You can choose to be a public or private patient when you go to hospital. As a public patient in a public hospital you don't need to pay if you have a Medicare card.
This includes going to one of our emergency departments, or a community or primary health care facility.
Find out how to enrol and get a Medicare card on the Services Australia website.
You can get your own Medicare card and number if you’re 15 or older and enrolled in Medicare.
The Services Australia website also explains Medicare services for Indigenous Australians.
If you need to stay in hospital more than 35 days and don't have an Acute Care Certificate, you'll need to pay a daily fee.
The long stay fee is indexed against the aged pension. Fee increases occur in line with pension increases. This is the same for self-funded retirees.
If you need more information, ask your nurse or social worker.
You can choose to get treated as a private patient in a public hospital.
If you do:
We can help you make an informed choice about getting health care as a public or private patient. Call our patient options liaison officer on 07 3810 1816 for more information.
You'll have to pay for your discharge medicine. You can get this from the hospital pharmacy or any other pharmacy as long as they have the medicine you need.
If you live in a rural, remote or regional area and have to travel more than 50 km to your local public hospital, you may be eligible for the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme.
The subsidy helps with travel and accommodation costs if you need to use specialist medical services that aren't available in your local area.
Read more about the subsidy scheme on the Queensland Government website.
Some of your treatment in Australia might be free if your home country has a reciprocal health care agreement with us.
The Services Australia website has information about reciprocal health care arrangements.
If you're seeking asylum in Australia and don't have a Medicare card, you can still get health care in public hospitals.
The Queensland Health website has: