Coronavirus Treatment is Free – Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District

For all people – whether Refugee, Asylum Seeker, all those here on temporary visa of any kind, medical treatment for Coronavirus-Covid-19 is FREE. People do not have to worry about payment.

The Department of Health and Human Services has issued advice to Victorian Government funded hospitals and health services on access arrangements for patients being investigated and managed for COVID 19.

To protect public health and minimise barriers for continuing care, both inpatient and outpatient services related to COVID 19 will be provided free of charge to all people presenting to public hospitals and health services in Victoria, regardless of Medicare eligibility or residency status. This includes pathology, diagnostics and pharmaceuticals.

Where private health insurance is available, health services should ensure that there are no ‘out-of-pocket’ costs.

As you know, people seeking asylum already have broad healthcare access arrangements in Victorian health services – so these are additional arrangements for other temporary visa cohorts.

This information is summarised on the coronavirus website:

https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/information-overseas-travellers-coronavirus-disease-covid-19#what-if-im-from-overseas-and-im-not-eligible-for-medicare

	The Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District acknowledges the Yorta Yorta People of the land which comprises the Goulburn Valley. We pay respect to tribal Elders, past, present and emerging and we celebrate their continuing culture and acknowledge the memory of their ancestors.
	The Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District is a peak body whose mission is to promote and represent the social, cultural and economic well-being of ethnic communities in the Goulburn Valley Region through the provision of quality and innovative settlement, refugee support, community development, and information and advocacy services.