Markit
I was recently told that there is a reciprocal agreement between Oz and the UK (EU?) that guarantees free medical assistance to each others citizens in the event of illness or accident. Does anyone know if this is the case and if so where I could get more info?
spicyayam
Some info here: [url=http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/medicare/reciprocal-health-care-agreements]Reciprocal Health Care Agreements[/url]
davita
This is a good thread for info for us expats Markit. I suggest the administrators keep this thread, and any others, as a sticky for reference. Maybe titled 'Health-Care for Expats'I'll throw in a little of my info on the subject.The Health-Care aspects of reciprocity, to my knowledge, is only available to those 'resident' of a country. Most expats no longer have residency under those rules. For example...I have Canadian citizenship but no longer resident in Vancouver B.C.....so, if I return I have to wait, I believe 3 months, before acquiring residency under the Health-Care act to get medical benefits. They keep the record when filing taxes as one part asks 'have you been out of Province for more that 182 days'.I'm also a Brit but have not even been there for over 25 years. I'm still registered and have a tax number, as I get a pension, but not 'resident'. Therefore, I would not get any Health-Care unless an emergency or accident, which every Tom, Dick and Harry gets....yet I paid National Insurance (NI) for 50 years. The UK administrators periodically write to my last known address to see if I'm dead...how I'm supposed to respond if I'm dead alludes me.:lemo:
Markit
From what I can gather as a UK citizen I need to just drag my poor disease/pain/injury wracked body onto the next plane to Darwin and there fall into the arms of the waiting health personnel and with my last gasp mention that "I'm only here on holiday"... to be fully and freely covered under the Oz health insurance?Asbestos underwear firmly in place!
matsaleh
After reading the page for Reciprocal Health Care for Visitors, I think this only refers to essential or life-saving treatment, but I could be wrong.[SIZE=3][B]Access to cover[/B][/SIZE][COLOR=#3C3C3C][FONT=Verdana]Reciprocal Health Care Agreements cover treatment that is medically essential. This means any ill-health or injury which occurs while you are in Australia and requires treatment before you return home.[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE][url=http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/enablers/medicare/reciprocal-health-care-agreements/health-care-for-visitors-to-australia]Health care for visitors to Australia[/url]
matsaleh
Mark, you also must be a UK [I]resident[/I], not just a UK [I]citizen[/I].
Markit
Since there is no necessity to register when you are an English citizen there is very little possibility for anyone to say whether you are or are not - a resident there, that is. If someone was of a mind to, one [I]could[/I] take advantage of all that Antipodean generosity that they're not giving to all them horrible refugees. Not saying [I]should[/I] or even [I]would[/I], but just [I][U]could[/U][/I]. :icon_wink:I've spent an entire lifetime trying my best to unashamedly find personal advantages in a world of madness. So far, so good!
spicyayam
I know the UK is a long way from Australia but I am sure they have systems in place to check whether you are a resident of UK. It would easily be checked by immigration records.
Markit
I know the UK is a long way from Australia but I am sure they have systems in place to check whether you are a resident of UK. It would easily be checked by immigration records.[/QUOTE]You think? What immigration records would those be? There is the Schengen Agreement which guarantees free passage within the EU - internal borders are not controlled anymore and if you are [U]entering[/U] the UK they look at your passport but no great check is made - particularly to it's own illustrious and, might I say, beautiful citizens. And presuming that you are right, how would Oz get access to UK immigration records? By the time the UK came back with an answer to the Antipodean query I'm likely to have passed blissfully away from old age.
davita
I know that UK has a National Insurance No. system and the (NHS) National Health care card which covers EU. [url]https://www.gov.uk/european-health-insurance-card[/url]In Canada everyone registered for the Health Care system has a card which needs to be presented when seeing a doctor.I would think something similar might be needed to get reciprocal health care in Australia.
Markit
The EHIC card that Davita is talking about is only for use in member states outside of the issuing country. For instance if you are an English tourist traveling in Denmark and need to see a doctor or have emergency care. Inside the UK there is no ID card system (way too Germanic for the winners of WWII). To prove your residency in the UK for medical purposes you might be asked to produce 2 Electricity bills with your name on or something similar but once you are registered or known never again. To prove my UK residency in Oz I reckon the old passport would do, don't you?
davita
All residents of UK are given a NHS number so their medical records are easily availed...[url=http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/nhsnumber/patients/yournumber]Your NHS number ? Health and Social Care Information Centre[/url]Many thousands of UK Citizens may have passports but ineligible for NHS service as not resident of UK and consequently no NHS number.....I'm one.I think I would be naive to turn up in Darwin...throw my passport on a hospital desk and demand my hemorrhoids be surgically removed. Knowing how Ozzies like a joke I'd expect someone, in a mask, come at me with a chainsaw...:icon_e_surprised:
Markit
Davita if you got your hemorrhoids removed there wouldn't be enough left of you fill a spittoon. [ATTACH]2452.vB[/ATTACH]
davita
I don't think you should be commenting on hemorrhoids Markit as someone PM'd me to say you had a perfect asshole....Oh! my bad...just re-read and it doesn't say you have a perfect asshole.... it says you are one...:icon_e_biggrin:
