# Cancelling private health insurance after receiving temporary medicare card



## muhammad_1990 (Apr 19, 2017)

I have received invitation to apply for 189 and I have already lodged my visa. Now in the process of uploading documents. My question is: Can I cancel my private health insurance once I have received my medicare card (though the temporary one, because the actual one will arrive only after visa is granted)? Any help will be much appreciated. Thanks.


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## Huss81 (May 17, 2013)

If you have received your temporary medicare card, it is OK to cancel the private health insurance. However, just check the validity of the Medicare card. If your visa grant is going to take more time than the validity of the medicare card, then you might as well keep the private insurance. 

Also note that Medicare does not cover Ambulance costs - so it is better to keep private insurance but only take cover for Ambulance. 

Hope that helps.


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## muhammad_1990 (Apr 19, 2017)

Huss81 said:


> If you have received your temporary medicare card, it is OK to cancel the private health insurance. However, just check the validity of the Medicare card. If your visa grant is going to take more time than the validity of the medicare card, then you might as well keep the private insurance.
> 
> Also note that Medicare does not cover Ambulance costs - so it is better to keep private insurance but only take cover for Ambulance.
> 
> Hope that helps.


Thanks very much for your reply. That's clear and easy to understand. I think keeping private health insurance just to cover ambulance will be a bit costly for me. However, I will do some research on what costs what. Thanks once again.


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## Huss81 (May 17, 2013)

muhammad_1990 said:


> Thanks very much for your reply. That's clear and easy to understand. I think keeping private health insurance just to cover ambulance will be a bit costly for me. However, I will do some research on what costs what. Thanks once again.


Not really. I pay $100 or so for the full year just to have the ambulance cover. The fact that it can cost upto $750 everytime you need an ambulance (God forbid) makes that $100 look like peanuts


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## muhammad_1990 (Apr 19, 2017)

Huss81 said:


> Not really. I pay $100 or so for the full year just to have the ambulance cover. The fact that it can cost upto $750 everytime you need an ambulance (God forbid) makes that $100 look like peanuts


Really? What insurance provider do you use for ambulance cover? Is it Ambulance Victoria? Membership – Ambulance Victoria


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## Huss81 (May 17, 2013)

There are many options. I am with Bupa. Make sure that any provider you select, it should give you national service and atleast 3-4 ambulance trips each year. Some give unlimited as well but then the premiums increase. Shop around and you will find a good deal


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## muhammad_1990 (Apr 19, 2017)

Huss81 said:


> There are many options. I am with Bupa. Make sure that any provider you select, it should give you national service and atleast 3-4 ambulance trips each year. Some give unlimited as well but then the premiums increase. Shop around and you will find a good deal


Great! Thanks a lot for your help


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