Ambulance Cover via Health Insurance ... OMG did you know this ?

[indie24]

When we took out health insurance we were told by the company that ambulance may not be covered in certain situations (cant remember what the exact wording was) so DH and I kept our ambulance cover. I have had ambulance cover since I was 17 and talked DH into getting it when we first started datinng.

[smiles4u]

When we took out health insurance we were told by the company that ambulance may not be covered in certain situations (cant remember what the exact wording was) so DH and I kept our ambulance cover. I have had ambulance cover since I was 17 and talked DH into getting it when we first started datinng.

that's a good point, never knew that ... yep reckon i will stick with my Ambulance membership too (like most PHI members the ambo usage it's not my main concern but all the other stuff PHI offers which i've put to some good use with a few surgeries, etc) !

[Beatrix]

i have general extras private health (no hospital) but on top of that I also have ambo cover..

SA ambulance cover through st johns or who ever it is is $130 per year for a fmaily..

ambo cover is a eatra $60 a yr through PHI...

[Bathsheba]

Yep, I learnt the hard way when I was about 22. Dislocated my knee. House-mates called an ambo. The hospital was only about 2 blocks away but it was over $400... and that was back in 1992. Actually, come to think of it because I had a Health Care Card I don't think I ended up having to pay... but I strongly remember the shock of getting the bill in the mail.

Smiles: I have a friend who is an ambo worker and looks like how you describe but I'm pretty sure she works in rural NSW now. Her first name begins with L. She makes Barbie look frumpy.

[fionas]

I remember been completely gobsmacked when I came here from the UK that you have to have ambo cover. All free in the UK as are visits to the doctor. No mucking around with bulk billing, gaps, safety nets blah blah blah. I still find it hard to get my head around it all sometimes. I'm not saying it's better, just simpler for an anti-faff person like me.

[TeniBear]

Eight hundred something early last year for me - it would have been a five minute drive but I was stubborn and said I couldn't sit in the car (for $800 I would've done a fricken handstand!)

Worst bit was, if I hadn't been honest and said I wasn't living with my parents, I would have been covered by my mum's family membership - and it was the first time I "officially" gave my address as the place I was in with Scott

[widdly]

thanks for the heads up Lorelle, I was considering getting health cover instead of ambulance cover, now I will make sure I have ambulance cover as well

[Indadhanu]

Luckily in Qld we are automatically covered. Well, sort of. We pay for it but we don't have to arrange it.

I'll remember that in other states though. How scary! I wonder... if you needed an ambulance in NSW but you were from QLD, would you have to pay?

ETA: Not wondering now, it's been answered

[Nettie]

From the SA Ambulance site:

ACE Cover: Most private health insurance policies cover you for the cost of emergency attendance* and/or transport by SA Ambulance Service. But what about non-emergency transport by ambulance?

While it’s difficult to predetermine each set of circumstances, many cases of illness or injury require additional patient transportation: for tests, ongoing treatment or transfer to another hospital. This ambulance transport is generally classified as non-emergency transport. Non-emergency transport fees start at $170..

* SA Ambulance Service classifies emergency cases as Emergency 1 and Emergency 2.
Ambulance Cover Extras (ACE) provides you with all the cover and peace of mind you need.

Family $33.75
Single $16.90

Because we have "Emergency Ambulance Cover" as part of our health fund, we only pay $33.75 a year for the whole family to be covered for anything! If it fits in the PHI criteria - we claim through that. If not, we claim through this. Cool, huh? Otherwise, like Beatrix said, it's $130 a year for full cover with SA Ambulance. Cheaper than one little ride

[boobaloo]

wow. i'm so naive, i just assumed all states were the same as qld!
glad we don't even have to think about it up here!

[Early Kids]

We have ambo cover, always have done. I've never had to call one ever, but I've been in an ambo several times.

In WA you are covered for hospital to hospital transfers (if both are public hospitals). Aged pensiors are covered for free.

There are two different types of cover here though, Country and Metro.

Taken from HERE

Metropolitan Ambulance Cover
In the metropolitan area St John Ambulance has not operated the Ambulance Cover since 1997.
HBF owns and operates the HBF St John Ambulance Cover.
Please check with your health insurer to see what level of ambulance cover you hold.

Country Ambulance Cover
In country WA, St John Country Ambulance Cover is administered by the local St John Sub Centres.

If you have comprehensive Country Ambulance Cover, the cost of an ambulance trip is covered for as many emergency or necessary non-emergency transports you or your family members require.

St John Country Ambulance Cover will protect you for St John Ambulance transport 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in Western Australia. If you are travelling in the eastern states, your cover will also extend to intrastate road transport with other principal providers of emergency road transport.