Medicare in Australia — What Indian Migrants Need to Know

Medicare is Australia's universal health insurance scheme. For new Indian migrants, understanding Medicare early saves you both money and confusion when you need medical care.

Who Can Access Medicare?

Immediate access (from visa grant date):

• Australian permanent residents (all subclasses)
• Australian citizens
• New Zealand citizens living in Australia
• Refugees

Access through Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA): India has a bilateral RHCA with Australia. Indian citizens visiting Australia on certain temporary visas (including tourist visas) are entitled to access Medicare for medically necessary treatment — this covers urgent care and treatment you cannot reasonably delay until you return to India.

No Medicare access:

• Student visa holders (subclass 500) — note: this contradicts the RHCA; student visa holders from India generally do not have full Medicare access and must have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
• Working holiday visa holders — must purchase private health insurance or rely on the RHCA for urgent care only
• Most other temporary visa holders — check your specific visa conditions

How to Enrol in Medicare

As a new permanent resident, enrol at a Medicare Service Centre (located in Services Australia offices) or online via myGov.

Documents needed:

• Passport
• Visa grant letter or ImmiCard showing your PR status
• Proof of Australian address (rental agreement, bank statement, utility bill)

You receive a Medicare card with your Medicare number. Each family member has their own number on the card.

Online: After your initial enrolment in-person or by post, you can manage your Medicare through myGov → Medicare.

What Does Medicare Cover?

Yes — Medicare covers:

• GP (general practitioner) consultations — bulk billed by many GPs (no cost to you) or with a gap payment
• Specialist consultations (with a GP referral) — Medicare pays a set fee; you pay any gap
• Pathology (blood tests, urine tests) — usually bulk billed
• Diagnostic imaging (X-rays, ultrasounds) — Medicare benefit applies
• Public hospital treatment as a public patient — no cost
• Many mental health services (with GP referral under a Mental Health Plan — up to 10 sessions per year)
• Pregnancy and birth care

Not covered by Medicare:

• Dental (entirely private — no Medicare coverage for adult dental)
• Optical (glasses, contact lenses) — not covered
• Physiotherapy, chiropractic, other allied health — not directly covered, though private insurance covers these
• Ambulance — not covered by Medicare; some states include ambulance cover in state schemes, otherwise get private health insurance
• Cosmetic procedures
• Most prescription medications above the PBS threshold (see below)

Bulk Billing — The Key Concept

Many GPs "bulk bill" — they accept the Medicare rebate as full payment and charge you nothing. You pay nothing out of pocket.

Some GPs charge above the Medicare rate — you pay the gap. This gap is typically $20–$80 for a standard GP consultation.

Indian migrants commonly seek out bulk-billing clinics to minimise healthcare costs. AustraliaWasi can help you find bulk-billing GPs near you.

Find bulk-billing Indian-background doctors near you: → Find a Doctor

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)

The PBS subsidises the cost of many prescription medications. With a PBS prescription, you pay a subsidised "co-payment":

• 2025–26 general patients: approximately $31.60 per PBS prescription
• Concession card holders: approximately $7.70 per PBS prescription
• If your annual PBS expenditure exceeds a safety net threshold, further scripts in that year may be free or cheaper

Not all medications are on the PBS — some must be paid at full private price.

Do You Need Private Health Insurance?

If you are a PR holder: You are not required to have private health insurance, but you should consider it for:

• Dental and optical (not covered by Medicare)
• Ambulance (if you live in a state that doesn't include it — NSW and VIC do not)
• Private hospital cover (choice of surgeon, private room, shorter elective surgery wait times)
• Physiotherapy, psychology, and other allied health services

Medicare Levy Surcharge: If your taxable income is above approximately $93,000 and you do not hold hospital-level private health cover, you pay an extra 1–1.5% Medicare Levy Surcharge on top of the standard 2% Medicare Levy. For higher-income Indian professionals, hospital cover can be cheaper than the surcharge.

Lifetime Health Cover loading: If you do not take out hospital-level private health insurance before the 1 July after your 31st birthday (as an Australian resident), you pay a 2% loading on your premium for every year you delayed, up to 10 years (70% maximum). New PR holders are exempt from this loading for the first 12 months of their PR.

Finding a GP in Australia

Most Indian migrants want a GP who understands their cultural context and health background. The practical steps:

1. Search for GPs near your home address who are accepting new patients
2. Look for practices with bulk billing
3. Ask your Indian community contacts for recommendations — word of mouth is the most reliable way to find a trusted GP in Indian communities
4. Register with a GP as your regular provider — this gives access to better Medicare rebates for some consultations

Find Hindi-speaking and Indian-background doctors across Australia: → Browse Doctors Directory

Mental Health Care Under Medicare

Under the Better Access initiative, GPs can refer patients to psychologists for up to 10 Medicare-subsidised sessions per calendar year. The GP prepares a Mental Health Treatment Plan.

Many Indian migrants are unfamiliar with accessing mental health services — it is available, confidential, and substantially subsidised. Settlement stress, family separation, and workplace pressure are genuine reasons to seek support.

Frequently Asked Questions

I just arrived on a PR visa. Can I use Medicare immediately?

Yes — permanent residents are eligible from the visa grant date. Enrol as soon as you arrive.

My parents are visiting on a tourist visa from India. Can they use Medicare?

Yes — the India-Australia RHCA covers Indian citizens visiting Australia on tourist or eligible temporary visas for medically necessary treatment. This is not comprehensive coverage — for elective or non-urgent care, they should have travel health insurance.

I am on a 482 visa. Do I have Medicare?

Most 482 visa holders have Medicare access. However, your specific visa conditions determine eligibility. Check at servicesaustralia.gov.au or ask your employer.

My child was born in Australia. Are they covered by Medicare?

Yes — children born in Australia to PR holders or citizens are enrolled in Medicare from birth.

Do I need to carry my Medicare card to a GP appointment?

Many GPs now verify Medicare details electronically. Your Medicare number suffices. The card is useful as a backup.

Verify current Medicare eligibility and bulk billing availability in your area at servicesaustralia.gov.au.