Ambulance Cover

[beansbeans!]

Hi all,

So Im finally getting round to getting some ambulance cover. Im not interested in anything more than this at the moment mainly because the cost of private health actually outweighs our needs at this point in time. "

So my question is those of you who have ambulance cover, who are you with and/or who would you suggest I look into??

TIA

[ladybirdflies]

me again!!! Hi!!!! We have cover with NIB. Whoever you go with check what it actually covers, some don't cover them being at your house just the ride, others don't cover the most outrageous things. Whoever you go with, ask all the questions and make sure all the children, including bub to be are on the cards!

[skybie]

Where with ambulance victoria, its 100% garunteed cover. some PHI's dont have ambulance cover, its inexpensive for peace of mind, if ur not in vic im sure your state has the same sort of thing

[Miss.September]

Yep, same as skybie. We don't have it through our PHI, but direct with Ambulance Vic.

[Charlotte91]

Ambulance Vic. When I was pregnant with DD it looked like I had to be ambulance to a closer city which would have cost about $5,000.
Luckily, I'd just been finished the waiting period and then got ambulanced to town, flown to Melbourne and then ambulanced to the Womens.
I'd hate to think how much that would have cost if I didn't have cover.

[black_rose]

If all you want is ambulance go direct with Ambulance Vic, they recently dropped their prices.

[~ Mylitta ~]

We're direct with Ambulance Victoria as well.

Would you believe that about two weeks after we got the cover my step son got hurt at the library and an ambulance was called? Lol. I got there about 5 mins before the ambulance and when they arrived and checked him over he was ok. They offered a ride in the ambulance to the hospital (so see if stitches were required) and he declined. Can you imagine that? A 9 year old (at the time) declining a trip in an ambulance, hehe. It was great that we didn't have to pay a cent for the ambulance or paramedic check up because of our coverage though

[krysalyss]

Which state are you in? In QLD it is free cover for Queenslanders.

[beansbeans!]

krysalyss, Im in NSW. I was always under the impression that it was covered here, but nope (well it was until recent years).

Ive looked at nib, mbf, medibank and hcf. They all seem to be covering similar things though. Suppose best thing is to spend some time on the phone :/

[Miss E]

We have it through our PHI, but there are some conditions on it... Something about only for emergencies... So we decided it was better to be 100% sure that we were covered no matter what the circumstances and have also taken it out with Ambulance Victoria. We just got our renewal and it was only $75 for the year, and that's for a family.

[Sopdet]

Which state are you in? In QLD it is free cover for Queenslanders.

No it isn't, you pay for it as part of your electricity bill

[~ Mylitta ~]

We have it through our PHI, but there are some conditions on it... Something about only for emergencies... So we decided it was better to be 100% sure that we were covered no matter what the circumstances and have also taken it out with Ambulance Victoria. We just got our renewal and it was only $75 for the year, and that's for a family.

I was told something similar a few years ago when I had to go to hospital. My Mum had driven me because I didn't have ambulance cover. The nurse at the hospital told us that if I had told the paramedics I felt like I was having trouble breathing, then that would have made it covered under most PHI's. Secondhand info though, so can't comment on how accurate that might be.

[Sopdet]

krysalyss, Im in NSW. I was always under the impression that it was covered here, but nope (well it was until recent years).

NSW doesn't have an ambulance fund etc like other states, you have to do it through your PHI (well according to the ambulance.nsw.gov.au website)

[beansbeans!]

Cant get it through ambulance vic, as they only cover residents of vic.

Yeah most of them will only cover emergencies, but from what I can tell they all have different definitions of what counts as an emergency. Which I find to be quite strange and sad.

[Cranky Kitten]

I was told something similar a few years ago when I had to go to hospital. My Mum had driven me because I didn't have ambulance cover. The nurse at the hospital told us that if I had told the paramedics I felt like I was having trouble breathing, then that would have made it covered under most PHI's. Secondhand info though, so can't comment on how accurate that might be.

To be honest though emergency as far as ambulance services are concerned doesn't always mean the "oh gods, about to die" that we think it does. The majority of trips where you are subsequently seen by hospital ER would be covered without issue, I think that wording is mainly in there to deter people from using ambulance services in lieu of going to their GP for general illness. Which apparently happens reasonably frequently in Brisbane, at least according to my brother who is a paramedic there.

I found it interesting that my health fund offers an optional add-on for non-urgent or "elective" ambulance services to cover pre-booked call outs etc - am struggling a bit to see a need for it except maybe for those with long term or chronic medical problems and a lack of alternative options.

I think it'd be a question worth asking when considering different insurers though - what would be classified as non-urgent and how that is decided...

[Miss E]

Actually just thinking about it now, my PHI has it as covered 'when medically necessary'. Who knows what that means

Also, I'm shocked to hear NSW Ambulance Service doesn't offer you membership like the other states.

[Cranky Kitten]

WA doesn't do it anymore either - all done through PHI companies.

[Jellyfish]

No it isn't, you pay for it as part of your electricity bill

Not anymore.

"On 1 July 2011 the levy, paid through electricity accounts, which supported the Community Ambulance Cover (CAC) was abolished.

The Community Ambulance Cover legislation is still in place and will continue to provide all Queensland residents with free authorised ambulance services throughout Australia."