How does Medicare work for migrants?
As soon as you arrive as a resident, you should visit a Medicare office with proof of your PR status. You will be able to register for Medicare straight away (in fact you can do this even if you’re on a holiday validating your visa), and you will get a temporary Medicare card. Once you’ve done this, if you need to see a doctor, just go to any medical centre (many of which open all day, 7 days a week) and wait your turn (not at all like the UK where you must register with one specific GP and getting appointments is very difficult). Many medical centres will ‘bulk-bill,’ in other words they bill Medicare directly and you don’t pay at all (provided you have your Medicare card with you). If the medical centre doesn’t bulk-bill you need to pay (AUD35 is typical for a GP consultation) and you can claim about 70% the money back in either cash or electronic funds transfer to your bank account if you bring the receipt and your Medicare card. If you need an X-ray or other tests you can get these
