Bupa Overseas Student Health Cover
If you are an international student who has a subclass 500 visa for the purpose of studying full-time in Australia, you need to meet certain conditions regarding your health care. This includes getting health insurance with an approved provider such as Bupa. Overseas student health cover (OSHC) is a mandatory requirement for all overseas students who get a 500 visa. The health cover must be taken for the entire duration of your study period while you are in Australia. If you are the primary visa holder and are accompanied by a partner or children under 18 years of age, the OSHC policy must also extend to them.
In this blog, you will find out more about Bupa’s OSHC cover, some of its main features, and how OSHC can help you quickly and easily compare the Bupa student insurance to other policies to help you decide on the best cover for you.
Why Choose Bupa For Overseas Student Health Cover
Bupa is one of six health insurance providers that are approved by the Australian government to offer OSHC cover to international students. There are many reasons why getting an OSHC cover with Bupa is an outstanding choice.
Bupa is not only Australia’s largest healthcare provider, but it has international reach with more than 18.5 million members throughout the world. You can benefit from Bupa’s widespread network, flexible options and great value in all aspects of medical and hospital care. It is a way of safeguarding yourself (and your partner and children if they are accompanying you) if you get sick or have an accident while studying in Australia.
Key Features Of Bupa’s Student Health Cover
100% Visa Requirement
The Bupa OSHC policy offered through OSHC fulfills the 500 visa requirements mandated by the Australian government. The OSHC must cover you for the whole period that you are studying in Australia. Please note that you must show your valid OSHC certificate when lodging your 500 visa application with the Department of Home Affairs.
Direct Billing Doctors
The best and easiest way to use your Bupa OSHC is to locate a doctor who has a direct billing agreement with Bupa. When you receive a service with such a doctor, they will bill Bupa and you pay nothing or only a small out-of-pocket amount. Alternatively, you can go to a doctor who does not have a direct billing agreement with Bupa. In this instance, you will need to pay the entire cost of treatment on the day. To get reimbursed, retain your medical receipt and submit it to Bupa and you’ll be reimbursed up to 100% of the MBS.
Higher Outpatient Medical Benefits
With Bupa student health cover, you can benefit from fewer out of pocket expenses. That’s because Bupa offers higher outpatient medical benefits compared with the offerings of most other health insurance providers.
An Overview Of Bupa’s Overseas Student Health Cover
For your reference, the following are some of the key things you need to know about the Bupa overseas student health insurance cover:
Hospital Cover
Bupa’s OSHC policy covers you for all accommodation costs of a hospital stay. Accident and emergency service costs are covered for all public hospitals and some agreement-only private hospitals. The OSHC cover from Bupa also covers you for all outpatient and post-operative care costs with 100% Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) for doctor services.
Out Of Hospital Treatments
Bupa provides an exceptional cover for out of hospital treatments, including 100% of MBS for standard face-to-face and telehealth doctor consultations, specialist services, as well as pathology tests and X-rays.
Ambulance & Emergencies
Bupa’s OSHC policy covers your costs for ambulance and emergency services. These include immediate treatment and surgically implanted prosthetics. Selected prescription medicines are also covered for up to $50 per item with a $30 co-payment. For prescription medicines, there is a $300 yearly limit for single policies, and up to $600 for family policies.
Waiting Periods
With Bupa OSHC cover, some waiting periods relating to health cover apply. This includes 12 months for pre-existing conditions and for obstetrics. The two-month waiting period is waived for pre-existing psychiatric conditions, so you can receive immediate access to mental health treatments should you require them.
How To Make A Claim With Bupa
There are many convenient ways in which you can make a medical or hospital claim with Bupa. You can do this directly online through the website, use the myBupa mobile app on your phone, visit Bupa in-store or fill out a claim form and post it to Bupa via the mail. Some campuses also have an on-campus consultant who can process your claim for you.
If you are making a claim within the initial 12 months of your Bupa OSHC cover, please ensure you send through a copy of your medical certificate.
Also remember that any claim can only be paid into an Australian bank account, so set this up first before lodging any claims with Bupa.
A majority of claims for visits to the doctor are reimbursed within five business days, and most claims for hospital or outpatient visits are reimbursed within 7-14 business days.
Compare Bupa’s OSHC Online Today
If you would like to see how Bupa’s OSHC offering compares to other health insurance policies you can do a quick and easy comparison in just one place—on the OSHCAustralia.com.au website.
You can access the comparison information whether you are looking for a single policy, a couples policy or a family policy.
With OSHC Australia, you get a clear price and benefit comparison of health policies for all six Australian government-approved providers. You can purchase your OSHC with Bupa or any other health provider you choose directly from our site. You will receive your policy certificate via email within minutes of purchase.
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