Overseas visitors and students: patients without a valid Medicare care

If you are an overseas visitor or student from a country that Australia does NOT have a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with or fall under an asylum seeker and refugee classification, you will be treated as a Medicare Ineligible Patient and will need to pay for all hospital services.

For emergency and planned (elective) attendances, you are responsible for payment of all expenses associated with treatment including but not limited to:

• Hospital accommodation
• Radiology (MRI, X-ray, CT and Ultrasound)
• Pharmacy
• Consultant’s professional fees
• Prosthesis costs
• Emergency attendance
• Outpatient attendance

Please note: for Pathology related costs and queries, please contact PathWest. Pathology charges are raised separately to the charges listed above and are not part of PCH costings.

Information that you will need to provide

On presentation to PCH you will need to provide the following:

• your passport and visa status details
• overseas residential address and contact details
• local contact information during your stay in Australia
• mobile phone number and email address
• student identification and educational institution details if applicable
• health Insurance details
• guarantee of payment from your insurer or an upfront payment.

You will be asked by the Revenue Team to provide an upfront payment to cover the cost of your care, whether you do or do not have health insurance.

An Estimate of Fees can be provided as soon as possible on request. The team is available 7 days a week from 7am to 8pm and are contactable on (08) 6456 0033 or via email. 

Please note: If you are an Australian Resident returning home permanently and have been living out of the country for 5 years or longer you will be treated as an Overseas Visitor and will be charged for your hospital visits. It is recommended you re-enrol in Medicare and provide the hospital with your new Medicare number for your child or dependent in order to be treated as a public patient for any future visits. Find out more about re-enrolling in Medicare on the Services Australia website.

Asylum seeker and refugees

Asylum seekers and refugees are provided with free medical care (including diagnostic services) at PCH.

Asylum seekers and refugees need to produce appropriate documentation confirming their status from the Department of Home Affairs - Immigration and Citizenship or a recognised asylum support agency.

If the appropriate documentation is not provided, you will be treated as a Medicare Ineligible Patient and you will be expected to pay for all associated medical costs.

Appropriate documentation is one of the following:

• Department of Home Affairs - Immigration and Citizenship document
• Documentation from support agencies such as the Red Cross, Hotham Mission, McKillop Family Services or International Health and Medical Services
• Evidence by visa class (bridging Visa E)

PCH offers a number of immediate convenient methods of payment for emergency, inpatient and outpatient fees. Upfront payments will be based on your child’s expected length of stay and estimated medical costs.

Our Revenue Liaison Team is contactable on (08) 6456 0033 and email. The team is available 7 days a week from 7am to 8pm.

Payment options include

• BPoint: please click on this link. For detailed payment instructions, download the BPOINT payment manual.
• EFTPOS or cash: in person with our Revenue Liaison team and onsite cashier. Please call (08) 6456 0033.
• Phone: please call our Accounts Receivable team on (08) 6456 0320. You will need your invoice and credit card details (Visa or Mastercard) ready.
• Electronic funds transfer: contact the Accounts Receivable team for details on (08) 6456 0320 or via email.
• Mail: send your remittance slip and cheque or money order, made payable to Perth Children's Hospital, to the PO Box address stated on the top right-hand corner of your invoice.

If you have any questions relating to your invoice, please contact Accounts Receivable on (08) 6456 0320 or via email.

Overseas Visitors holding a valid visa who are a resident of a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) country are only covered for essential medical treatment that is 'medically necessary' relating to:

• ill-health or injury which occurs while you are in Australia; and
• a condition which requires treatment before returning to your home country.

RHCA’s are not intended to replace travel insurance, and do not cover planned treatment, procedures or operations.

The Australian Government has RHCA’s with the following countries:

• United Kingdom including Northern Ireland
• Republic of Ireland
• New Zealand
• Belgium
• Finland
• Norway
• Slovenia
• Sweden
• The Netherlands
• Malta*
• Italy*

*Patients from Italy and Malta are only covered during the first six months upon arrival to Australia.

Overseas Students

Most foreign students studying in Australia are not covered by a RHCA. These students are required to take out Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) and must maintain that cover throughout their stay in Australia as part of their visa requirements. Students from Norway, Finland, Malta and the Republic of Ireland are not covered under the RHCA.

To receive health care under a RHCA, you must provide a copy of your passport, visa and other documentation required to evidence your eligibility to a Revenue Liaison Officer. If the appropriate documentation is not provided, your child will be treated as a Medicare Ineligible Patient and you will be charged for all associated medical costs.

What else do I need to know?

Periods of RHCA cover vary depending on the country’s agreement with Australia. To find out more about your period of cover please visit Services Australia.

Fees and charges: translated information

We have information sheets available in the following languages:

• WA Health Fees and Charges
  • WA Health Fees and Charges (Arabic)
  • WA Health Fees and Charges (Dari)
  • WA Health Fees and Charges (Mandarin)
  • WA Health Fees and Charges (Vietnamese)
• Outpatient fees for Overseas Patients
• Information for Overseas Patients
  • Information for overseas patients (Dari)
  • Information for overseas patients (Farsi)
  • Information for overseas patients (Hazaragi)
  • Information for overseas patients (Simplified Chinese)
  • Information for overseas patients (Spanish)
  • Information for overseas patients (Swahili)
  • Information for overseas patients (Tamil)
  • Information for overseas patients (Tigrinya)
  • Information for overseas patients (Vietnamese)
• Emergency Department fees for Overseas Patient Triage 1
• Emergency Department fees for Overseas Patient Triage 2
• Emergency Department fees for Overseas Patient Triage 3
• Emergency Department fees for Overseas Patient Triage 4
• Emergency Department fees for Overseas Patient Triage 5

All overseas Medicare ineligible patients are identified by the Revenue Liaison (RLO) team at Perth Children's Hospital each day and will be contacted and or visited by the team on the ward.

Our team will work closely with your treating medical team to prepare an estimate to present and ensure transparency with informed financial consent.

Upfront payments will be requested to cover out of pocket expenses dependant on your eligible level of insurance.

Booked admissions

All overseas Medicare ineligible patient referrals that are accepted and placed on a wait list will require an estimate of fees to be prepared by the RLO Team. An upfront payment will be required 2 weeks prior to surgery.

Request to treat

All overseas Medicare ineligible patients who are identified by the RLO Team who have insufficient insurance or financial coverage will have a request to treat form submitted to the admitting consultant.

An estimate will then be prepared and presented to the family. Financial eligibility and means to pay will be assessed by the Accounts Receivable team.

Outpatient appointments are charged at $391 per occasion and apply to in person attendance, telephone and telehealth consultations.

If you need non-urgent care, you may find a GP clinic or private hospital may offer a more affordable option.

The Australian Government's HealthDirect website provides details of your closest GP, or you can call HealthDirect on 1800 022 222.

If you are not sure whether your condition is urgent or critical, please stay in the Emergency Department to be assessed by a doctor.

Interpreter Services are available 24 hours a day.

The Revenue Liaison team regularly engages with interpreters onsite at Perth Children's Hospital.

Interpreters can be provided to patients and their families who are non-English speaking or have a hearing impairment.

The use of family members, children, friends or other bilingual individuals who may offer to help are discouraged.

Learn more about Perth Children's Hospital's interpreter service.

Resources

Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National)
Phone: 13 14 50

Deaf Connect
Phone: (08) 9441 2677
Video call: 0434 599 813

Interpreting Personnel | VIP Auslan
Email: bookings@vipauslan.com.au
Phone: 0408 879 069

Aboriginal Language Interpreting Service - AIWAAC
Phone:0439 943 612

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It encompasses advanced medical procedures, such as complex surgeries, cancer treatment, and specialised care for rare or severe diseases.

Tertiary care hospitals are equipped with sophisticated equipment and technology that support advanced diagnostics and treatment.

Perth Children’s Hospital is a teaching hospital engaged in research and the training of medical personnel.