In Australia people who have a Medicare card usually go to see a doctor who bulk bills. This doctor does not ask the patient to pay money after he or she examines them. There are some doctors who don’t bulk bill. You will need to pay money to see these doctors. After seeing a doctor who does not bulk bill, you can claim some of the money you have paid from Medicare.
Some people prefer to have a private health insurance. They pay money every year. They can choose the hospital or the doctor they want.
In an emergency, you may need to go to hospital and see a doctor in a very short time. You can call for an ambulance by dialling 000. An operator will talk to you on the phone and you can tell him or her about your health condition and why you think you need an ambulance. The ambulance service in Australia is really good. Paramedics will come to your place and treat you. They may transfer you to hospital if they think you will need more medical attention. You don’t need to pay for the ambulance service if you have a Healthcare card or if you have an ambulance membership. If you don’t have a Healthcare card of an ambulance membership, you can be asked to pay a lot of money.
A doctor can write a prescription and give it to you. You take this prescription and go to a pharmacy to get the medicine you need. If you have a Healthcare card, you will be asked to pay a small amount of money for each type of medicine that you want to buy. If you don’t have a Healthcare card, you will need to pay the full price of the medicine. You can NOT get medicine using your Healthcare card and send it overseas to your family members and friends. You can get a penalty for doing so.
Some medical services are not covered by Medicare. You need to pay a lot of money to see a dentist in Australia. You can be asked to pay thousands of dollars to get your teeth fixed. Medicare does NOT cover dental treatment. If you have a Healthcare card, you can go to the Dental Hospital. A dentist will treat one tooth problem and you will be asked to pay little money. Sometimes you will be put on a waitlist before you can see a dentist at the Dental Hospital. You can have an appointment to see a dentist after a few months. It will be a good idea to have your teeth problems fixed if you are visiting your country. You will save a lot of money by doing so.
When you see your doctor, he or she will normally spend about twenty minutes with you. The doctor will ask you some questions to find out the medical problem that you have. Make sure you take your Medicare Card when you go and visit your GP. If you have a Healthcare card, take it with you too. If you change your address or telephone number, ask the person who works at reception to enter your details on the computer for you. This will make it easy for the doctor to contact you any time he or she needs to. You can ask your GP any number of questions you like about your medical condition. You can ask about the medicine you are asked to buy. You can ask about any side effects the medicine may have on your health. You can ask if it is possible to buy a cheaper type of medicine. The GP will give you all the answers you want to get.
Fill in the gaps:
Anyone born in Australia is covered by Medicare. You ...........use your Medicare card when you go to hospital or when you want to see a GP. You will not ..............asked to pay any money if you go to a public hospital. Sick people usually book an appointment before they go and .............the GP. Sometimes the GP will send a patient to a specialist. The GP ................write a letter to the specialist explaining the health condition of the patient.
In Australia people who have a Medicare card usually ..............to see a doctor who bulk bills. This doctor does not ask the patient to pay ..............after he or she examines them. There are some doctors who don’t bulk bill. You will need to pay money to see ...................doctors. After seeing a doctor who does not bulk bill, you can claim some of .................money you have paid from Medicare.
Some people prefer to have a private ...................insurance. They pay money every year. They can choose the hospital or the ......................they want.
In an emergency, you may need to go to hospital ...............see a doctor in a very short time. You can call for an ambulance by dialling 000. An operator will ......................to you on the phone and you can tell him or her about your health condition and why you think you need ...........ambulance. The ambulance service in Australia is really good. Paramedics will come .....................your place and treat you. They may transfer you to hospital if they think you will ...................more medical attention. You don’t need to pay for the ambulance service if you have a Healthcare .................or if you have an ambulance membership. If you don’t have a Healthcare card of an ambulance membership, you ................be asked to pay a lot of money.
A doctor can write a prescription and give it to you. You take ...................prescription and go to a pharmacy to get the medicine you need. If you ...................a Healthcare card, you will be asked to pay a small amount of money for each type of medicine that you want to buy. If .................don’t have a Healthcare card, you will need to pay the full price of the medicine. You .................NOT get medicine using your Healthcare card and send it overseas to your ........................members and friends. You can get a penalty for doing so.
Some medical services are not covered by Medicare. You .....................to pay a lot of money to see a dentist in Australia. You can be asked to ..................thousands of dollars to get your teeth fixed. Medicare does NOT cover dental treatment. If you have a Healthcare ............................, you can go to the Dental Hospital. A dentist will treat ........................tooth problem and you will be asked to pay little money. Sometimes you will be put on a waitlist before you can .................a dentist at the Dental Hospital. You can have an appointment to see a dentist after a few months. It will be a good idea to have your teeth problems fixed if you are visiting your country. You will ....................a lot of money by doing so.
When you see your doctor, he or she will normally spend ....................twenty minutes with you. The doctor will ask you some questions to find out the medical problem that you have. Make sure you take your Medicare Card when you go and visit your GP. If you ...................a Healthcare card, take it with you too. If you change your address or telephone number, .................the person who works at reception to enter your details on the computer for you. This will make it easy for ..................doctor to contact you any time he or she needs to. You can ask your GP any number of questions you like about your medical condition. You can ask about the medicine you are asked to buy. You .....................ask about any side effects the medicine may have on your health. You can ask ....................it is possible to buy a cheaper type of medicine. The GP will give you all .........................answers you want to get.
Use words from both sides of the table to fill in the gaps:
Medicare – small - hospital - by – the - tooth - medical – contact - is - some | attention - card - problem - dialling - money – amount - you - public - possible - questions |
