Health Insurance for Temporary Residents
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Whilst you are living and working in Australia you need to maintain your Working Visa Health Plan as nib cannot provide suitable health insurance for your hospital and medical expenses.
However you can take nib health insurance to supplement your current Working Visa Health Plan in two important ways:
- Join nib Public Hospital Cover to avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge
- Join nib Just Extras to claim on extras like dental and optical
Note: only users with a valid Green Medicare card can join online, for all other Medicare card holders please call 1800 775 204. |
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Avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge
If you are entitled to receive Medicare benefits whilst on a Temporary Resident’s Visa then you may also be required to pay the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS).
The MLS is an extra 1% tax that applies if you are you are single and earn more than $77,000* a year. For couples/ families the surcharge kicks in where (combined) you have a household income of over $154,000*.
* Income thresholds for the 2010/2011 financial year
Your Working Visa Health Plan membership does not help you avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge.
The good news is you can join nib’s Public Hospital Cover which will help you avoid the MLS whilst you are a temporary resident in Australia.
We strongly recommend that you continue to use your Working Visa Health Plan to claim for hospital expenses as Public Hospital Cover will not provide sufficient cover for a stay in hospital.
To check whether the MLS applies to you call Medicare on 1300 300 271.
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Extras cover for Overseas Visitors
Your Working Visa Health Plan may already provide you with extras cover, but if it doesn’t you can join nib to claim to for these services.
Extras cover is for services you can use everyday to stay healthy – like going to the dentist, a visit to the physio or a new pair of glasses.
Join nib Just Extras for as little as $10.90* a week and claim up to $3,100 per year in extras (waiting periods and annual limits apply).
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