Top Reasons You Need an Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)

If you have already planned to study overseas and have chosen Australia to take up higher education, you must be aware of the fact that you must have a valid OSHC (Overseas Student HealthCover) when entering Australia, without which you may not be able to enroll in your desired educational program. Buying a health cover (OSHC) is one of the most important things that the student needs to do when planning to enter Australia on a study (subclass 500) visa.

Well, there are many reasons that every international student entering Australia must have an Overseas Student Health Cover. Here are some of the top reasons you need an OSHC when entering Australia.

 1.     International Students’ Ineligibility for Medicare

As we all know, Australia has an excellent and well-structured medical care system, more commonly known as Medicare. The Australian Government’s public health program provides medical care and facilities to Australian citizens and permanent residents. Unfortunately, this government scheme does not cover international students, which means that they must cover the cost of their medical treatment, if required, by themselves. It is quite understandable that the student must have a health insurance policy to cover his/her medical expense as it is not covered by the Medicare system. Another important point is that the OSHC must be valid for the entire duration of the student’s stay in Australia. It is also one of the requirements to get a study visa to Australia.

 2.     Expensive Medical Care

Another very valid and understandable reason to have an OSHC is the expensive medical care in Australia. The country has an excellent medical system, which can prove to be very expensive for international students. One sore throat or an accident and you could be short of thousands of dollars. When just a medical appointment can cost up to $100, it becomes very wise to have an OSHC. The right OSHC will cover most of the expenses, which may include anything from a hospital stay, the cost of medications and much more.

3.     Manage Medical Expense

As mentioned earlier, medical care is very expensive in Australia and it can burn a big hole in your pocket. Moreover, the government does not want to overburden the system by offering Medicare to international students; therefore, it has made OSHC mandatory for every international student entering Australia. A standard OSHC policy includes the cost of doctors’ appointments, hospital admissions, surgeries, medical tests, medications, ambulance, etc. The inclusions of the policy vary according to the provider and premium.

An OSHC not only makes the medical expense more manageable but also keeps you covered in adverse unforeseen circumstances while giving the family at home the much-needed peace of mind.

 Choosing the Right OSHC Policy

There are a number of OSHC providers offering different plans at different prices. With so many OSHC options available, it is obvious to get confused. The first and foremost point to ponder over is that the OSHC must comply with all your visa conditions. Secondly, it must be feature-rich and affordable. So, how do you secure the right OSHC?

The Australian Government has approved selected OSHC providers for the purpose of a student visa, namely AHM (Australian Health Management), Medibank Private, NIB, Bupa Australia Assistance.

Budget Policy – Your One-Stop Portal for Affordable OSHC

With so many options available in the marketplace, it becomes wiser to compare and select. As different provider offers different coverage options, one can use an OSHC comparison service like Budget Policy.

Budget Policy can help you compare all the compliant policies at one place, along with their features and prices. Comparing the policies can help you choose the one that suits your needs and budget, thereby making the OSHC-buying exercise hassle-free. Budget Policy even provides a discount of up to 48% on certain OSHC plans, which can help you save big money on the OSHC!