may be eligible to then enrol with Medicare once you are in Australia. Being enrolled with Medicare is sufficient to comply with visa condition 8501.

You should also be aware that once you have enrolled with Medicare, you need to contact the Australian Taxation Office to see if you will be subject to the Medicare Levy Surcharge. This might affect the type of health insurance policy you need to maintain while in Australia.
See: PrivateHealth.gov.au

What are reciprocal health care agreements?

Reciprocal health care agreements (RHCA) are agreements between the Australian Government and other governments to cover some medically necessary treatments for ill-health or injury which occur while you are in Australia and require treatment before you return home.

The Australian Government has RHCA with the governments of the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway, Malta, Italy, Belgium, Slovenia, the Republic of Ireland and New Zealand. New RHCA may be negotiated at any time.

For the latest list of countries and further information on RHCA, including what Medicare services are available under RHCA, you should refer to the Medicare Australia website.
See: Medicare Australia – Visitors to Australia

Now tell your HR to shove it

Sundy

So you are excempt from unsurance if you can enroll with medicare. Good luck enrolling with Medicare being Irish.

Batgurl

Well you are definitely exempt if you can enrol with Medicare and get the card etc

But you still qualify even if you don't get the card.

"Being enrolled with Medicare under reciprocal health care arrangements is sufficient to meet the health insurance requirement"

As we all know, Ireland has a reciprocal health care arrangement with Australia and you will have access to Medicare for emergency treatments; you just have to show your passport in an ER and you are covered. Medicare pick up the tab.

Why else would they have Republic of Ireland on that list if we don't count?

Cooperspale

Batgurl wrote: »

Well you are definitely exempt if you can enrol with Medicare and get the card etc

But you still qualify even if you don't get the card.

"Being enrolled with Medicare under reciprocal health care arrangements is sufficient to meet the health insurance requirement"

As we all know, Ireland has a reciprocal health care arrangement with Australia and you will have access to Medicare for emergency treatments; you just have to show your passport in an ER and you are covered. Medicare pick up the tab.

Why else would they have Republic of Ireland on that list if we don't count?

Irish whv and 457 can't enrol.
It's that fuzzy grey area, bring your passport etc

Found this
http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/medicare/reciprocal-health-care-agreements
And the last line seems to be pro insurance regardless?

Interesting about students, I did not know this, they have to have their own as outlined in next attachment


http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/enablers/medicare/reciprocal-health-care-agreements/health-care-for-visitors-to-australia

mandrake04

Cooperspale wrote: »

Interesting about students, I did not know this, they have to have their own as outlined in next attachment
And the last line seems to be pro insurance regardless?

http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/enablers/medicare/reciprocal-health-care-agreements/health-care-for-visitors-to-australia

That's interesting alright

Students

If you are in Australia on a student visa from the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Slovenia, Italy or New Zealand, you are covered by Medicare. Students from Norway, Finland, Malta and the Republic of Ireland are not covered by the agreements with those countries.

Note: It is a condition of your student visa that you take out Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).

Does that mean if someone is on one of those half arsed student visa's just to keep them in the country they are not covered by the reciprocal?

Cooperspale

mandrake04 wrote: »

That's interesting alright



Does that mean if someone is on one of those half arsed student visa's just to keep them in the country they are not covered by the reciprocal?

That's the way it reads to me

mandrake04

Cooperspale wrote: »

That's the way it reads to me

I looked it up and

Your OSHC will help you pay for any medical or hospital care you may need while you’re studying in Australia, and it will contribute towards the cost of most prescription medicines, and an ambulance in an emergency.

It's says it will help you pay, not cover fully. Makes the bargain basement recipricol agreement look good.

I wonder how many people actually take this out, It says it's a condition of visa but never heard of it before.

jackbhoy

mandrake04 wrote: »

Cooperspale wrote: »

That's the way it reads to me

I looked it up and

Your OSHC will help you pay for any medical or hospital care you may need while you’re studying in Australia, and it will contribute towards the cost of most prescription medicines, and an ambulance in an emergency.

It's says it will help you pay, not cover fully. Makes the bargain basement recipricol agreement look good.

I wonder how many people actually take this out, It says it's a condition of visa but never heard of it before.

We did. For the price its actually very good cover. For c. $3000 we have insurance for both of us for 4 years. Covers all gp fees hospital and ambo. I've had to visit doc with recurring injury 12+ times and see specialist in last 18 months and gf has been to doc a couple of times and had zero to pay on any occasion.

Back home I rarely got ill and hadn't been to doc in years so was bit miffed at having to stump up 3k but really happy I did now, it really offers great peace of mind.

Noo

Ok still no convincing him. Immigration, Medicare, and other people he knows on 457 all say you need insurance. While i fully believe you don't need it Im starting to worry about how to prove to anyone that i don't need it when my time comes to get my 457, considering whoever he talked to in immigration and Medicare thinks we need it.

Doc

Noo wrote: »

Ok still no convincing him. Immigration, Medicare, and other people he knows on 457 all say you need insurance. While i fully believe you don't need it Im starting to worry about how to prove to anyone that i don't need it when my time comes to get my 457, considering whoever he talked to in immigration and Medicare thinks we need it.

You could always get it for a month then cancel it. Thats what I did when I thought I needed it then realised that I didnt.

Princess_N

Myself,partner and child are on a 457 and have not got health insurance. It was never even mentioned to is at any strange when getting our visa.

Why is everyone slating the reciprocal agreement? I have yet to find fault with it. My daughter has been to A&E and also been to see a specialist twice in (the impressive) royal childrens hospital.

.Longshanks.

I'm in the same 457 boat and our private health insurance is due for renewal soon.
I need to check if it was in my visa requirements or work contact, but I definitely have it in writing somewhere that private insurance was required. It may have been in the visa application form?

swimming in a sea

well i can give a reply on this as well soon, I'm waiting for confirmation of my 457 visa and i did not get extra insurance, in the insurance part of the application i said covered by reciprocal healthcare agreement.

swimming in a sea

Noo wrote: »

I know this has been done to death here but i need a dispute settled...do you or do you not need health insurance for the 457 visa because of our reciprocal health agreement, and is there a link or anything that says it as proof.
Thanks.

As I said in my last post, I applied for 457 visa a few weeks ago, I got mixed advice about whether private Heath insurance was needed but one poster assured me it wasn't. So I applied for my visa with no private health insurance and in that section I put I'm covered by reciprocal healthcare agreement. After 3 weeks I got my visa on Friday and no mention was made at all about private health insurance. Hope this helps you or others in the future.

Batgurl

Noo wrote: »

Ok still no convincing him. Immigration, Medicare, and other people he knows on 457 all say you need insurance. While i fully believe you don't need it Im starting to worry about how to prove to anyone that i don't need it when my time comes to get my 457, considering whoever he talked to in immigration and Medicare thinks we need it.

Sorry to drag up an old thread but check out this old advice from lg123 (last post) here

You should go into Medicare, get this card and show it to your HR department!

dave3004

I'm on a 457 and have no health insurance.

Found out ive no ankle cartlidge and am getting mild arthritis in my ankle and need surgery.

Getting 2 synthetic cartlidges input and its costing me more than 10k....

Get the health insurance !!!!

I do wonder if there was any chance of me getting this for free through the reciprocal health agreement but I doubt it.

Mellor

Batgurl wrote: »

Well you are definitely exempt if you can enrol with Medicare and get the card etc

But you still qualify even if you don't get the card.

"Being enrolled with Medicare under reciprocal health care arrangements is sufficient to meet the health insurance requirement"

As we all know, Ireland has a reciprocal health care arrangement with Australia and you will have access to Medicare for emergency treatments; you just have to show your passport in an ER and you are covered. Medicare pick up the tab.

Why else would they have Republic of Ireland on that list if we don't count?

If you are from Ireland you are covered by the RHCA. But there is a lot of incorrect information in that post.

You aren't able to enrol with medicare, you don't have access to medicare (in an emergency or otherwise).

We are on that list because we have a RHCA. Not because of Medicare eligibility. Ours is different to most other countries.

mandrake04 wrote: »

Does that mean if someone is on one of those half arsed student visa's just to keep them in the country they are not covered by the reciprocal?

Yeah. As part of a student visa, you have to get your own private health insurance valid for the duration. My GF had it when she was on a student. When she moved on to my visa she was refunded (but only when she produce a letter from college to say what was finished there)

Noo wrote: »

Ok still no convincing him. Immigration, Medicare, and other people he knows on 457 all say you need insurance. While i fully believe you don't need it Im starting to worry about how to prove to anyone that i don't need it when my time comes to get my 457, considering whoever he talked to in immigration and Medicare thinks we need it.

The wording on the 457 form is health cover, not insurance. The RHCA is health cover.