Reciprocal Healthcare Agreement between Ireland and Australia
Ireland and Australia have a reciprocal health care agreement (RHCA) that entitles visitors from Ireland to Australia to receive medically necessary treatment as public inpatients or outpatients in Australian public hospitals, on the same terms as Australian residents (i.e free of charge). Medically necessary treatment means and ill-health or injury which occurs while the individual is in Australia and requires treatment before they return home.
Cover is provided for the duration of the visitor’s approved stay in Australia. Under the RHCA, eligible victors are also entitled to subsidised pharmaceuticals under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), where these are prescribed by a private medical practitioner. Note that the RHCA does not include eligibility for Medicare benefits for out-of-hospital services including treatment provided by doctors in private practice. Read more about the agreement from the information brochure and agreement documents below: