Do Americans get free healthcare in Australia, generally no for tourists, yes for permanent residents. There is no Reciprocal Health Care Agreement between USA and Australia, unlike 11 countries like UK, NZ and Ireland that have RHCA allowing limited free public hospital care. American tourists visiting Australia on visitor visa subclass 600 must pay for healthcare, with GP $80 to $120, emergency department $500 to $1,000, public hospital bed $1,500 to $2,500 per day, surgery $20,000+, unless they have travel insurance or Overseas Visitor Health Cover OVHC $40 to $150 per month that covers hospital and GP. Public hospital emergency departments will treat Americans in emergency regardless of ability to pay, but will bill later, so not free. For Americans who become permanent residents or citizens via skilled, family or humanitarian visa, yes they get free healthcare via Medicare, including free public hospital treatment as public patient, subsidised GP with bulk billing $0 if bulk billed, and prescriptions under PBS $31.60 general and $7.70 concession, paying 2% Medicare levy like Australians. Americans on temporary visas like 482 temporary skilled do not get free Medicare unless they become permanent. So American tourist cannot get free healthcare, needs insurance, but American permanent resident gets free Medicare public hospital and subsidised GP. So answer is no for tourists, yes for permanent residents.
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