Health

Premiums differ a lot by insurer, state, age, excess and visa status, so this compares cover in relative terms rather than inventing dollar figures that wouldn't hold up across providers.

Comparing Medicare and the private hospital cover tiers

Cover type	Premium level	Hospital cover	Best suited to
Medicare only	No ongoing premium, though the Medicare levy — and possibly a surcharge — can still show up on your tax return.	Covers you as a public patient in public hospitals, plus rebates towards GP and specialist visits.	Citizens, permanent residents and other Medicare-eligible visa holders who are comfortable relying on the public system.
Basic hospital	The cheapest private hospital tier on the market.	Covers only a narrow set of hospital categories, often with restrictions attached — and it doesn't replace Medicare for everyday GP visits.	People mainly buying cover to avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge, or who just want a minimal foothold in the private system.
Bronze	Sits in the lower-to-mid price range for private hospital cover.	Adds more categories than Basic, but big-ticket items like heart procedures, joint replacements and pregnancy are typically still excluded.	Younger singles or couples who want some private hospital choice without paying for broad cover they may not need yet.
Silver	A mid-to-higher price tier.	Covers a wider range of hospital categories than Bronze; some policies add optional extras like pregnancy or cataract cover on top.	Families or older adults who want broader hospital cover without paying for the full Gold tier.
Gold	The highest-priced hospital tier.	Must cover every clinical category the government sets, including pregnancy and birth — nothing can be excluded.	Anyone planning a pregnancy or major surgery, or who wants the broadest possible choice in the private system.
OVHC / OSHC	Cost depends heavily on your visa type and the specific policy.	Purpose-built for overseas visitors and students rather than the standard tier system — what's included and excluded varies a lot policy to policy.	Temporary visa holders without Medicare access — especially student visa holders (OSHC is compulsory for them), 482 workers and working holiday makers, who typically need OVHC instead.

Compare actual policies at privatehealth.gov.au (official)

This table is a general orientation, not financial or medical advice — compare actual policies directly, and confirm any visa health-cover condition with Home Affairs before you travel.