Healthcare starts with Medicare

Typically, upon arrival in Australia, new migrants are registered for a medicare card, as far as I can remember this happens automatically.

A medicare card is an important part of your Australian ID and it gives you access to public healthcare.

Once you are semi-settled with a roof over your heads, you then need to go to a medicare office and claim your card/give an address for your card to be sent to.

The Medicare office is where you go to get healthcare rebates (money back) and is not linked to Centerlink which is the social security office.

Hospital visits and emergency care is free at public hospitals. Private health care is a parallel system. A visit to the doctor or specialist can cost from 50$ upwards with a % given back as a rebate.

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