OSHC is the abbreviation of Overseas Student Health Cover, which is a medical insurance specially set up by the Australian government to protect international students.
Australia's Medicare public medical system does not protect international students, so if there is no insurance such as OSHC, students will have to pay medical and hospitalization expenses in full during their study in Australia, and the amount is often as high as several thousand Australian dollars or even higher. With OSHC, international students can save a lot of medical expenses and avoid financial difficulties.
At present, OSHC is a necessary condition for obtaining 500 student visas in Australia, and the Australian Immigration Bureau has strict requirements on the company and time limit for purchasing OSHC. OSHC insurance companies recognized by the Australian Immigration Bureau are: AHM, Alliance, Bupa, CBHS, Medibank and NIB. The insurance period has also been extended from 1 in the previous year of purchase to cover all study time in Australia (including before school and after graduation). In other words, you must have an effective OSHC from your first day in Australia until you return to China after graduation. Without OSHC, your student visa application will not be approved, and your existing student visa may be cancelled.
What services does the OSHC provide?
The main services provided by the OSHC include:
Ambulance service
medical expenses
Drugs that can only be bought with a doctor's prescription.
Hospitalization expenses
Services not covered by the OSHC include:
ophthalmology
Dentistry
physiatrics
Tidy up appearance
Psychology etc.
OSHC is a special insurance proposed by the Australian government. It is based on Australia's MBS medical insurance welfare plan and PBS drug welfare plan, so the insurance provided is basically the same.
However, as OSHC is provided by many insurance companies, it will be slightly different in terms of premium, insurance items provided, reimbursement ratio and reimbursement procedures. (If you want to know the details, you can go to official website, the insurance company. )
How to buy OSHC?
OSHC can be purchased through student agencies, Australian universities and self-purchase. Every Australian college has its own preferred insurance company (special insurance commissioners are often set up on campus to provide services to students). It is recommended to purchase OSHC insurance through Australian universities or your intermediary agencies to avoid problems in insurance period and reimbursement.
Do you need to buy additional insurance?
OSHC covers most of the medical expenses in Australia, and expenses outside Australia (including the process of going to and leaving Australia) are not covered by OSHC. In addition, some past medical history, pregnancy and medical items are not included in the above occupational safety and health bureau. Therefore, we suggest that students can purchase other insurances according to their own conditions.
How to seek medical treatment in Australia?
After students enter the country, the first thing to do is to activate their accounts and apply for insurance cards. At present, many insurance companies will send electronic insurance cards to students at the same time as sending physical cards to facilitate their daily use.
If students feel unwell during their stay in Australia, they can go to the pharmacy for consultation first, and the pharmacist will recommend medication and doctor's advice for you.
If you really need to see a doctor, and it is not an emergency, you need to see a GP general practitioner first (the list of clinics and doctors can be found in insurance companies, and you usually need to make an appointment at least 1 day in advance). If further diagnosis and treatment are needed, general practitioners will refer students to specialists.
In case of emergency, you need to go to the emergency department of the nearest hospital as soon as possible. If the situation is too serious to travel smoothly, you can call "000" to call an ambulance.
If you have language barriers, it is recommended to seek Chinese medicine or professional translation.
How does OSHC reimburse?
Medical expenses are divided into direct reimbursement and reimbursement after medical treatment.
Direct reimbursement is relatively simple and convenient. Provide an insurance card when you see a doctor, and you will be reimbursed when you pay.
Reimbursement after medical treatment is relatively cumbersome, requiring students to pay in full first, and then through a series of processes such as online/offline application, providing documents, and insurance company audit, the insurance company will transfer the reimbursement expenses to your account.
If you have any questions about the reimbursement amount, students can contact the insurance company directly for consultation.
What if COVID-19 is diagnosed?
Although the Australian federal government has announced the end of the COVID-19 epidemic, due to the strong infectivity of COVID-19, state public health departments still have strict management regulations for patients with COVID-19's symptoms.
If students develop COVID-19 symptoms while studying in Australia, they need to call the COVID-19 service hotline (Australian national COVID-19 hotline: 180020080) for consultation, and complete the COVID-19 test under the guidance of the staff.
If you are diagnosed with COVID-19, you need to observe in isolation according to the doctor's instructions. At present, most of the diagnosed patients have mild symptoms, and they can turn negative after home isolation 1 week, and the isolation can be lifted. If the symptoms are serious and need treatment, the follow-up doctor will give further guidance and provide corresponding medical help.
In addition, confirmed students need to take the initiative to report to school, so as not to affect attendance and delay their studies. At present, all Australian universities have set up a page of coronavirus pneumonia-19 in a prominent position on their school websites, which introduces in detail COVID-19's symptoms, suspected/secret contact/diagnosis, relevant school regulations and available mental and academic help.