About Essential Visitors Cover
Great value hospital, medical and extras cover for visitors to Australia, with a hospital excess to help reduce your premiums.
Hospital cover
What's covered?
We pay benefits towards (less any applicable excess):
Public hospital
Essential Visitors Cover pays for the full cost of overnight accommodation in a shared or private room in a public hospital (less any applicable excess).
For same day admissions in a public hospital, Medibank Private will cover the full cost of a shared room only (less any applicable excess).
Any charge above your benefit will form part of your out-of-pocket expenses.
Excess
An excess is an amount that you agree to pay if admitted to hospital in exchange for lower premiums. The excess payable under Essential Visitors Cover is deducted from the benefits we pay you when you make a hospital claim. The excess applies each calendar year and is only up to $150 for singles or $300 for families. Plus there is no excess for children with Essential Visitors Cover when a child on the membership is admitted to hospital.
Medical cover
We provide benefits for medical services, either in or out of hospital, that are listed under the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and provided by a doctor.
The Medicare Benefits Schedule covers most medical procedures and treatments provided by doctors.
Note: You will have to pay any additional cost if the doctor charges you more than the benefits we pay you.
Prescription only pharmaceuticals – Important information
You may incur significant out-of-pocket expenses if high cost pharmaceuticals are required for your treatment when in hospital because Essential Visitors Cover only pays limited benefits for pharmaceuticals. Most international visitors to Australia are not eligible for subsidised pharmaceuticals under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
Pharmaceuticals used in oncology (cancer) and other treatments can be very expensive for people who do not have access to subsidised pharmaceuticals.
Extras cover
In Australia, extras cover provides you with cover for expenses associated with health services other than those provided in a hospital or by a doctor.
Such services include dental or physiotherapy, which will help you look after your general health and wellbeing.
View the comparison table to see all the services you can claim benefits towards and to find out about the annual limits and sub-limits that apply to benefits for extras items and services.
Is this cover right for you?
Essential Visitors Cover is designed for visitors, temporary residents, residents of Norfolk Island and other residents in Australia who are not eligible for full Medicare entitlements.
If, at any time, you gain access to full Medicare entitlements or your visa status changes, (eg you are granted permanent residency), Essential Visitors Cover may no longer be suitable. In these instances, you should notify us of the change in your circumstances.
Medibank Private can still remain an important part of your private health insurance plans as we offer a range of other covers to suit your needs.
If you are coming to Australia on a student visa our visitor cover will not satisfy your visa requirements. You should consider our Overseas Student Health Cover.
If you are coming to Australia as a sponsored worker and are required to purchase private health insurance to obtain a subclass 457 visa, Essential Visitors Cover will not be suitable for your needs. Instead you should consider our Working Visa Health Insurance cover or Working Visa Health Insurance Hospital & Medical cover.
Before you join it’s important that you take a look at Further information for details on waiting periods (including the pre-existing ailment rule) and other benefit assessment information.
If you are unsure of a term or phrase used, check out our Glossary.