# Irish passport holders dont need health insurance



## Bizbomb (Oct 8, 2011)

Hi all,

I've just read that Irish passport holders don't need health insurance for going to Australia on a visa can anyone confirm this?

Bizbomb


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## Guest (Feb 20, 2012)

They're covered for what is medically necessary before you return home according to this Visitors from the Republic of Ireland and New Zealand - Medicare Australia 

That means nothing elective, nothing doctor does not feel medically necessary, no dental as nobody gets that, no ambulance in many states as everyone has to pay. And students are not covered.


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## Bizbomb (Oct 8, 2011)

Thank you _shel I'll look into that 

Bizbomb


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## tippthecat (Sep 19, 2010)

Bizbomb said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I've just read that Irish passport holders don't need health insurance for going to Australia on a visa can anyone confirm this?
> 
> Bizbomb


on a 457 visa you are required to have private Health Insurance...

Irish residents visiting Australia have A&E cover only under the reciprocal agreement..(.including those on a 12month holiday visa)

once you apply for PR, you can get medicare card.

hope this helps


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## Bizbomb (Oct 8, 2011)

Thanks tippthecat


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## MEB (Aug 31, 2009)

Going to Melbourne in a few weeks to validate our visa. Just wondering about attending a doctor or A&E. Can you just make an appointment with a GP and pay them or do you even have to pay?

Also, if you have to get a stitch or a minor injury attended to in A&E, do you have to pay the hospital? Any idea of the cost?


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## Guest (Feb 27, 2012)

If you go to A&E you just show your passport, once you are resident you will apply for your medicare card which you wil then show, it will be free care. But depending on where you are you may get billed if an ambulance is called. 

GPs are little more tricky. There are bulk billing clincs where you pay nothing, you can rock up and show your passport and see a doc. But they are like gold dust and you would often find yourself in the most overcrowded waiting room full of undesirables for hours waiting to see a doctor. I spent 4 hours in one such clinic with a sick baby to see a doctor who obviously didnt give a dam that we were there because he didnt want to be there. But he did give us medicine for him and refered him on.

Or you can go to any old doctor, we went to a surgery my MIL used. I paid $120 to see the doctor, that was expensive because it was the first appointment and they did a full background on me, it usually costs less. But I got seen in a few minutes and claimed about $60 of that back from medicare the next day, which I dont think you can do without a medicare card!


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## MEB (Aug 31, 2009)

_shel said:


> If you go to A&E you just show your passport, once you are resident you will apply for your medicare card which you wil then show, it will be free care. But depending on where you are you may get billed if an ambulance is called.
> 
> GPs are little more tricky. There are bulk billing clincs where you pay nothing, you can rock up and show your passport and see a doc. But they are like gold dust and you would often find yourself in the most overcrowded waiting room full of undesirables for hours waiting to see a doctor. I spent 4 hours in one such clinic with a sick baby to see a doctor who obviously didnt give a dam that we were there because he didnt want to be there. But he did give us medicine for him and refered him on.
> 
> Or you can go to any old doctor, we went to a surgery my MIL used. I paid $120 to see the doctor, that was expensive because it was the first appointment and they did a full background on me, it usually costs less. But I got seen in a few minutes and claimed about $60 of that back from medicare the next day, which I dont think you can do without a medicare card!


Thanks. We are just going for three weeks so I am not sure if I will need to apply for medicare of if I should.


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## Guest (Feb 28, 2012)

You can't apply for medicare as PR until you are resident with proof of your address. You shouldn't need it for a 3 week visit.


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## Jayceee (Feb 5, 2012)

If you're only coming for three weeks you need travel insurance not a medicare card. Besides travel insurance will cover you if anyone in your group falls ill en route and is offloaded from the aircraft in Asia whereas Medicare won't.


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## MEB (Aug 31, 2009)

Jayceee said:


> If you're only coming for three weeks you need travel insurance not a medicare card. Besides travel insurance will cover you if anyone in your group falls ill en route and is offloaded from the aircraft in Asia whereas Medicare won't.


Thanks Jaycee. We do have travel insurance, including medical cover. I was just wondering how the healthcare system works. How does it compare to Ireland? We don't have a medical card so GP visits are 50 for adults and 30-40 for children. Walking through the door of the A&E is 100. Have just about had enough of this place - hence us validating the visa in case we decide to bail out for a while.


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## Jayceee (Feb 5, 2012)

There are no door charges in Australian A&E, for your local GP you can go to a bulk bill doctor and pay nothing, or go to a non bulk bill doctor and pay a co-fee, the surgeries advertise which one they are. If you do pay the doctor he won't stick the cash in his pocket, you pay the receptionist and get a receipt instead of a thank you. 

If your house catches fire you don't have to pay the fire brigade several hundred dollars per hour to put it out...or to attend if you're in a car accident.

"bail out for a while"... I admire your optimism, it'll take decades for Ireland to get back from a place epitomized by emergency services have taxi meters...

If you lived here for 12 months you'd never go back to that.

Best of luck with whatever decision you make.


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## MEB (Aug 31, 2009)

Jayceee said:


> There are no door charges in Australian A&E, for your local GP you can go to a bulk bill doctor and pay nothing, or go to a non bulk bill doctor and pay a co-fee, the surgeries advertise which one they are. If you do pay the doctor he won't stick the cash in his pocket, you pay the receptionist and get a receipt instead of a thank you.
> 
> If your house catches fire you don't have to pay the fire brigade several hundred dollars per hour to put it out...or to attend if you're in a car accident.
> 
> ...


Thanks. We are having the heebie jeebies this morning wondering why we are doing this. Wifes's nails are getting shorter. I know this is off topic for this thread but our big fear is that we will be broke in Australia. I'd love to discuss it more with you. Here is a thread I started about us going to Australia - http://www.expatforum.com/expats/au.../91806-can-you-live-one-income-melbourne.html

(We chickened out at the last minute and then wished we didn't an managed to get an extension.)

You're probably right about Ireland. The government just seem to make it worse whatever they do.


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## naoto (Jan 8, 2012)

MEB said:


> Thanks. We are having the heebie jeebies this morning wondering why we are doing this. Wifes's nails are getting shorter. I know this is off topic for this thread but our big fear is that we will be broke in Australia. I'd love to discuss it more with you. Here is a thread I started about us going to Australia - http://www.expatforum.com/expats/australia-expat-forum-expats-living-australia/91806-can-you-live-one-income-melbourne.html
> 
> (We chickened out at the last minute and then wished we didn't an managed to get an extension.)
> 
> You're probably right about Ireland. The government just seem to make it worse whatever they do.


You probably made a big mistake. Most of my Irish friends are trying hard to bring as many of their relatives over here.


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## Jayceee (Feb 5, 2012)

Look on the bright side, if you do go broke you'll be the first Irish person to achieve that feat in all that time since 1788 when the first Irish people arrived on the first convict ship.


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## MEB (Aug 31, 2009)

Jayceee said:


> Look on the bright side, if you do go broke you'll be the first Irish person to achieve that feat in all that time since 1788 when the first Irish people arrived on the first convict ship.


Now that was funny.


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