NSW waives hospital fees for people displaced by the Israel–Gaza war
23 Jan 2026
The arrangement applies to individuals who arrived in Australia from 17 October 2023 onwards. Many entered on short-term visitor visas, which normally exclude Medicare, prompting NSW Health to activate its asylum seeker policy.
Under the policy, charges must be removed for a range of public health services, including:
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Hospital emergency treatment
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Outpatient and community-based care
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Pregnancy and postnatal services
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Mental health support
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Emergency ambulance services
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Public pathology testing
To access care, patients will need to present official identification, such as travel documents or visa details.
Translated information about the program is available in English, Arabic and Hebrew.
Additional support is also available:
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STARTTS provides counselling for torture and trauma survivors. Medicare is not required. Phone 9646 6800 and request the Intake Counsellor
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Australian Red Cross can assist with emergency financial support
https://swsphn.com.au/
Source: NSW Health
