Do Australian tourists/visitors need health coverage while travelling overseas, or can they rely on their current medical coverage at home?
Living and working in Australia is most people’s dream, for it is an exotic and beautiful country. You experience a beautiful life surrounded with greenery, hills, and beaches with many benefits here. Australian people are friendly and socializing too.
Now the point is, that if you migrate to Australia with your family or even alone, you will do your very best to make the most out of your stay in the country. For this, you need a visa, which you can easily apply online.
To attain your visa successfully, you will have to abide by all the rules of the country and submit valid documents required for the visa application.
Overseas Visitors Health Cover or OVHC is an international health insurance, especially designed for visitors visiting Australia as well as people without an access to Australia's public healthcare system –Medicare for medical or hospital expenses. OVHC covers potential expenses required during medical or hospital treatments.
There are a few visas with mandatory conditions for holding any plan (as per your needs) of OVHC. For example, if you are holding a working visa 482, 485, or an overseas student health cover, you need to buy and include your health insurance policy to your visa.
Many applicants think that buying OVHC policy is unnecessary and if there is an emergency for medical treatment, they can use their existing medical coverage from their home country. The applicant in return, faces delay in his visa processing due to failed submission of a few essential documents.
One of such documents is OVHC – overseas visitor health coverage, without which your visa can be in delay. Provisional visas for Australia abide to 8501 condition, which require the applicant as well as family members to have and adequate health insurance for the duration of their stay in Australia.
Enlisted are a few basic medical services covered by Medicare – Australia’s publicly funded universal health care system.
Health Issues Due to Unsuitable Weather
Weather is the most essential factor, which is often overlooked by many immigrants overlook while moving to a new country. The reason is we all are adapted to our home country’s weather. Shifting to another country and living in a new environment can be vulnerable for many people. Speaking of which, Australia’s climate is diverse, for which it is perceived as one of the most vulnerable country in terms of climate change. Therefore, changing climate in Australia can cause various health problems like health like high blood pressure, headaches and migraines, asthma, eczema, heart attacks, etc. Having OVHC can cover expenses for such emergencies and prevent you from huge bills.
Injury due to accident
Accidents are unpredictable and can happen to anyone. They might cause minor or severe injuries, which in result can cause you huge hospitalization expenses, regardless you are in public or private
hospital. With an adequate visitor health insurance cover, you are not only covered but also are saved from financial challenges.
Dental emergencies
Imagine yourself booking a return flight to your home country for the treatment of just a small dental aid such as a fragmented tooth. Moreover, you felt the need to do so, because dental treatments in Australia are extremely costly. Here, if you have OVHC health insurance with the coverage of dental treatments, you can be relieved from paying huge amount and can enjoy pain-free treatment within Australia.
Brief
Now you know that how important it is to buy an OVHC Australia policy at the time of your visit to the country. It not only covers expensive bills of medical treatments but is also a compulsory requirement for your visitor or working visas. Therefore, you need health coverage during your visit to Australia.