[LINK] Your Medicare records online

Craig Sanders cas at taz.net.au
Thu Mar 4 10:29:07 AEDT 2010


On Wed, Mar 03, 2010 at 04:26:19PM +1100, Kim Holburn wrote:
> As someone who occasionally lives in other countries this is all moot.
> This is never going to be more than Australia wide.  If you find
> yourself in emergency in Moscow or Copenhagen or worse the USA it's
> not going to help.

it won't help you while travelling or living in other countries, but
it will almost certainly harm you. 

health insurance companies will inevitably gain access to your records
(even if they have to do it illegally) and WILL use information in them
to deny you cover or add exclusions to what is covered. in some cases,
this will prevent you from travelling (some countries require that you
have private health insurance as a condition of entry).





BTW, Australia has reciprocal health-care agreements with several
countries[1]: New Zealand, The United Kingdom, The Republic of Ireland,
Sweden, The Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Belgium, Malta, and Norway


[1] http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/public/migrants/travelling/index.jsp

there are, of course, limitations and exclusions and conditions but this
page contains a good summary:

  "Australia's Reciprocal Health Care Agreements with these countries
  cover any medically necessary treatment you require which may arise
  while in that country."

"medically necessary" and "which may arise while in that country"
are the key phrases. visiting a public hospital or emergency ward is
covered. pre-arranged elective surgery isn't.


craig

-- 
craig sanders <cas at taz.net.au>



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