Who can get it
To be eligible for Medicare under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA), you must be enrolled in the Netherlands Health Insurance Scheme. This includes citizens and non-citizens of the Netherlands.
If you’re here on a student visa, you’re eligible.
If you’re in Australia for a short time and don’t need medical care, there’s no need to enrol.
If you’re a diplomat
If you’re a diplomat, you and your family are eligible to enrol in Medicare while you’re posted here.
This means the cover under the agreement will apply for as long as you’re in Australia.
If you’re not eligible for Medicare
If you’re not eligible for Medicare, you can’t claim a benefit for treatment you have in Australia. If you need to lodge an income tax return in Australia, you may be eligible for a Medicare levy exemption. This applies if you weren’t eligible for Medicare for all or part of the financial year. You’ll need to get a Medicare Entitlement Statement from us to do this.
Read more about the Medicare levy exemption on the Australian Taxation Office website.
What’s covered
The agreement covers:
- medically necessary care out of hospital
- medically necessary care as a public patient in a public hospital including inpatient and outpatient services
- some PBS prescription medicines at the general rate.
Read more about the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
How to enrol in Medicare
You’ll need to give us copies of your supporting documents. These documents don’t need to get certified. To enrol in Medicare you will need to download and complete the Medicare enrolment form. Follow the instructions on the form to enrol.
Documents you need to give us if you’re a citizen
You’ll need to show your passport, evidence of your current visa and either:
- proof you have valid insurance in the Netherlands Health Insurance Scheme
- your valid European Health Insurance Card with the initials NL.
Documents you need to give us if you’re not a citizen
You’ll need to show your non Dutch passport, your current visa and either:
- proof you have valid insurance in the Netherlands Health Insurance Scheme
- your valid European Health Insurance Card with the initials NL.
When your cover starts and ends
Your cover starts the day you arrive in Australia. It ends when the first of these expires:
- your Netherlands health insurance
- your European Health Insurance Card
- your visa.
If you get medical treatment in Australia before you enrol in Medicare, you may get a Medicare benefit for it.
Once you enrol, submit your claim. We’ll then be able to tell you if you can get a benefit under the agreement or not.