If you hold a Bridging Visa C (BVC – Subclass 030) while your immigration matter or substantive visa application is being processed, suitable health insurance can help you manage hospital and medical expenses while you remain in Australia.
Healthcare arrangements for Bridging Visa C holders can vary according to individual circumstances. Your Medicare eligibility, the substantive visa you have applied for and any conditions attached to your BVC can affect your healthcare and private health insurance needs.
For eligible BVC holders who are not entitled to Medicare, suitable Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) or temporary resident health insurance may provide benefits towards eligible hospital treatment, doctor and specialist services, emergency ambulance transport and certain prescription medicines, depending on the insurer and policy selected.
At 8501 Health Insurance, you can compare health insurance options that may be suitable for eligible Bridging Visa C holders and review important policy features before choosing cover.
There is no single health insurance arrangement that will necessarily suit every Bridging Visa C holder. Your healthcare needs can depend significantly on your Medicare eligibility, visa conditions and personal circumstances.
When comparing BVC health insurance, consider:
Because the time spent on a Bridging Visa can vary, consider whether the policy will remain suitable if your immigration matter takes longer than expected.
The cheapest Bridging Visa C health insurance policy may not necessarily provide the most suitable cover. Compare the benefits, waiting periods, excesses and potential out-of-pocket expenses alongside the premium.
A significant difference between Bridging Visa C and Bridging Visa B is overseas travel.
A Bridging Visa C does not provide the travel facility available under a Bridging Visa B. If you leave Australia while holding a BVC, this can have important immigration consequences.
For this reason, BVC holders should not treat their visa or health insurance arrangements in the same way as BVB holders planning temporary overseas travel.
Your Australian health insurance is also separate from travel insurance and should not automatically be assumed to provide healthcare benefits outside Australia.
Compare the available Bridging Visa C health insurance options below.
A Bridging Visa C (BVC – Subclass 030) allows eligible people to remain lawfully in Australia while certain immigration matters or a substantive visa application are being processed.
Healthcare arrangements can differ between BVC holders. Your access to Medicare, need for private health insurance and applicable visa conditions can depend on your individual circumstances and the type of substantive visa application you have lodged.
If you are not eligible for Medicare, you may be responsible for hospital, medical and other healthcare expenses incurred in Australia. Suitable private health insurance may help with eligible healthcare costs, depending on the insurer and policy selected. The Department also recommends that people without Medicare eligibility make appropriate private health insurance arrangements.
Health insurance requirements can vary between Bridging Visa C holders.
When determining your healthcare arrangements, consider:
You should check the conditions attached to your individual visa rather than assuming every BVC holder has the same requirements.
Bridging Visa C (Subclass 030) is listed by the Department of Home Affairs among visa subclasses that can be subject to Visa Condition 8501.
Condition 8501 requires the visa holder to maintain adequate arrangements for health insurance while in Australia.
Whether it applies in your particular case should be checked through your visa grant notification or VEVO record. VEVO shows the conditions attached to your current in-effect visa.
If Condition 8501 applies, maintain adequate health insurance for the period required by the condition.
Medicare eligibility should be assessed separately from simply holding a Bridging Visa C.
Some people on bridging visas may qualify for Medicare because of their individual circumstances. For example, Services Australia states that people who have applied for an eligible permanent residence visa or permanent protection visa may be able to enrol in Medicare, subject to the applicable eligibility requirements.
Therefore, holding a BVC by itself should not be treated as confirmation that you either are or are not eligible for Medicare.
If you are not eligible for Medicare, you may have to pay for healthcare services you receive in Australia.
These can include:
Suitable private health insurance may provide benefits towards eligible healthcare expenses, subject to the policy's terms, waiting periods, exclusions and benefit limits.
If you qualify for Medicare, you may still choose private health insurance depending on your healthcare needs and circumstances.
Private health insurance may provide additional hospital options, ambulance benefits or extras such as dental, optical and physiotherapy, depending on the cover selected.
Importantly, Medicare eligibility and your visa conditions are separate considerations. If Condition 8501 applies to your BVC, check your visa requirements before cancelling private health insurance.
The period you remain on a Bridging Visa C can vary depending on your immigration circumstances and the processing of your substantive visa application.
If you maintain private health insurance during this period, review your policy whenever there is an important change, such as:
Your health insurance should continue to be appropriate for your current immigration and healthcare circumstances.
When your substantive visa is granted, your healthcare arrangements may change.
Review your insurance based on:
The policy that was suitable while you held a BVC may not necessarily be the most appropriate policy after your new visa becomes effective.
A BVC should not be treated like a Bridging Visa B for overseas travel. The Department specifically identifies the BVB application process as the route for requesting permission to travel while a substantive visa matter is pending.
Health insurance is a separate issue from your permission to leave and return to Australia. Australian OVHC or temporary resident health insurance should also not automatically be assumed to provide overseas travel insurance.
If overseas travel becomes necessary, your immigration status and return arrangements should be checked before departure.
If your partner or dependent children are also living in Australia, consider their healthcare circumstances individually.
Depending on the insurer and eligibility, health insurance options may include:
Family members may have different visa statuses, Medicare eligibility or healthcare needs.
When comparing family cover, consider existing medical conditions, prescription medicines, pregnancy planning, children's healthcare needs and applicable waiting periods.
Health insurance for Bridging Visa C (Subclass 030) holders may provide benefits towards eligible hospital and medical expenses while you remain in Australia.
The exact level of cover depends on the insurer and policy selected. Australian Government guidance notes that OVHC policies vary significantly in their costs, eligibility and benefits, so BVC holders should check the particular policy rather than assume all visitor health insurance provides the same cover.
Depending on the policy selected, Bridging Visa C health insurance may provide benefits towards medically necessary hospital admissions and eligible hospital treatment.
Hospital benefits can vary between policies, so check:
Overseas visitors without Medicare can otherwise face significant hospital costs, including treatment in public hospitals.
Depending on the policy, benefits may be available towards eligible services provided by GPs, doctors and medical specialists.
Some visitor health insurance policies calculate medical benefits with reference to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS).
The amount charged by a healthcare provider may be higher than the benefit payable by your insurer. Where this occurs, you may need to pay the difference yourself.
Emergency ambulance cover is an important feature to compare, particularly because Medicare does not cover ambulance services. Ambulance arrangements also differ between Australian states and territories.
Depending on the policy selected, health insurance may provide benefits towards eligible emergency ambulance treatment and transport.
Before choosing cover, check:
Some visitor health insurance policies provide limited benefits towards eligible prescription medicines.
This is an area worth comparing carefully because Australian Government guidance notes that OVHC pharmaceutical benefits can be limited, potentially leaving substantial out-of-pocket costs for expensive medicines.
If you regularly take medication, check:
Treatment relating to a pre-existing medical condition may be subject to waiting periods, exclusions or other policy conditions.
Government guidance specifically recommends checking how an OVHC policy treats pre-existing conditions because policy arrangements can differ between insurers.
Before purchasing cover, check:
If you already have a medical condition requiring ongoing treatment, this can be particularly important when comparing BVC health insurance.
Depending on the policy selected, benefits may be available towards eligible pregnancy and birth-related hospital and medical services.
Waiting periods commonly apply to pregnancy-related treatment, so if pregnancy cover is important to you or your partner, check this before purchasing the policy rather than waiting until pregnancy occurs.
Compare:
Do not assume every Bridging Visa health insurance product provides maternity cover.
Standard OVHC primarily focuses on hospital and medical expenses. Additional general treatment or extras cover may be available for services such as dentists, optometrists and physiotherapists.
Depending on the insurer, extras may provide benefits towards:
Waiting periods, annual limits and service-specific limits may apply.
Health insurance does not necessarily cover every healthcare expense or the full amount charged for treatment.
Depending on your policy, you may have to pay some or all of the cost of:
Government guidance specifically recommends checking waiting periods, restrictions, exclusions and pharmaceutical limits when comparing OVHC because these can differ considerably between policies.
If your visa status or Medicare eligibility changes, review your insurance with your insurer to make sure the policy remains suitable for your circumstances.
When comparing health insurance for a Bridging Visa C (Subclass 030), consider your individual visa circumstances as well as the price of the policy. BVC holders can have different Medicare entitlements, visa conditions and healthcare needs.
Importantly, the Department of Home Affairs lists Bridging Visa C (Subclass 030) among the visa subclasses that can be subject to Condition 8501, so your individual visa conditions should be checked carefully.
When comparing Bridging Visa C health insurance, consider:
OVHC policies can vary significantly in eligibility, benefits and cost, so the particular policy should be checked rather than assuming all visitor health cover is the same.
Not necessarily. A cheaper monthly premium may be attractive, particularly if you do not know how long you will remain on your BVC, but price should not be considered alone.
Before selecting the cheapest policy, compare:
A higher excess, restricted treatment or lower benefits could result in greater out-of-pocket expenses if you require treatment.
Before purchasing health insurance, confirm that the particular insurer and product accept your Bridging Visa C circumstances.
Eligibility can vary between OVHC products. Australian Government guidance specifically notes that eligibility, costs and benefits can vary between insurers and policies.
You should also check whether the policy is appropriate if Condition 8501 applies to your visa.
Some BVC holders may have Medicare eligibility depending on their individual circumstances.
If you have Medicare, consider your Medicare entitlements alongside the benefits provided by private health insurance. If you do not have Medicare access, the hospital and medical benefits available under your private cover can become particularly important.
If your Medicare eligibility or visa status changes, Australian Government guidance recommends informing your insurer so you can check whether your existing policy remains suitable.
Some health insurance policies have a hospital excess, which is an amount you agree to pay when you have an eligible hospital admission before applicable insurer benefits are paid.
A lower-premium policy may have a higher excess. Therefore, compare both:
This provides a better picture of the potential overall cost of the policy.
If your partner or dependent children also require private health insurance, compare appropriate couple or family options.
Do not automatically assume that every family member has identical Medicare eligibility or health insurance requirements.
Consider each person's:
Australian insurers offer OVHC and temporary resident health insurance products, but product eligibility can vary according to visa circumstances.
Use the comparison table above to compare the products actually available for your Bridging Visa C circumstances.
Bupa offers Overseas Visitors Health Cover products for eligible temporary residents.
If you hold a Bridging Visa C, confirm your eligibility for the particular Bupa product displayed in the comparison table and compare hospital and medical benefits, ambulance cover, waiting periods, excesses and exclusions.
Medibank offers health insurance products for eligible overseas visitors and temporary residents.
Before choosing a Medibank policy for a BVC, confirm that the particular product accepts your visa circumstances and compare its hospital benefits, medical benefits, ambulance arrangements, waiting periods, excesses and exclusions.
Allianz Care provides health insurance products for eligible overseas visitors and temporary visa holders.
BVC holders should confirm eligibility for the particular Allianz Care product and compare the applicable hospital and medical benefits, ambulance cover, waiting periods, excesses and exclusions.
nib provides visitor health insurance products for eligible overseas visitors and temporary residents.
If you hold a Bridging Visa C, confirm product eligibility before purchasing and compare hospital and medical benefits, emergency ambulance cover, waiting periods, excesses and exclusions.
Before choosing a policy, confirm that it is available for your current visa circumstances and, where relevant, is appropriate for the conditions attached to your BVC.
Then compare:
Government guidance specifically recommends comparing waiting periods, restrictions, exclusions and pharmaceutical benefits when selecting OVHC.
Health insurance requirements for Bridging Visa C (BVC – Subclass 030) holders depend on the conditions attached to the individual visa.
Subclass 030 is one of the visa subclasses that can be subject to Visa Condition 8501. If Condition 8501 is attached to your BVC, you must maintain adequate arrangements for health insurance for the period required by the condition.
Check your visa grant notification or VEVO record to confirm the conditions that apply to you.
It can. The Department of Home Affairs lists Bridging Visa C (Subclass 030) among visa subclasses that can be subject to Condition 8501.
This does not mean that every BVC holder automatically has Condition 8501. Check your individual visa conditions to determine whether it applies to you.
Some Bridging Visa C holders may be eligible for Medicare, depending on their individual circumstances.
For example, Medicare eligibility may be available to some people who have applied for an eligible permanent residence or permanent protection visa, subject to Medicare's eligibility requirements.
Holding a BVC by itself does not determine whether you are eligible for Medicare.
Eligible BVC holders may be able to purchase suitable Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) or other temporary resident health insurance.
Before purchasing a policy, confirm that the particular insurer and product accept your visa circumstances and, where applicable, that the policy is appropriate for any health insurance condition attached to your visa.
Depending on the insurer and policy selected, health insurance may provide benefits towards eligible:
Waiting periods, exclusions, restrictions, hospital excesses, co-payments and benefit limits may apply.
Optional extras may provide benefits towards services such as dental, optical and physiotherapy.
The cheapest BVC health insurance can vary according to the insurer, policy, level of cover and whether you require single, couple or family insurance.
Compare the premium alongside hospital and medical benefits, emergency ambulance cover, waiting periods, hospital excess, exclusions and potential out-of-pocket expenses.
The lowest monthly premium is not necessarily the most suitable policy for your circumstances.
Health insurance options may be available to eligible Bridging Visa C holders from providers such as Bupa, Medibank, Allianz Care and nib, subject to the insurer's current product and visa eligibility requirements.
Always confirm that your current BVC circumstances are accepted under the particular product before purchasing cover.
If you are eligible for Medicare, whether you also need private health insurance depends on your circumstances and any conditions attached to your visa.
Private health insurance may provide additional hospital options, ambulance benefits or extras such as dental, optical and physiotherapy.
If Condition 8501 applies to your BVC, check the requirements before cancelling or changing your existing health insurance.
Depending on the insurer, product and eligibility requirements, couple or family cover may be available.
Family members can have different visa statuses, Medicare eligibility and healthcare needs, so their individual circumstances should be considered when arranging cover.
Treatment relating to a pre-existing medical condition may be subject to waiting periods, exclusions or other policy conditions.
Check the insurer's definition and assessment of pre-existing conditions, applicable waiting periods, restrictions and benefit limits before purchasing cover.
Depending on the policy selected, benefits may be available towards eligible pregnancy and birth-related hospital and medical services after applicable waiting periods have been served.
If maternity cover is important to you, compare pregnancy benefits and waiting periods before purchasing the policy.
Medicare does not generally cover ambulance services. Ambulance arrangements also vary between Australian states and territories.
Check whether your private health insurance provides eligible emergency ambulance benefits and whether any limits or conditions apply.
A Bridging Visa C does not provide the travel facility available with a Bridging Visa B.
If you need to leave Australia while your immigration matter is being processed, you should check the immigration consequences and appropriate visa arrangements before travelling.
Your health insurance does not give you permission to leave and return to Australia.
Once your substantive visa is granted, review your health insurance because your healthcare arrangements may change.
Consider your new visa subclass, Medicare eligibility, any health insurance conditions attached to the new visa and the insurer's eligibility requirements.
The policy suitable while you held a BVC may not necessarily be the appropriate policy for your new visa.
You may be able to change insurers if the new insurer and policy accept your visa circumstances.
Before switching, compare benefits, waiting periods, excesses and exclusions and check how your previous period of cover will be treated. Avoid creating an unintended gap in appropriate health insurance, particularly if Condition 8501 applies.
