Medibank offers Overseas Workers Health Cover for international graduates and temporary workers in Australia, including people holding or applying for a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485).
For international students moving from a Student visa to a 485 visa, Medibank offers health cover designed for this next stage in Australia. Its current Overseas Workers Health Covers can help towards eligible hospital and medical costs if you become sick or injured while living and working in Australia.
Medibank specifically identifies the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) as eligible for its Overseas Workers Health Cover.
Medibank states that its Overseas Workers Health Covers for eligible working visas are compliant with health insurance requirements associated with visa condition 8501.
Before choosing a Medibank policy, compare the level of hospital and medical cover, waiting periods, excess, exclusions and potential out-of-pocket expenses.
Medibank currently offers several levels of Overseas Workers Health Cover. The appropriate option depends on the level of protection you want and your budget.
Overseas Workers Base Hospital is Medibank's hospital-focused option for people who want to meet applicable visa health insurance requirements while keeping their cover relatively simple.
It provides benefits towards eligible hospital accommodation and medical costs for included hospital procedures.
This product does not provide outpatient GP cover, so 485 visa holders who want benefits towards everyday doctor visits should compare it carefully against Medibank's higher levels of cover.
Overseas Workers Standard Hospital and Medical combines hospital cover with benefits towards a range of everyday medical services.
Medibank currently lists benefits including eligible:
The policy provides a choice of hospital excess levels.
Overseas Workers Advanced Hospital and Medical provides more comprehensive hospital and medical cover.
Medibank describes this option as including a wider range of services, including pregnancy and birth and assisted reproductive services, as well as benefits towards eligible GP visits, X-rays and blood tests.
If pregnancy-related cover is important to you, check the applicable waiting periods and other conditions before purchasing the policy.
Overseas Workers Premium Hospital, Medical and Extras is Medibank's most comprehensive Overseas Workers option.
In addition to hospital and medical benefits, it includes extras benefits towards eligible services such as:
Benefit limits, recognised providers, waiting periods and other conditions apply.
Medibank states that its range of Overseas Workers Health Covers meets the health insurance requirements for eligible working and graduate visas, including the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) and visa condition 8501.
However, your individual visa circumstances should always be checked.
If you are unsure whether condition 8501 applies to you, check your visa grant letter, VEVO or the relevant Department of Home Affairs information.
Hospital benefits are an important consideration when comparing Medibank health insurance for a 485 visa.
The level of cover varies between products, so check:
Medibank's current Workers range provides different excess options depending on the policy selected.
Choosing a higher excess may reduce your premium, but it can mean paying more yourself if you are admitted to hospital.
Not every Medibank Workers product provides the same level of outpatient medical cover.
For example, Base Hospital is primarily hospital-focused and does not include outpatient GP cover, while Standard, Advanced and Premium provide broader eligible medical benefits.
This is an important distinction when comparing policies.
If you expect to visit a GP or specialist regularly, consider the medical benefits provided rather than selecting a policy solely because it has a lower premium.
Medibank states that all of its current Overseas Workers Health Covers include unlimited emergency ambulance Australia-wide, subject to applicable terms and conditions.
Ambulance costs can be substantial in Australia, so this is an important feature to consider when comparing health insurance.
Waiting periods may apply before you can claim benefits for certain services.
Before purchasing Medibank cover, check the waiting periods applying to:
Medibank also states that its Overseas Workers Health Cover has no waiting periods for included outpatient services, although waiting periods may apply to hospital cover.
Always check the current policy documents for the particular cover you are considering.
If you have an existing medical condition, waiting periods can be particularly important. For more information, read our guide to pre-existing conditions and 485 visa health insurance, including how waiting periods may affect your cover.
Before changing to Medibank or moving between policies, check how the insurer will assess any pre-existing condition and when benefits may become payable.
If you are currently receiving treatment or expect to require treatment soon, review the applicable waiting-period provisions before changing cover.
Not every Medibank Overseas Workers product provides the same pregnancy-related benefits.
Medibank's Advanced Hospital and Medical product includes pregnancy and birth among its covered hospital services, while other products may provide different levels of cover.
If pregnancy cover is important to you, check:
Do not select a policy based solely on price if you expect to require pregnancy-related treatment.
International students may already hold Medibank Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) while studying in Australia. If you are finishing your studies, read our guide to moving from a Student visa 500 to a Temporary Graduate visa 485 for more information about the transition.
Medibank specifically advises graduates applying for a worker visa that they need to purchase a different type of health cover to meet their ongoing visa requirements.
When moving from a Student visa to a Temporary Graduate visa:
Medibank offers Overseas Workers health insurance options for singles, couples and families.
If your partner or dependent children also need cover, compare the appropriate membership structure and total premium rather than simply looking at the single-policy price.
Also check how excesses and other policy conditions apply to family members.
Eligible Medibank Overseas Workers members can access additional support services.
Medibank currently advertises 24/7 nurse and mental health phone support for its Overseas Workers Health Cover members.
Availability and eligibility conditions can change, so check the current Medibank information for the particular policy you are considering.
The claims process depends on the treatment and service received.
Generally, you should:
Medibank also supports HICAPS claiming for eligible non-resident GP appointments.
For planned or expensive treatment, consider checking your expected benefit before receiving treatment. For more information about the general claims process, read our How to Make a Claim on 485 Visa Health Insurance step-by-step guide.
There is no single Medibank price applicable to every 485 visa holder.
Premiums can vary depending on:
Because premiums can change, it is better to compare the current Medibank price against other available 485 visa health insurance options rather than publishing an old fixed price.
Also compare benefits and potential out-of-pocket expenses—not just the premium.
Medibank is an established Australian health insurer offering several levels of Overseas Workers Health Cover suitable for eligible 485 visa holders.
Whether Medibank is the best choice for you depends on your individual circumstances.
Compare:
The best-value policy is not necessarily the one with the lowest premium. For a broader overview of choosing cover, read our 485 Visa Health Insurance Guide covering OVHC costs, benefits, waiting periods and other important considerations.
Yes. Medibank specifically provides Overseas Workers Health Cover for eligible Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) holders.
Medibank states that its Overseas Workers Health Covers meet applicable visa health insurance requirements for eligible 485 visa holders, including condition 8501.
It depends on the policy. Base Hospital does not include outpatient GP benefits, while Medibank's Standard and higher Workers products provide broader eligible medical benefits.
Medibank states that its Overseas Workers Health Covers include unlimited emergency ambulance Australia-wide, subject to applicable conditions.
Yes. Medibank provides health insurance options for graduates moving from student cover to health insurance appropriate for a Temporary Graduate visa.
Medibank's Advanced Hospital and Medical cover includes pregnancy and birth. Waiting periods and other policy conditions apply.
There is no single insurer that is best for everyone. Compare Medibank's premiums, hospital and medical benefits, waiting periods, excesses and other features against alternative 485 health insurance policies.
Medibank offers several levels of Overseas Workers Health Cover for eligible Temporary Graduate visa holders, ranging from hospital-focused cover to comprehensive hospital, medical and extras options.
The right policy depends on your budget, healthcare needs and preferred level of cover.
Compare Medibank against other available 485 visa health insurance options based on: