Ambulance
Medicare does not cover the cost of emergency transport or other ambulance services. You can organise ambulance cover to insure against the costs of using an ambulance.
Depending on your state of residence, you may be eligible for a discount or may not need cover at all:
| State | Ambulance Cover arrangements |
|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory (ACT) | If you are a pensioner or a low income earner you may be entitled to free ambulance which may reduce the premium of your cover |
| New South Wales (NSW) | If you are a pensioner or a low income earner you may be entitled to free ambulance which may reduce the premium of your cover |
| Northern Territory (NT) | If you want ambulance cover you will need to organise cover through a health fund or from the ambulance authority in your state |
Queensland | Ambulance costs are covered by the state government, through a levy |
South Australia | If you want ambulance cover you will need to organise cover through a health fund or from the ambulance authority in your state |
Tasmania | Ambulance costs are covered by the state government |
Victoria | If you want ambulance cover you will need to organise cover through a health fund or from the ambulance authority in your state |
| Western Australia (WA) | If you are a pensioner you may be entitled to free ambulance which may reduce the premium of your cover |
You can arrange ambulance cover through a health fund or from the ambulance authority in your state. Health funds may pay or reimburse you for all or part of your annual subscription to your state ambulance authority or the costs associated with transportation.
What may not be covered?
Ambulance cover can vary. Some funds provide cover for all ambulance travel, while others only provide for ground travel or have other limitations - for example, they may cover you in your state of residence only, or they may not cover 'call out' fees (when an ambulance treats you at the scene but does not transport you to hospital).
Check with your fund about which type of ambulance cover best suits your needs.
Contact your state government for more information on the arrangements that apply in your state.
Questions to ask about your ambulance cover
Some questions you can ask before joining include:
- Will this policy cover me when I'm travelling interstate?
- Does this policy cover emergency situations only, or will it cover non-emergency as well? How does the fund define an emergency?
- Will this policy cover me for the ambulance 'call-out' fee if I need ambulance treatment but don't require transportation?
- What is the waiting period?
- Will I need to make any co-payments towards the ambulance fee?