# Is Lupus a show stopper



## barranr (Jul 27, 2010)

Hi, my wife has had lupus for 4 years and is controlled with medication.
We will be getting private health insurance when (if) we arrive in melbourne from hba or similar. Would this still likely be considered a drain even though we won't be using medicare?
I know we won't get a definitive answer until the medical is submitted but maybe someone has some similar experience

Thanks
Rod
p.s my daughter just got her citizenship by descent. It only took 2 days. Yay!


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## jejuniper (Jul 1, 2010)

barranr said:


> Hi, my wife has had lupus for 4 years and is controlled with medication.
> We will be getting private health insurance when (if) we arrive in melbourne from hba or similar. Would this still likely be considered a drain even though we won't be using medicare?
> I know we won't get a definitive answer until the medical is submitted but maybe someone has some similar experience
> 
> ...


Hi Rod,

(I'm assuming you're applying for a spouse visa for your wife in my response to this.)

Even though you are planning to take out private health insurance, the Medical Officer of the Commonwealth's health assessment for permanent residency is done on the basis of a hypothetical person with the same condition and severity of condition as your wife, who would use every possible health service available to them. They do not factor in that you would be taking out private insurance because they look at it on the basis of services that the applicant possibly COULD use rather than services that they actually WOULD use. (Also, private health insurance doesn't cover the cost of pharmaceuticals - usually Australian private health insurance just covers the cost of items that fall outside of what Medicare will pay for - so your wife would still be drawing on Medicare even if you do have insurance.)

Chances are that DIAC will ask for a specialist report for your wife and it will really come down to how much the medication she is taking costs and the likelihood of her using hospital services. It's definitely worth getting a favourable specialist report - stating that she is well controlled with medication, able to work, not likely to need hospitalisation for the next 5 years, that kind of thing. You might also want to check the PBS drug listings to see what her medication costs the public: pbs.gov.au - Consumer - Home

It really is all about cost and what you would be trying to do is prove that she wouldn't cost more than the average person - which they currently deem to be $21,000 over 5 years.

My husband has ulcerative colitis and is currently on remicade (infliximab) which is an expensive drug. His visa was refused and health waiver also refused because of it - we're now going to the MRT. DIAC decided he would cost $100,000 over 5 years, despite the fact he works full time, and is well controlled with medication. We also said we'd take out private health insurance (I'm even a shareholder of NIB Health Insurance) but it appears they give little regard to private insurance because you are still eligible for Medicare services.

That said, I've seen many other people with the same condition as my husband get their visa no problems - but they weren't on remicade. So it really is all about the cost.

best of luck with it,
Jen


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## barranr (Jul 27, 2010)

Jen, thanks for the reply. Sorry your husband didn't get approved yet. I'm about to mail the bank cheque to the embassy, so hopefully the medical will pass and i won't loose the money
I remember when i got my green card all i needed was a TB test and no other medical


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## jejuniper (Jul 1, 2010)

barranr said:


> Jen, thanks for the reply. Sorry your husband didn't get approved yet. I'm about to mail the bank cheque to the embassy, so hopefully the medical will pass and i won't loose the money
> I remember when i got my green card all i needed was a TB test and no other medical


Hi Rod - I know, the US immigration process for me seemed far easier than what the Australian process has been like for my husband!

Even if your wife fails the health requirement, you can still apply for a health requirement waiver because she's applying for a spouse visa ... but if you get to that point, I would HIGHLY recommend getting an Australian migration lawyer to help you because we did it ourselves and it certainly didn't work out for us. Better to get the waiver than have to go to the Migration Review Tribunal which is at least a 12 month wait.

Anyway, hopefully she'll get through the medical assessment OK and you won't have to worry about any of that!

Best wishes,
Jen


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## SarahJane3 (Jan 16, 2011)

Hi Rod,

I was wondering how your wife got on with her visa application, as I also have lupus and I'm interested to see if this is indeed a show stopper?

Kind regards,
Sarah


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## barranr (Jul 27, 2010)

SarahJane3 said:


> Hi Rod,
> 
> I was wondering how your wife got on with her visa application, as I also have lupus and I'm interested to see if this is indeed a show stopper?
> 
> ...


Sarah, 
Yes, it was rejected. We also applied for the health waiver as she was getting private insurance anyway. That was rejected also.
There are a couple of different "brands" of lupus so don't let our outcome effect what you want to do.
But for us it was an expensive rejection

Rod


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## markayres (Apr 16, 2011)

Hi guys,

I am in the same situation - have SLE and planning on moving to Aus with my Australian partner but I am worried about my condition preventing this from happening. 

I am on very low doses of medication - 1x 5mg warfarin, 1x losartan, 2x hydroxychloroquin per day and have been in remission since 2006 requiring 3 month doctor checkups. According to the link that Jen posted that medication costs $2832 over 5 years.

Does anyone have any advice/comparisons so that I can gauge whether it is worth applying for the visa?

Thanks,

Mark


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## proyectoluz (Jul 6, 2011)

barranr said:


> Sarah,
> Yes, it was rejected. We also applied for the health waiver as she was getting private insurance anyway. That was rejected also.
> There are a couple of different "brands" of lupus so don't let our outcome effect what you want to do.
> But for us it was an expensive rejection
> ...


Dear Rod,
May we ask what type of Lupus you wife has..? My wife has SLE.
If it is the same then we might not be able to aply for a subclase visa 175 then..!?
Many thanks in advance.
Kind regards,
Ralph


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## Baby Bone (Aug 12, 2011)

barranr said:


> Sarah,
> Yes, it was rejected. We also applied for the health waiver as she was getting private insurance anyway. That was rejected also.
> There are a couple of different "brands" of lupus so don't let our outcome effect what you want to do.
> But for us it was an expensive rejection
> ...


Hi Rod,

Sorry to hear about your case. I'm working on the health waiver application for my husband now. He has inactive chronic Hep B by birth. May I ask what was the MOC's estimation of the medication cost in your wife's case?

Cheers, Baby Bone.


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## jmbhome (Jul 4, 2012)

barranr said:


> Hi, my wife has had lupus for 4 years and is controlled with medication.
> We will be getting private health insurance when (if) we arrive in melbourne from hba or similar. Would this still likely be considered a drain even though we won't be using medicare?
> I know we won't get a definitive answer until the medical is submitted but maybe someone has some similar experience
> 
> ...


Hi Rod. I have lupus like your wife but have been on remission for 2 years and not currently on any medication. Do you think it would be worthwhile to apply for a permanent visa in Australia? I plan to move there in a year or 2 . Hope you could help me. I understand your wife was denied? Is it ok to ask what was stated in the letter of rejection? If I have perfect labs, xrays and everything, would i get denoed still? Hope you can help. Thank you.


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## h3rdna (Nov 4, 2012)

jmbhome said:


> Hi Rod. I have lupus like your wife but have been on remission for 2 years and not currently on any medication. Do you think it would be worthwhile to apply for a permanent visa in Australia? I plan to move there in a year or 2 . Hope you could help me. I understand your wife was denied? Is it ok to ask what was stated in the letter of rejection? If I have perfect labs, xrays and everything, would i get denoed still? Hope you can help. Thank you.


were you successful with your application?


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## scvaasu (Dec 5, 2012)

Hi,

I need to talk to you as I also have a similar issue and would like to talk to you before lodging the visa. Its kinda urgent and I will be grateful if you can respond to me as soon as possible. Thanks!

Regards,
Vaasu


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