Costs/Medicare Ineligible Patients

Gippsland Southern Health Service is a public health care facility. All patients who use this facility must be eligible for Medicare benefits. A Medicare ineligible person is any visitor to Australia who does not hold a valid Medicare card

All overseas visitors that are not covered under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement or are not an asylum seeker/refugee (see below)  will be treated as a Medicare Ineligible Patient and as such will be required to pay costs incurred for all medical treatment whilst at Gippsland Southern Health Service.

Upfront payment of costs prior to your attendance at outpatient clinics or the Emergency department or admission to hospital is required regardless of whether you have travel insurance or private health insurance.

You will also be asked to provide the following information:

• Your passport and visa status

• Contact information during your stay in Australia

• Overseas residential address and phone number

• Relevant health insurance or travel insurance policy details (Depending on your visa classification type, you must have health insurance cover while staying in Australia)

Reciprocal Rights

The Australia Government has Reciprocal Healthcare Agreements with the governments of the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, Sweden, The Netherlands, Finland, Belgium, Norway, Slovenia, Malta and Italy.

These agreements may entitle you to limited subsidised health services for medically essential treatments whilst visiting Australia. If you are an overseas visitor from a country which Australia does not have a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with, you will be treated as a Medicare Ineligible Patient. This means you will have to pay for all medical care and treatment.

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Asylum Seekers and Refugees

Asylum seekers/Refugees are provided with free medical care (including emergency and elective care) pathology, diagnostic and pharmaceutical services in Victorian hospitals.  Asylum seekers/Refugees will need to produce supporting documentation confirming their status as an asylum seeker.
 

The costs below are a guide/estimated cost only and may not cover all items of care that may be required at the time of attendance.