Medicare, Australia's publicly-funded universal healthcare insurance scheme, is available to citizens and permanent visa holders in Australia, as well as New Zealanders living in Australia. This covers, or largely subsidises, treatment by general practitioners and hospitals.

Temporary residents living in Sydney will not be eligible to utilise Medicare and will have to invest in their own private health insurance. In the same vein, even permanent resident expats may prefer to have private health insurance to cover the cost of private medical treatments. Eligible expats should check what is covered by Medicare to see if they would benefit from additional private insurance.

Below is a list of reputable hospitals in Sydney.

Hospitals in Sydney

Balmain Hospital

www.slhd.nsw.gov.au/balmain
Address: 29 Booth Street, Balmain

Macquarie University Hospital

www.muh.org.au
Address: 3 Technology Place, Macquarie University

Mater Hospital

www.mns.org.au
Address: 25 Rocklands Road, North Sydney

Sydney Children's Hospital

www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/hospitals/sch
Address: High Street, Randwick

Further reading

►Find out everything you need to know about accessing medical care in our guide to Healthcare in Australia

"My experiences have been positive, and, coming from America, I find it very refreshing to receive quality healthcare at no, or little, cost. The universal healthcare plan is funded through tax – the Medicare Levy Surcharge – and it's worth noting that if your visa type doesn’t allow for Medicare, you can claim back the levy when filing your tax." Katie is an American expat in Sydney. Read about her experiences in Australia here.

Are you an expat living in Sydney?

Expat Arrivals is looking for locals to contribute to this guide, and answer forum questions from others planning their move to Sydney. Please contact us if you'd like to contribute.