Australian expat healthcare: What you need to know about medical access abroad

When you move overseas as an Australian expat, an Australian citizen living long-term outside Australia. Also known as overseas Australian, it means your healthcare safety net changes overnight. Medicare doesn’t follow you overseas—not even close. Most expats assume their Australian health coverage still works abroad, but that’s a dangerous myth. You need a new plan, and fast.

Many Australian expats end up relying on private health insurance, custom coverage plans designed for international residents. Also known as international health insurance, it to fill the gap. But not all policies are equal. Some only cover emergencies. Others exclude pre-existing conditions or charge insane premiums for people over 50. Then there’s medical tourism, traveling to another country for affordable, high-quality care. Also known as health travel, it—a growing option for expats in places like Thailand, India, or even the U.S., where treatments like knee replacements or heart surgery cost a fraction of what they do in Australia. And yes, some Australians are using Medicare overseas, limited coverage for certain services while temporarily abroad. Also known as Medicare international, it for short trips, but it won’t cover you if you live in Europe, the U.S., or Canada long-term.

What you’ll find in the posts below isn’t theory—it’s real, practical advice from people who’ve navigated this mess. You’ll learn how much a month of Wegovy costs in Australia for expats trying to manage weight abroad, whether open-heart surgery is even an option for seniors overseas, and what blood tests you should still get every year—even if you’re living in Bali. There’s also guidance on getting a medication passport, an official document to carry prescription drugs across borders legally. Also known as travel medication card, it, how to appeal insurance denials for drugs like Ozempic, and which countries still accept U.S. Medicare if you’re an Australian-American dual citizen. No fluff. No marketing. Just what works when your health is on the line and you’re thousands of miles from home.