An OSHC Can Be Your Best Friend While Studying in Australia - Choose Wisely
As a
student, you have cultivated the dream to commence your higher education in
Australia. You have made a plan for it and are all set to take the next step. However,
you are unaware of the next step. You may wonder what it would be. It is easy;
you need to take an English proficiency test to prove your fluency and ability
to communicate in English in foreign countries.
Now, your
exam is done and you have scored well. What is next? You need to look for the
university in Australia that you want to study in. After you have made up your
mind about the university, you will have to apply for your student visa and
look for the essential requirements to follow. OSHC visa requirement is one of the most significant aspects of
visa compliance.
This means
that as a student, you will require to buy an Overseas Student Health Cover or
OSHC. Now, it may click in your mind, why do I need to buy an OSHC? Well, there
are two sides to it. First, it is an essential requirement by the government of
Australia to have a valid OSHC for the entire duration of your stay in the
country.
Secondly, the
health care system of Australia provides various medical facilities free as
well at a lower price, which cannot be availed by all international students.
However, when paying for emergency medical treatments, can result to be very expensive
in Australia. This is when overseas health coverage benefits come into the picture
to help you.
When do I need to buy an OSHC?
If you do
not belong to a country that has a Reciprocal Healthcare Agreement (RHCA) with
Australia, you need to buy an OSHC. The students from 11 RHCA countries may
enjoy a free or subsidized Medicare facility. However, in the longer run, they
may need to buy a health cover except for the students of Belgium, Norway, and
Sweden as their country's own insurance covers them.
What is covered by an OSHC?
An OSHC helps
you in covering hefty medical bills and manage hospital expenses. The aim to
introduce OSHC is to help international students with their medical treatments during
their stay in a foreign country. Therefore, OSHC Australia usually covers the following:
·
Hospital
bills for treatment and accommodation
·
Out
of the Hospital Emergency medical care
·
Emergency
ambulance services across the country
·
100
percent of the MBS charge for any in-patient treatment such as surgery or
extended disease care
·
Public
and private shared ward accommodation
·
Surgically
implanted prostheses that are enlisted in the Federal Government's list
·
Medicines
prescribed by a registered doctor or general practitioner
Apart from
the above-mentioned medical treatments, a few treatments are not included in
the OSHC cover such as dental, physiotherapy, chiropractic services, eyeglasses,
and contact lenses. However, you can avail of these medical services if you buy
extra coverage for them. The extras will cost you additional payment.
How does OSHC work?
First, you
look for a medical center, clinic, or hospital, followed by making an appointment
with a General Practitioner. The process of finding and booking an appointment
with a GP is very easy. OSHC can also provide you access to the doctor directly
via social media or mobile, therefore, contributing a little more. You can also
visit a doctor 24*7. If you are suffering from a severe illness or need a
specialist, OSHC providers will refer you.
Which are the best providers for
OSHC?
There are n number of health insurers available in
the market. The following is the list of some of the top providers for OSHC
Australia:
· AHM
·
Nib
·
Medibank
·
BUPA
·
AllianzG
You do not need
to consider buying OSHC from all of them but rather, from the one that fits
best to your needs.
Conclusion
Budget
Policy is here to guide you in choosing the best policy that is rightly suited
to your needs and budgets. The process we follow is convenient and hassle-free.
Visit Budget Policy’s website and you will witness the most extensive range of Overseas Student Health Cover policies
from top service providers mentioned earlier in the blog.
Comments