Overseas Student Health Cover is health cover for overseas/international students. It’s part of Visa requirement 500 allowing you to study in Australia.

Here are some of the services your CBHS International Health OSHC will not cover you for:

• Cosmetic surgery
• Assisted reproductive services
• Fees charged by a doctor above the amount we pay benefits for
• Non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), high cost drugs
• Treatment for services within the waiting periods.

If your OSHC cover lapses or is cancelled, you will no longer be complying with your visa conditions and your visa can be cancelled. If you have an accident or need any medical treatment while you don’t have health cover, you will have to pay the full cost of that treatment yourself.

To ensure you're covered if your policy has lapsed, you’ll need to back-pay the premium for the time that you weren’t covered, as well as for the duration of your policy until your visa expires or you leave Australia.

Our student cover (OSHC) helps members meet the costs of:

• Visits to the doctor
• Out of hospital medical treatment
• In-hospital medical treatment
• Emergency ambulance
• Some prescription medications (medicines prescribed by your doctor in or out of hospital).

See the OSHC policy page for more information.

A pre-existing condition is an illness or medical condition, the signs or symptoms of which existed at any time in the period of six months before the person became insured under an OSHC or OVHC policy. This is determined by a medical advisor appointed by CBHS International Health and takes into consideration any information provided by the member’s Health Care Provider.

In Australia, we call our local doctors General Practitioners or GPs.

A specialist is a medical practitioner who has extra training in a particular aspect of healthcare, such as a dermatologist or cardiac surgeon. In Australia, you need a referral from your doctor to see a specialist.

It’s important that you contact us when you arrive in Australia so we can activate your cover, update your local contact details and send your membership card/s.

Sometimes your doctor will prescribe medicine as part of your treatment. A prescription, which can be digital or paper, outlines which medication/s your doctor would like you to take. Show your prescription at a pharmacy or chemist, and they will supply you with the right medicine. If you're not sure how to use the medicine, ask the pharmacist before you go home.

Sometimes you must wait for a period of time before you’re able to claim benefits for services under your CBHS International Health cover – this is called a waiting period. The following waiting periods apply to our policies:

• Pre-existing medical conditions: 12 months
• Pregnancy-related services, including miscarriage and termination: 12 months
• Treatment for pre-existing conditions relating to hospital psychiatric services: 2 months
• All other services including GP services, accidents, emergency ambulance transport: no waiting period

Exclusions are services that are not covered under your policy. You can seek services for the exclusions but CBHS International Health will not pay any benefits. Examples of exclusions under our health cover are:

• Non-admitted hospital psychiatric services
• Assisted reproductive services
• Cosmetic surgery
• Stem cell, bone marrow and organ transplant
• Other services for which a Medicare benefit is not payable.

If you need medical attention in a non-emergency situation, we have a network of doctors you can visit online or face-to-face, where you can access treatment with little or no out-of-pocket costs.

If you need to see a specialist or go to hospital, we also have a network of agreement hospitals where your treatment can be covered at little or no out-of-pocket costs.  You can conduct a hospital search on our sister brand website using the link above.

You can also call our 24/7 medical and personal assistance helpline^{^} if you need help to work out what you need to do or who you need to see.

^CBHS International Health may refer you to third party providers when you use the medical, interpreter and personal assistance helpline. If you decide to engage a provider, it will be on the basis that CBHS International Health will not be responsible, and you will not hold CBHS International Health responsible, for any liability that may arise from that engagement.

These are medical services you receive in the emergency department of a hospital, but you have not been formally admitted to hospital.

For example, if you consulted with a hospital doctor, had a blood test or x-ray while you were in the emergency department of a hospital, but had not been formally admitted into hospital, this is known as outpatient services.

The formal hospital admission process usually includes you being given a hospital wristband and allocated a hospital bed in a hospital ward (rather than the emergency department). This only happens when you’ve been assessed and meet certain criteria. If you meet the hospital criteria for admission, it is because your doctor has decided you need to stay in hospital (at least overnight) - or you've had pre-planned day surgery/procedure (such as a colonoscopy) and need to be admitted for inpatient care.

If you have not been formally admitted to hospital for an overnight stay when you went to the Hospital emergency department or attended day surgery, your medical treatment you received is outpatient services.

This is medical treatment you receive once you have been formally admitted to hospital.

The formal hospital admission process usually includes you being given a hospital wristband and allocated a hospital bed in a hospital ward (rather than the emergency department). This only happens when you’ve been assessed and meet certain criteria. If you meet the hospital criteria for admission, it is because your doctor has decided you need to stay in hospital (at least overnight) - or you've had pre-planned day surgery/procedure (such as a colonoscopy) and need to be admitted for inpatient care.

Inpatient services include pre-planned hospital admissions for day surgery or a medical procedure (for example colonoscopy). This is where you have day surgery or a medical procedure done, then later the same day you go home. Day surgery or medical procedures can be considered inpatient medical treatment if you need inpatient care, even if you don't need to stay overnight at the hospital.

Subclass 500 is the only eligible student visa subclass.

Who is the primary visa holder?

The primary visa holder is the person who applied for and has been granted an eligible student visa. The primary visa holder will be the member insured and the Policy Holder.

Who is the secondary visa holder?

A secondary visa holder is the spouse, de facto partner, or dependent child of the primary visa holder. A secondary visa holder is not eligible for single cover.

Who is eligible for single cover?

Only primary visa holders without a spouse, de facto or dependent child are eligible for single cover.

When do I need couple, family, or sole parent cover?

If you are the primary visa holder and you have secondary visa holders coming to Australia with you, then you will need a couple, family, or sole parent cover. Read the OSHC policy guide to find out more.

If you're not eligible to hold single cover or have an ineligible visa subclass for the product you’ve chosen, no benefits or claims will be paid. If you need more information, please contact us 1300 174 538 or email us at oshc@cbhscorp.com.au. We’ll be happy to help.

Your policy information is available in your policy document which we send to you when you join. If you have questions about your policy, call us on 1300 174 538 from in Australia, or on (+61) 2 8604 3537 from overseas.

You can contact us:

Overseas student: oshc@cbhscorp.com.au

Overseas worker or visitor: ovhc@cbhscorp.com.au

Or you can call us from overseas on (+61) 2 8604 3537.

In most cases, your student cover will pay for a portion of your medical costs. In some cases, you may need to pay for the bill first and then claim a refund from us. In other situations, the medical provider will bill us directly for your treatment. Let them know you have cover with us and they’ll tell you what the process is.

Whenever you are seeking treatment, you should always receive informed financial consent from your treating provider. This will provide you with information on any out-of-pocket expenses in relation to your treatment. 

For medication from the pharmacy, you will need to pay for the medicine and then we’ll refund you for some or all of the costs. Make sure you understand what medication you're covered for as there are limitations to what we can pay. If you aren't sure, call us, and we can tell you.

You must be covered for the full length of your stay in Australia under your student visa.