What is OSHC Australia? Do I have to buy it?
OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover) is a product designed to help international students meet their medical expenses while studying in Australia. The Australian government requires every international student (except in exceptional cases) to have an OSHC policy for the duration of their stay in Australia until the expiry of their student visa. If you renew your visa, you must renew your OSHC policy.
It is also important to note that OSHC payments are based on the current medical guidelines. This means international students covered by an OSHC policy can enjoy the same healthcare benefits as Australian residents.
To summarise, OSHC is a mandatory insurance policy, and you need health insurance for your student visa to be processed.
These include Bupa, Allianz, Medibank and more.
Classification of OSHC Insurance for International Students in Australia
Five insurance companies provide OSHC in Australia: Bupa, AHM, Nib, Allianz, Medibank, etc. The services provided are more or less the same, and the OSHC,, in general,, will include hospitals, Medical, pharmacies and ambulances.
Each university and educational institution has its preferred providers. At the same time, every student has the right to choose their own OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover) provider. But the fact is that every student will tick the box on the form to choose to go along with selecting the preferred provider. So, of course, universities and educational institutions will be very motivated to see more and more students sign up to their preferred provider.
In short, it’s all about following the school, and generally, each school will have its suppliers that they work with.
Choosing & Buying & Comparing Insurance for International Students in Australia
The main difference between these OSHC providers is the price
- General numbers are each quoted at 100% of the MBS standard (that is, the standard registration fee set by the government)
- Specialist outpatient, pathology tests and x-rays: 100% covered by insurance, only 85% for expensive ones
- For hospitals, if you need to go to the emergency room, the super cheap one covers all public and private hospitals. In contrast, the expensive one only covers the public and their protocol hospitals. Of course, in most cases, we still choose GP and only go to big hospitals for considerable illnesses.
Bupa Reimbursement, Insurance Reimbursement Scope
Overseas student medical insurance mainly helps you to reduce medical expenses. In most cases, even with medical insurance, individuals still need to pay for part of their medical expenses. The reimbursement rate of Overseas Student Medical Insurance is based on the medical services reimbursement rate set by Medicare, Australia’s national health insurance. However, doctors in Australia can charge at a rate other than the MBS rate. Therefore, the difference between the doctor’s fee and the MBS reimbursement rate is still our responsibility.
- Private and public hospitalisation fees
- Ambulance fees
- Doctor and specialist (out of hospital) consultation fees
- Fees for medical tests (X-rays and blood tests)
- Prescription medication: All patients must pay $32.90 out-of-pocket, on top of which OSHC will pay the difference between the actual cost of the drug and $32.90, up to a maximum of $50 per prescription, $300 per person per year and $600 per family per year.
Account Activation
If you do not activate the insurance card, it can not be used, and the later reimbursement operation can not be carried out, so partners who get the insurance card the first time must remember to activate it!
Material Preparation
Passport number
Mobile phone number (within Australia)
Address details (within Australia)
Personal information
Membership number on your insurance policy.
Log in to your chosen provider’s website or app to activate!
Reimbursement Process
Bupa, Allianz and Medibank all support partnering healthcare structures to bill the insurance company directly, which means that you don’t need to pay or be reimbursed, which is a super convenient way. However, not every medical institution supports this, so students must check the insurance company’s official website or app to find a partner medical institution nearby.
Bupa, Allianz Network Reimbursement
You can pay all the medical expenses out of your pocket and then go to the insurance company’s network for reimbursement with your Invoice.
Bupa, Allianz Website/App Reimbursement
Log on to the website of each insurance company and apply for reimbursement online;
According to the requirements of the website, fill in the relevant information, submit the claim online, and write down the Reference Number;
Write the Reference Number on the back of all original invoices;
Send Email Claim
Mail Claim
- Download and fill in the claim form.
- Fill in the form and attach the original invoices or receipts;
- Send it to the designated place
If you are worried that you are not familiar with the application operation and the refund will be affected, or you are concerned that the processing time is too long, here we suggest that all of you search for nearby insurance company shops; you can let the professional staff to help you process.
FAQ
The OSHC reimbursement process involves submitting a claim to your OSHC provider if you have paid for medical or hospital care covered by your policy. The provider will then review your claim and, if approved, reimburse you for the cost.
You can submit a claim by filling out a claim form provided by your OSHC provider. This form, along with the original receipts and any relevant medical reports, should be sent to your provider via post or online, depending on their submission methods.
Generally, you must provide the original receipts of your medical expenses and a completed claim form. Some providers may also ask for medical reports or other supporting documentation.
The processing time can vary depending on your OSHC provider. However, most providers aim to process claims within 10-15 working days from receiving your claim.
Yes, you can typically make a claim even if you’ve already left Australia. It’s essential to check with your specific OSHC provider as some may have deadlines for submitting a claim after leaving the country.
