Healthcare in Melbourne
Melbourne offers the highest standards of healthcare in the world in both its private and public facilities. Most people prefer to have private health insurance to cover the cost of private medical treatment and expatriates may have the option of transferring health insurance from back home to an Australian Insurance Fund.
The public healthcare system funded through Medicare is a free service available to Australian and New Zealand citizens and permanent visa holders. This covers doctors, hospitals and opticians. It is advisable to check carefully what is covered through the Medicare benefits in advance.
There are around 30 public hospitals and 13 health service organizations in and around Melbourne. The Royal Melbourne hospital is highly regarded institution with its excellent reputation for tertiary healthcare and clinical research programmes.
Most hospitals provide emergency medical care and in-patient or out-patient services. There are also 24-hour medical clinics that offer a non-emergency medical care and advice.
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