Remote Benefits:
Australia: Local Healthcare Plans
Remote builds belonging for your global team with comprehensive local plans at competitive rates.
Remote offers a flexible range of health insurance options to our customers in Australia, including local Australia cover and global health insurance. This gives you more choice to match the needs of your team while keeping the setup clear and consistent.
IMPORTANT: Please note that all team members in Australia will receive the same benefits package, as benefits cannot be customized for individual team members.
Below is Remote's local health offering in Australia for 2026/27 policy year.
Key Considerations for Health Insurance
If you choose a Single plan, team members may still be able to add dependents at their own cost, depending on the plan setup.
If you choose a Family plan, team members can add dependents under that family setup. If no dependents are added, the plan will still remain on the family structure you selected with single plan cost.
Your selection will stay in place until the next renewal in April 2027, unless stated otherwise.
Health insurance costs in Australia vary depending on:
- the plan selected
- whether a team member is enrolled as Single or Family
- whether the team member is a resident or non-resident
- for the Standard plan pricing differs per employee's state of residency
For more details, refer to this article (sign-in required) or if you have any questions, you can reach out to us.
Benefits Service Fee of $15 USD per enrolled employee per month applies (a single fee applies regardless of the number of benefits you offered). Find out more.
Health Insurance Plans
The benefits and rates outlined below apply to the 2026 plan year (April 1, 2026 – March 31, 2027).
Rates and coverage may be adjusted in response to business or market conditions, and any changes will be communicated in advance.
STANDARD PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Non-resident *Bupa cost for 2025/2026: AUD ~$119.00 | PLUS PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$592.50 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$780.78 | PREMIUM PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$750.83 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$889.44 | |||
Health(Resident) | STANDARD PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Non-resident *Bupa cost for 2025/2026: AUD ~$119.00 Corporate Starter Bronze Hospital Plus Entry-level local hospital cover. Covers core hospital treatment, ambulance, accidental injury benefit, and in-hospital carer benefit. | PLUS PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$592.50 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$780.78 Mid-tier local cover. Covers broad hospital treatment plus extras, including dental, optical, and additional health services. | PREMIUM PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$750.83 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$889.44 Premium local cover. Covers broader hospital treatment plus extras, including dental, optical, and additional health services. | ||
Dental care(Resident) | STANDARD PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Non-resident *Bupa cost for 2025/2026: AUD ~$119.00 Hospital dental surgery only as part of hospital treatment. No separate extras dental included in standard plan. | PLUS PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$592.50 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$780.78 Includes broad everyday dental through Corporate Health 80: including preventative, general, and major dental, with strong extras overall. | PREMIUM PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$750.83 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$889.44 Includes broad everyday dental through Corporate Health 80: including preventative, general, and major dental, with strong extras overall. | ||
Vision care(Resident) | STANDARD PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Non-resident *Bupa cost for 2025/2026: AUD ~$119.00 No optical / vision included in standard plan. | PLUS PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$592.50 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$780.78 Included through Corporate Health 80. | PREMIUM PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$750.83 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$889.44 Included through Corporate Health 80. | ||
Excess(Resident) | STANDARD PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Non-resident *Bupa cost for 2025/2026: AUD ~$119.00 Single: AUD $750 | PLUS PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$592.50 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$780.78 Single: AUD $250 | PREMIUM PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$750.83 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$889.44 Single: AUD $250 | ||
Additional health services(Resident) | STANDARD PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Non-resident *Bupa cost for 2025/2026: AUD ~$119.00 Ambulance, accidental injury benefit, home support services, in-hospital carer benefit. | PLUS PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$592.50 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$780.78 Includes a solid extras layer through Corporate Health 80, covering day-to-day services such as physio, exercise physiology, chiropractic, osteopathy, psychology, therapies, podiatry, hearing aids, orthotics, and aids and appliances. | PREMIUM PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$750.83 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$889.44 Includes a solid extras layer through Corporate Health 80, covering day-to-day services such as physio, exercise physiology, chiropractic, osteopathy, psychology, therapies, podiatry, hearing aids, orthotics, and aids and appliances. | ||
Waiting periods(Resident) | STANDARD PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Non-resident *Bupa cost for 2025/2026: AUD ~$119.00 1 day for ambulance / accidental injury / home support 2 months for psychiatric / rehab / palliative / in-hospital carer 12 months for pre-existing conditions. | PLUS PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$592.50 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$780.78 2 months for psychiatric / rehab / palliative, 12 months for pre-existing conditions. | PREMIUM PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$750.83 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$889.44 2 months for psychiatric / rehab / palliative, 12 months for pre-existing conditions, | ||
Non-residents | STANDARD PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Non-resident *Bupa cost for 2025/2026: AUD ~$119.00 Non-residents | PLUS PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$592.50 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$780.78 Non-residents | PREMIUM PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$750.83 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$889.44 Non-residents | Non-residents | Non-residents |
Health(Non-resident) | STANDARD PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Non-resident *Bupa cost for 2025/2026: AUD ~$119.00 Optimum Gold Hospital with Medical Covers hospital admissions, accommodation, theatre, intensive care, emergency admission, surgery, pregnancy and birth, joint replacements, cataracts, weight loss surgery, and doctors’ / specialists’ fees in and out of hospital. | PLUS PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$592.50 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$780.78 Optimum Gold Hospital with Medical Same hospital + medical cover as Standard, plus everyday extras cover for services outside hospital, such as physio, chiropractic, osteopathy, psychology, speech therapy, occupational therapy, dietetics, podiatry, orthotics, aids & appliances, and pharmacy. | PREMIUM PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$750.83 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$889.44 Optimum Gold Hospital with Medical Same hospital + medical cover as Standard, plus broader everyday extras cover with stronger limits than Plus, including physio, exercise physiology, antenatal/postnatal services, chiropractic, osteopathy, psychology, speech therapy, occupational therapy, dietetics, eye therapy, podiatry, orthotics, aids & appliances, hearing aids, and pharmacy. | ||
Dental care(Non-resident) | STANDARD PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Non-resident *Bupa cost for 2025/2026: AUD ~$119.00 No everyday dental included. Dental is only covered where it forms part of hospital treatment. | PLUS PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$592.50 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$780.78 Includes everyday dental: preventative, general, and major dental. | PREMIUM PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$750.83 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$889.44 Includes stronger everyday dental: preventative, general, major dental, and orthodontics. | ||
Vision care(Non-resident) | STANDARD PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Non-resident *Bupa cost for 2025/2026: AUD ~$119.00 No everyday optical / vision included. | PLUS PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$592.50 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$780.78 Includes optical cover for prescription glasses and contact lenses. | PREMIUM PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$750.83 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$889.44 Includes stronger optical cover for prescription glasses and contact lenses. | ||
Excess(Non-resident) | STANDARD PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Non-resident *Bupa cost for 2025/2026: AUD ~$119.00 Not applicable | PLUS PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$592.50 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$780.78 Not applicable | PREMIUM PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$750.83 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$889.44 Not applicable | ||
Waiting periods(Non-resident) | STANDARD PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Non-resident *Bupa cost for 2025/2026: AUD ~$119.00 2 months for psychiatric / rehabilitation / palliative care, 12 months for pre-existing conditions 12 months for pregnancy and birth. | PLUS PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$592.50 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$780.78 Same hospital waiting periods as Standard, plus extras waiting periods under Corporate Health 60. | PREMIUM PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$750.83 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$889.44 Same hospital waiting periods as Standard, plus extras waiting periods under Corporate Health 80. | ||
Visa-holder requirement(Non-resident) All three non-resident plans meet the health insurance requirements for visa condition 8501, including GU Standard, as all three use Gold-tier hospital cover with medical services for non-residents. Important: team members on Student visas (subclass 500) are not covered under this and require separate Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). | STANDARD PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Non-resident *Bupa cost for 2025/2026: AUD ~$119.00 All three non-resident plans meet the health insurance requirements for visa condition 8501, including GU Standard, as all three use Gold-tier hospital cover with medical services for non-residents. Important: team members on Student visas (subclass 500) are not covered under this and require separate Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). | PLUS PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$592.50 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$780.78 All three non-resident plans meet the health insurance requirements for visa condition 8501, including GU Standard, as all three use Gold-tier hospital cover with medical services for non-residents. Important: team members on Student visas (subclass 500) are not covered under this and require separate Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). | PREMIUM PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$750.83 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$889.44 All three non-resident plans meet the health insurance requirements for visa condition 8501, including GU Standard, as all three use Gold-tier hospital cover with medical services for non-residents. Important: team members on Student visas (subclass 500) are not covered under this and require separate Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). | All three non-resident plans meet the health insurance requirements for visa condition 8501, including GU Standard, as all three use Gold-tier hospital cover with medical services for non-residents. Important: team members on Student visas (subclass 500) are not covered under this and require separate Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). | All three non-resident plans meet the health insurance requirements for visa condition 8501, including GU Standard, as all three use Gold-tier hospital cover with medical services for non-residents. Important: team members on Student visas (subclass 500) are not covered under this and require separate Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). |
👇 Please see below for more details 👇 | STANDARD PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Non-resident *Bupa cost for 2025/2026: AUD ~$119.00 👇 Please see below for more details 👇 | PLUS PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$592.50 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$780.78 👇 Please see below for more details 👇 | PREMIUM PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$750.83 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$889.44 👇 Please see below for more details 👇 | 👇 Please see below for more details 👇 | 👇 Please see below for more details 👇 |
GU Health Booklets | STANDARD PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Non-resident *Bupa cost for 2025/2026: AUD ~$119.00 | PLUS PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$592.50 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$780.78 | PREMIUM PLAN Estimated Monthly Cost: Resident Family: AUD ~$750.83 Non-resident Family: AUD ~$889.44 |
Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS)
Why this matters
Australian tax residents earning above certain income thresholds who do not hold eligible private hospital cover are required to pay the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) - an additional tax of 1% to 1.5% of taxable income, on top of the standard 2% Medicare Levy.
All three plans above (Standard, Plus, and Premium) qualify as MLS-exempt hospital cover, meaning employees enrolled in any tier will not be subject to the surcharge.
Important: MLS is relevant to Australian tax residents. It is generally not the main consideration for non-residents. MLS income includes taxable income, reportable fringe benefits, total net investment losses, and reportable superannuation contributions.
What this means in practice
For example, if an employee earns $150,000 and does not hold eligible hospital cover, the MLS alone could cost $1,875 per year (1.25% of $150,000).
That means, for many higher-earning employees, having eligible hospital cover can significantly reduce or offset this extra tax cost.
For more details, refer to this article (sign-in required).
2025-26 MLS Income Thresholds and Rates 👇
Income Tier
Singles
Families
MLS Rate
Base (no surcharge)
$101,000 or less
$202,000 or less
0%
Tier 1
$101,001 – $118,000
$202,001 – $236,000
1.0%
Tier 2
$118,001 – $158,000
$236,001 – $316,000
1.25%
Tier 3
$158,001 or more
$316,001 or more
1.5%
Income Tier
Base (no surcharge)
Singles
$101,000 or less
Families
$202,000 or less
MLS Rate
0%
Income Tier
Tier 1
Singles
$101,001 – $118,000
Families
$202,001 – $236,000
MLS Rate
1.0%
Income Tier
Tier 2
Singles
$118,001 – $158,000
Families
$236,001 – $316,000
MLS Rate
1.25%
Income Tier
Tier 3
Singles
$158,001 or more
Families
$316,001 or more
MLS Rate
1.5%
Learn more about Remote benefits
How do benefits work when hiring through an EOR?
Watch this quick explainer video to understand how offering benefits works when you hire team members through an employer of record like Remote.