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You’re covered for medically necessary inpatient and outpatient care in a public hospital under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA). It doesn’t include visits to medical practitioners out of hospital.
The RHCA doesn’t apply if you travel to Australia for medical treatment.
You may be able to get medical treatment in Australia under the RHCA if you’re travelling to, leaving from, or diverted to Australia, and the need for treatment arose during your voyage or flight.
You don’t need to enrol in Medicare and won’t get a Medicare card.
Who can get it
To be eligible for Medicare you must have been both:
- a New Zealand citizen or resident of New Zealand before arriving in Australia
- temporarily visiting Australia.
If you’re a student and staying in Australia for longer than 6 months you may be eligible to enrol in Medicare as a New Zealand citizen.
If you’re a diplomat
You’ll get the same entitlements as a non-diplomatic New Zealand citizen if you’re here for less than 6 months. This includes:
- medically necessary care as a public patient including public hospital inpatient and outpatient services
- some Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) prescription medicines at the general rate.
Your cover is for public inpatient and outpatient hospital care only. You won’t get a Medicare benefit for out of hospital services under the RHCA.
You may be eligible to enrol in Medicare as a New Zealand citizen if you’re staying in Australia for longer than 6 months.
What’s covered
The agreement covers both:
- medically necessary care as a public patient including public hospital inpatient and outpatient services
- some Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) prescription medicines at the general rate.
Your cover is for public inpatient and outpatient hospital care only. You won’t get a Medicare benefit for out of hospital services under the agreement.
What documents you need to show
At a public hospital or pharmacy, you need to ask staff to treat you under the reciprocal health care agreement.
If you’re a New Zealand citizen, you’ll need to show your current New Zealand passport.
If you’re not a New Zealand citizen and you hold a Permanent Resident Visa, you’ll need to show your current non-New Zealand passport and either your Visa label or eVisa verification.
If you’re not a New Zealand citizen and you hold a Resident Visa, you’ll need to show your Visa label, eVisa verification or confirmation of status letter from Immigration New Zealand. The last date you may travel and re-enter New Zealand must not have passed.
When your cover starts and ends
Your cover starts the day you arrive in Australia. It ends the day you leave Australia.