2. Register with Medicare
The Australian Government provides help with basic medical expenses through a scheme called Medicare. You may be eligible to join Medicare and gain immediate access to health care services and programs. These include free public hospital care, help with the cost of out-of-hospital care, and subsidised medicines.
How to enrol
To enrol in Medicare, you should go into a Medicare office 7 to 10 days after your arrival in Australia and bring your passport or travel documents. There are also many different private health insurance options you may wish to consider, as Medicare does not provide for all services.
Examples: Medicare does not cover dental care, most optical care or ambulance services.
The table below provides contact details for Medicare Australia
| Medicare Australia contact details | |
|---|---|
| Telephone | 13 2011 |
| In person | See: Medicare Australia office locations |
| Homepage | See: Medicare Australia |
| Medicare Welcome Kit (available in other languages) |
See: Medicare Australia Welcome Kit - Choose your language |
For information on Private Health Insurance
See: What is Private Health Insurance?