The benefits listed on this page will be available from 1 July 2026. For benefits available before 1 July 2026, visit Healthcare for your family overseas and Excess health costs.
Who can get it
APS employees on a long-term posting overseas and their dependants may also access the benefits listed on this page.
What Defence may pay for
Defence won't pay the total cost of health care. You or your eligible dependants will have to pay some of the costs.
Medical goods and services
Hospital costs as an in-patient
Your partner was injured at the posting location. The injury doesn’t require clinically necessary acute care.
Because of this injury, they need surgery. The surgery can’t wait until your partner returns to Australia in 2 years’ time.
Your partner must ask for approval to claim the costs associated with the surgery before they’re admitted to hospital.
If approval is granted, they can claim back the costs.
Dental treatment
The current Australian Government funded dental scheme is the Child Dental Benefit Scheme. The person must have been getting Family Tax Benefit Part A in Australia before they left for the overseas posting location.
Pharmaceutical costs
Your dependant who has a special need and held a valid Australian government health care card when they left Australia, buys a pharmaceutical product each week costing AUD$50.
Before they reach the threshold, they can claim back $42.30 (AUD$50 - $7.70= $42.30) each time they buy the item.
Once they reach the threshold, they can claim back the full amount of the item each time they buy it (AUD$50 -$0= $50)
Your dependant buys a pharmaceutical product each week costing AUD$50.
Before they reach the threshold, they can claim back $25 (AUD$50 - $25= $25) each time they buy the item.
Once they reach the threshold, they can claim back $42.30 (AUD$50 - $7.70= $42.30) each time they buy the item.
Vaccinations and anti-malaria medications
Mental health services
APS employees can access Employee Assistance Program services without a referral or Mental Health Treatment Plan, even when they’re overseas.
Testing for diseases
Ancillary services
You and your dependants arrive at your overseas posting location on 30 January. Your dependants will be at the location for 152 days this financial year.
They can claim AUD$749.60 for ancillary services for this financial year.
Claiming the costs
Private health insurance
If your dependant is also an ADF member, they’ll get health cover under the Defence Health Manual while in Australia.