Reciprocal Health Care Agreements
Australia has Reciprocal Health Care Agreements with eight countries - New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Italy, Malta and Ireland. Under the Agreements, residents of these countries have restricted access to Medicare while visiting Australia.
Each reciprocal agreement is different from the others, varying in both the cover provided and duration of eligibility. Importantly, as none of the Agreements cover all health services, even visitors to Australia from Reciprocal Health Care Agreement countries should purchase appropriate health insurance designed for overseas visitors to Australia.
Some services not covered under the agreements include:
- Treatment that is not immediately necessary
- Ambulance cover
- Dental care
- Para Medical Services
- Medical evacuation to your home country
- Funerals
- Treatment and accommodation in private hospitals, or as a private patient in a public hospital
- Elective treatment
- Treatment that has been prearranged before arrival in Australia
HICA offers a personal assessment service to overseas visitors to Australia to help you identify the most competitive and appropriate health insurance for your particular circumstances. To find out more about HICA’s personal assessment service for overseas visitors, contact us or complete the online enquiry form.
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