All visitors coming to Australia will be required to have a health insurance under a proposal mooted by the New South Wales Health Minister, Brad Hazzard.
In a letter to his state and federal counterparts, Mr Hazard suggested health insurance be made mandatory for all visitors on temporary visas, including tourists to ensure that taxpayers’ funds are not used for providing health care to visitors.
The Daily Telegraph reports NSW taxpayers paid around $30 million a year on medical bills for tourists and visitors who are ineligible for Medicare.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard speaks to the media during an announcement with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian at the Sydney Ambulance Station in Sydney. Source: AAP Image/Jamie McKinnell
“Every time an uninsured visitor does not pay for their treatment in one of our public hospitals, taxpayers foot the bill,” Mr Hazzard is quoted as saying.
Currently, health insurance is mandatory only for certain visas, such as student and some temporary work visas.
Overseas visitors on temporary visas are not eligible for Medicare benefits unless they are from a country with which Australia has a 'Reciprocal Health Care Agreement'.
Currently, Australia has agreements with the United Kingdom, Malta, Finland, Sweden, Italy, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, Norway and Slovenia. If you are visiting Australia from these countries, you are generally covered for medically necessary treatment in a public hospital.
Source: Pixabay
“Expensive but necessary”
Many Indian families in Australia have learnt the importance of travelling with private health insurance the hard way.
Pradeep* Singh’s mother had to be admitted to hospital when she lost consciousness on a visit to Melbourne.
The family had not considered travel insurance and incurred thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs.
“We have seen many families learn it the hard way,” Jasvinder Sidhu, Melbourne based community worker told SBS Hindi.
He believes a mandatory health insurance policy, especially for senior people, will be beneficial.
“Evidence shows many families have realised the importance of health insurance for their visiting parents after having incurred huge costs. Many times our community has come together to raise funds in such cases.
“I believe having a health insurance especially for our senior people is necessary, even if it adds to the expenses. Maybe for younger tourists and visitors, with no prior ailments, it can be optional. But for seniors and aged-parents, it will prove to be beneficial,” he says.
