Moving to Australia from New Zealand?

Medicare Australia, health insurance, to-do list… what you need to know about the Australian health care system.

Medicare is Australia’s main healthcare government-funded scheme. New Zealand citizens can enrol in Medicare immediately (recommended a week after you arrive) if you can prove you’ve moved to Australia (see below).

Until you enrol with Medicare Australia, you can get healthcare under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement New Zealand has with Australia. This covers essential treatment in a public hospital, and of course, Doctors will happily still see you but it will cost more because you aren’t registered with them.

How you apply for medicare Australia, what are you entitled to, what are the costs of healthcare, medicines through PBS, and more?

Medicare is a publicly funded universal health care scheme in Australia. Operated by the government authority Medicare Australia, Medicare is the primary funder of health care in Australia, funding primary health care for Australian citizens and permanent residents (except for those on Norfolk Island).

Residents are entitled to subsidised treatment from medical practitioners, eligible midwives, nurse practitioners and allied health professionals who have been issued a Medicare provider number and can also obtain free treatment in public hospitals.

As an NZ Citizen, you are eligible for Medicare Australia. However, you need to either live in Australia for 6 months or provide proof that you’ll be living here for the next 6 months.

Are you moving to Australia and want to know if your medication or needed operation is subsidised by the Australian Government? Find out how much things cost in Australia.

There are many things to consider when moving to Australia, and whether you can still get the prescription medication you need is high on the list.

There also might be an operation you’ve been told you might need, and you want to know if you will be covered under Medicare and how much it will cost.

Are New Zealanders able to get the age pension in Australia? Yes! But there is more to it. Here is all the information you need to know…

New Zealanders who are 67 years or older and live in Australia should be eligible for an Australian Age Pension. As long as they meet the resident, income, and asset eligibility criteria.

Please note that the eligibility criteria have recently been changed, so you will need to wait until you are now 67 to receive the Australian Age Pension if you were born on or after 1 January 1957. Read more below.

Under Australia’s international social security agreement with New Zealand, NZ citizens living in Australia can apply for the Australian Age Pension (over 67 years, see below), Disability Support Pension (DSP) (if they are severely disabled), and Carer Payment (if they are caring for a partner on DSP), irrespective of whether they are protected or non-protected SCV holders.

Do New Zealanders get free maternity care in Australia? Do we get free midwife services and child delivery services in Australia? Do we receive Parental Leave Pay?

The cost of having a baby will vary depending on whether you give birth in the public or private system. In Australia, pregnancy care in a public hospital or birth centre is free because it is covered by Medicare, which covers New Zealanders on an SCV, Australian citizens, and some visitors to Australia. We can also receive some Government payments.

We are eligible for Parental Leave Pay as New Zealand citizens living in Australia on an SCV and don’t have to wait the two-year wait period for newly arrived residents. However, you do need to meet the income and work tests. Read more below.

Do you need it, how much does it cost and where to compare policies…

If you are making plans to move to Australia, applying for health insurance is an important part of the process. Aside from that, it’s always a good idea to prepare for the unexpected.

In Australia, the public health system Medicare covers most Australian residents’ healthcare needs. However, Medicare does not cover everything, and you can choose to take out private health insurance to get a wider range of healthcare options and more comprehensive coverage.