Find out more about the services
In the Northern Territory, we offer a variety of health and medical services.
Hospitals
In the Northern Territory, we offer a variety of health and medical services.
Community health centres
We have eight community health centres across the Territory. They provide general health services focusing on maternal, child and family health.
Disability help
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is now available in the Northern Territory (NT).
Aged care
There are services, support and care available to senior Australians and Territorians.
Medicare - Australia's universal health insurance scheme
Medicare allows all Australians and some overseas visitors to access a wide range of health and hospital services at low or no cost.
Once you move to the Territory, you must update your details as soon as you arrive. We have a checklist that can help you check that all your details are up to date.
Medicare usually provides:
- free or subsidised treatment by health professionals like doctors, specialists and optometrists
- in some cases, treatment by dentists and other allied health practitioners
- free treatment and accommodation if you are a public (Medicare) patient in a public hospital.
Medicare pays 75% of the scheduled fee for services and procedures if you are a private patient in a public or private hospital.
This does not include hospital accommodation and items like theatre fees and medicines.
Most overseas citizens in Australia on temporary visas are not eligible to access Medicare. However, Medicare will pay for health care services for citizens from certain countries.
Private Health Insurance
If you are on a provisional or temporary visa you must take out private health insurance to cover any medical and hospital expenses you may incur.
Permanent residents may also decide to pay for private health insurance. This provides access to facilities like your choice of hospital, surgeons of choice, dentists, opticians and other specialist services at subsidised rates.
There are two types of private health insurance:
- hospital policies cover you when you go to hospital
- general treatment policies, sometimes known as ancillary or extra cover, that cover treatment like dental and physiotherapy.
Most health funds offer combined policies that cover both hospital and general treatment services.
There are a number of private health cover insurance companies in Australia like Medibank and Bupa. The Private Health Insurance Ombudsman can give you more information.
You can find more information at these websites:
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