Can I use Medicare as a tourist in Australia?

Only if your country has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) with Australia. Citizens of the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Belgium, Malta, Slovenia, and Norway are covered for essential medical treatment.

Do I need travel insurance for Australia?

Yes. Even if your country has an RHCA, the agreement only covers essential medically necessary treatment. It does not cover ambulance, dental, repatriation, or private hospital costs. Travel insurance is strongly recommended for all visitors.

Translation Notice: This page has been automatically translated. While we aim for accuracy, automated translations may contain errors. For critical health information, please refer to the English version.

International Visitors Health Guide

How healthcare works for visitors to Australia. Check if you're covered by Medicare and what you need to know.

📋 Source: Services Australia — Medicare eligibility for visitors. Reciprocal Health Care Agreements (RHCA).
Your doctor or healthcare provider knows your history and circumstances — always follow their personalised advice over general information.

🇦🇺 Visiting Australia

Am I covered by Medicare?

Select your country of citizenship

Countries with Medicare Agreements (RHCA)

Citizens of these countries can access subsidised essential medical treatment through Medicare while visiting Australia. You must enrol at a Services Australia centre with your passport.

What the RHCA Covers

✅ Covered under RHCA

Medically necessary GP visits (bulk-billed or with Medicare rebate) · Public hospital treatment as a public patient · Pathology and diagnostic imaging referred by a doctor · PBS prescription medicines at the subsidised rate

❌ NOT covered under RHCA

Ambulance transport (can cost $1,000–$5,000+) · Dental treatment · Optical/glasses · Private hospital treatment · Medical repatriation (flights home if seriously ill) · Pre-existing condition treatment (varies by country) · Elective or cosmetic procedures · Physiotherapy, chiropractic, podiatry

⚠️ Ambulance is NOT covered. Ambulance services in most Australian states are NOT free and NOT covered by the RHCA. A single ambulance trip can cost $1,000–$5,000. Travel insurance that includes ambulance cover is essential.

Practical Guide for Visitors

1. Visit a Services Australia (Medicare) centre in person. Find one at servicesaustralia.gov.au/office-locator.

2. Bring: your passport (with a valid visa), and proof of your RHCA country citizenship.

3. Complete the Medicare Enrolment Application form.

4. You'll receive a temporary Medicare card (usually on the spot or mailed within days).

Your Medicare card will be valid for the duration of your visa (up to the RHCA limit). New Zealand citizens living in Australia are enrolled automatically.

GP (General Practitioner): GPs are your first point of contact for non-emergency health issues. You can book online through HotDoc or HealthDirect. Some GPs bulk bill (no out-of-pocket cost), others charge a fee with a Medicare rebate.

🆓 Free GP finder: Bulk billing GPs cost nothing with Medicare — BulkBillGP.com.au → (also by Digital Treasure)

Emergency: Call 000 for ambulance, fire, or police. Emergency departments at public hospitals treat all patients regardless of Medicare status, but you may receive a bill if not covered.

After-hours: For urgent but non-emergency issues outside GP hours, call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) for nurse advice, or visit a hospital emergency department.

Pharmacies: Open during business hours and some evenings/weekends. Pharmacists can provide advice and sell over-the-counter medications without a prescription.

Yes — for all visitors, including those from RHCA countries.

The RHCA only covers essential, medically necessary treatment. It does not cover:

• Ambulance transport ($1,000–$5,000+)

• Medical evacuation or repatriation

• Dental emergencies

• Private hospital admission

• Lost medication replacement

• Trip cancellation due to illness

For visitors from non-RHCA countries, travel insurance is absolutely essential. Without it, a hospital admission could cost $5,000–$50,000+.

International students on a student visa must have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) — this is a visa requirement.

You can bring up to 3 months' supply of prescribed medication into Australia for personal use. Carry it in its original packaging with the pharmacy label.

You must declare all medications on your incoming passenger card. Some medications that are legal in other countries are restricted or banned in Australia (e.g. certain cold and flu tablets containing pseudoephedrine in large quantities, codeine products, some sleeping tablets).

If you need a prescription refilled in Australia, a local GP can write a new prescription, but you'll need to see them first. Bring a letter from your home doctor listing your medications and dosages.

Electronic prescriptions without Medicare: the doctor’s software asks for an IHI (Individual Healthcare Identifier) rather than a Medicare card; paper prescriptions need neither. See eScripts Explained. Whether a medicine is PBS-subsidised depends on eligibility — see pbs.gov.au.

Check the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) website or contact the Australian Border Force for specific medication queries: tga.gov.au.

000 — Emergency (ambulance, fire, police)

13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) — 24/7 health advice from a registered nurse

13 11 26 — Poisons Information Centre (24/7)

1800 022 222 — HealthDirect (after-hours GP advice)

131 444 — Police non-emergency

From a mobile phone, you can also dial 112 which connects to 000 and works even without network coverage on your carrier.

For a full directory of Australian helplines and support services, visit AskMyGP helplines directory.

For NRI parents visiting Australia

If you're an Indian parent visiting your children in Australia, Care for Amma has resources specifically for NRI families — navigating health insurance, finding familiar foods, cultural adjustment, and staying healthy while visiting overseas.