About the ambulance service in Australia, there has been such a joke on the rivers and lakes: foreign students suddenly fainted on the road, before falling down with the last strength to tell people around: do not call an ambulance. The reason is simple: ambulances are too expensive! I didn't get sick, but when I saw the bill for the ambulance, I had to be scared out of it.
So, how expensive is the ambulance service in Australia? Today, let's talk about the specific prices of each state.
The first thing to say is that the Medicare does not include ambulance services, that is, the money, health insurance is not reimbursed.
If you have private health insurance, you can claim reimbursement from the insurance company. If you do not have private insurance, you will have to bear it yourself. How much money they really have to bear, the policies of each state are not the same.
Victoria: the introduction of a new ambulance cost in, Ambulance Victoria from 1 July 2017, mainly related to road transportation costs, (Road transport fees).
1. Emergency road transportation costs
Metro Emergency Road: $1204
District and rural emergency roads: $1776
2. Non-emergency road transportation costs
Metropolitan area non-emergency roads: stretchers: $325; auto clinic (Clinic car): $107
District and rural non-emergency roads: stretchers: $325; car clinics: none.
3, just need on-the-spot treatment, no transportation
Metropolitan area, area and rural: $519
4. Air transportation costs
Aircraft:
Variable charge: $2134
Fixed charge: $2887
Helicopters:
Variable charge: $10737
Fixed charge: $25559
Note: air transportation charges include only airplanes or helicopters, and road transportation is subject to separate charges.
It is up to the Ambulance Victoria to determine which mode of transport is required.
It is also important to note that even if someone calls for an ambulance for you, even if you refuse the ambulance service, you will still have to pay for it.
Michael, a resident living on the coast of Victoria, said that one day his 21-year-old son had just finished a very difficult dive. A nice passer-by passed by and might have seen his son look bad, so he helped to call an ambulance. Although his son refused the service, he was charged a service charge of $500.
Who do you want to talk to?
While pensioners and low-income people in Victoria have access to ambulance services free of charge, most people have to pay for themselves.
Ambulance Victoria probably also knows that its service fee is relatively expensive, so launched a member service, as long as registered as a member, you can enjoy the ambulance service free of charge.
Of course, you have to pay a certain membership fee, which is divided into four categories:
Quarterly membership fee:
Family: $23.01
Individual: $11.50
1-year membership fee:
Family: $92.05
Individual: $46.00
3-year membership fee:
Family: $276.15
Individual: $138.00
5-year membership fee:
Family: $460.25
Individual: $230.00
Compared to the average cost of $1100 a call to an ambulance, being a member is still a good deal.
New state: the cost of ambulances includes: on-site service per kilometer of road transportation
Transportation charges per kilometer of roads are based on the full distance of the ambulance from departure-to the patient's location-to the hospital-back to the ambulance station.
The specific charges are as follows:
Road transport:
Emergency on-site service fee: $372
Emergency road transportation: $3.35 per kilometre, capped at 6095
Non-emergency on-site service fee: $293
Non-emergency road transportation: $1.81 per kilometre, capped at 6095
Air transport (whether by plane or helicopter):
Entry fee: $372
Transportation: $3.35 per kilometre, capped at 6095
Pensioners and concessionary card holders can enjoy ambulance services free of charge. Other residents will only have to pay 51% of the total ambulance costs, while the remaining 49% will be borne by the new state government.
Western Australia: if it is in the metropolitan area, the ambulance charges will vary depending on whether the patient is in emergency or not:
Life-threatening: $967
Emergency: $967
Non-emergency: $520
Patient transfer vehicle: $473
Over 65, pensioners can enjoy ambulance services free of charge.
People over the age of 65 who do not have a pension are entitled to half the price of an ambulance.
Others have to pay for the ambulance themselves.
South Australia: as in New York, the cost of ambulances in South Australia also includes: on-site service per kilometer of road transportation.
Emergencies: $976 on-site service per kilometre $5.60 for transportation;
Non-emergency: $218 on-site service per kilometre $5.60 for transportation;
On-site treatment without transportation: $218 on-site service fee;
Pensioners are entitled to a discount.
Northern Territory: ambulance charges also include on-site service per kilometer of road transportation.
The charge is about $745 per trip. If you become a member of the St John Ambulance, you can enjoy the ambulance service free of charge.
Queensland and Tasmania are Australia's only states where government pays for all ambulances, and residents don't have to spend a dime.
It seems that the rumors of rivers and lakes are not exaggerating, in Australia to call an ambulance, except for Kunzhou and tower state, are really very expensive! Of course, ambulances should be called as well, life is more important than money.