$490 to call out an ambulance
Oct 13th 2003, 3:52 am
#1
home again, home again
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: Notts to Perth, Perth to Notts
Posts: 1,748
$490 to call out an ambulance
When we were away in Margaret River my hubby did something to his back. Try as we might my dad and I couldn't get poor hubby into the car!! So we had to call an ambulance.
When they arrived (St. Johns) they seemed to think that seeing my husband paralised against the car was funny, and took great pleasure in trying to guess at how they were going to get him on the stretcher. Whilst hubby was inhaling a pain killing drug, one of the ambulance men accidently leant on the bottle and hubby started choking on it!!! Eventually they managed to get him onto the stretcher and all gace each other 'five' as they hadn't done it that way before.:scared:
Sounds funny looking back now, but imagine these people at a road traffic accident????
We have a bill of $490 for this of which we will get 75% back through Medicare.
Hubby had to stay overnight in hospital which was covered by Medicare but has to have ongoing physio which has so far cost us over $200. Physio isn't covered by Medicare, we were told!!!
Just thought I would share our experiences with you all and advise that maybe Health insurance is the best way to go??
But then on the other hand not so sure? A friend who has had medical insurance to cover such things as braces for his daughters teeth has just been told that they will only pay $600 out of his bill for $4500 (for braces) because he hasn't had the policy long enough!!!! (2 years) So maybe we all need to take out that kind of insurance many years in advance!?
When they arrived (St. Johns) they seemed to think that seeing my husband paralised against the car was funny, and took great pleasure in trying to guess at how they were going to get him on the stretcher. Whilst hubby was inhaling a pain killing drug, one of the ambulance men accidently leant on the bottle and hubby started choking on it!!! Eventually they managed to get him onto the stretcher and all gace each other 'five' as they hadn't done it that way before.:scared:
Sounds funny looking back now, but imagine these people at a road traffic accident????
We have a bill of $490 for this of which we will get 75% back through Medicare.
Hubby had to stay overnight in hospital which was covered by Medicare but has to have ongoing physio which has so far cost us over $200. Physio isn't covered by Medicare, we were told!!!
Just thought I would share our experiences with you all and advise that maybe Health insurance is the best way to go??
But then on the other hand not so sure? A friend who has had medical insurance to cover such things as braces for his daughters teeth has just been told that they will only pay $600 out of his bill for $4500 (for braces) because he hasn't had the policy long enough!!!! (2 years) So maybe we all need to take out that kind of insurance many years in advance!?
Oct 13th 2003, 4:14 am
#2
Just Joined
Joined: Oct 2003
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 14
Re: $490 to call out an ambulance
Have you thought to take out ambulnce insurance to cover these things. It is about $100 for a family a year as I recall...
Oct 13th 2003, 4:30 am
#3
home again, home again
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: Notts to Perth, Perth to Notts
Posts: 1,748
Re: $490 to call out an ambulance
Originally posted by Iceblock
Have you thought to take out ambulnce insurance to cover these things. It is about $100 for a family a year as I recall...
Have you thought to take out ambulnce insurance to cover these things. It is about $100 for a family a year as I recall...
Oct 13th 2003, 4:41 am
#4
Drunken Aussie
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Brisvegas
Posts: 1,080
Re: $490 to call out an ambulance
Ambulance cover is included in the electricity bill of every household in Brisbane (and maybe all of Queensland) and is compulsory. I think it's roughly $50 a year.
Originally posted by Iceblock
Have you thought to take out ambulnce insurance to cover these things. It is about $100 for a family a year as I recall...
Have you thought to take out ambulnce insurance to cover these things. It is about $100 for a family a year as I recall...
Oct 13th 2003, 4:48 am
#5
Y Ddraig Goch
Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Body is in Brissie. Heart and soul has long flown home.
Posts: 3,722
Re: $490 to call out an ambulance
Originally posted by brisnick
Ambulance cover is included in the electricity bill of every household in Brisbane (and maybe all of Queensland) and is compulsory. I think it's roughly $50 a year.
Ambulance cover is included in the electricity bill of every household in Brisbane (and maybe all of Queensland) and is compulsory. I think it's roughly $50 a year.
Right a question..
Hubby and some people here with me in work still thinks if we use an ambulance we will still be billed... I say no because we are now paying for it on our electric bill (this is for Queenslanders).
Oct 13th 2003, 5:17 am
#6
Rocket Scientist
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Dreamland AKA Brisbane which is a different country to the UK
Posts: 6,911
Re: $490 to call out an ambulance
Originally posted by Ceri
I haven't got my bill on me.. I'm in work, but I had a bill the other day and it was around $16 something cents on thethe electricity bill. this was the first bill with the new ambulance cost on it.
Right a question..
Hubby and some people here with me in work still thinks if we use an ambulance we will still be billed... I say no because we are now paying for it on our electric bill (this is for Queenslanders).
I haven't got my bill on me.. I'm in work, but I had a bill the other day and it was around $16 something cents on thethe electricity bill. this was the first bill with the new ambulance cost on it.
Right a question..
Hubby and some people here with me in work still thinks if we use an ambulance we will still be billed... I say no because we are now paying for it on our electric bill (this is for Queenslanders).
Oct 13th 2003, 5:43 am
#7
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2003
Location: Perth, Jnr is back!
Posts: 1,286
Re: $490 to call out an ambulance
Shite Jane - like you say, sounds funny now but I bet you weren't laughing at the time. Hope he is doing better.
diane
diane
Oct 13th 2003, 5:47 am
#8
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Joined: Mar 2003
Location: Going Home
Posts: 1,215
Janeyray has your husband considered a chiropractor rather than physio ? things dont just happen to your back, better to find the cause.
I use Adam Rocchi from Spine.scan 45 Royal Street, East Perth phone 9221 0402 and hes excellent, uses computer technology rather than the bump and crunch technique.
I use Adam Rocchi from Spine.scan 45 Royal Street, East Perth phone 9221 0402 and hes excellent, uses computer technology rather than the bump and crunch technique.
Oct 13th 2003, 5:56 am
#9
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2002
Location: England
Posts: 279
Hope hubby is on the mend Jane. What a nightmare, sounds like you would have been better off calling a limousine service to lay him out!
A free ambulance service is another thing I took for granted in England, interesting to hear about Queensland's ambulance cover, good idea, I'd be happy to pay it.
A free ambulance service is another thing I took for granted in England, interesting to hear about Queensland's ambulance cover, good idea, I'd be happy to pay it.
Oct 13th 2003, 6:59 am
#10
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 11,149
$62.40 for annual couple ambulance insurance in NSW
Oct 13th 2003, 9:08 am
#11
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Joined: Jul 2003
Location: My Place
Posts: 529
Jane, I hope he's back on his feet again and not in too much pain.
Everyone else
does anyone have any advice re health insurane and ideas of costs for a family of 4, or can anyone recomend some web sites to browse on the subject
Lynn
Everyone else
does anyone have any advice re health insurane and ideas of costs for a family of 4, or can anyone recomend some web sites to browse on the subject
Lynn
Oct 13th 2003, 9:37 am
#13
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Joined: Jul 2003
Location: My Place
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Thanks Bondi
Just something to give us an idea of how things work is a help.
Lynn
Just something to give us an idea of how things work is a help.
Lynn
Oct 13th 2003, 9:47 am
#14
Rocket Scientist
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Dreamland AKA Brisbane which is a different country to the UK
Posts: 6,911
Lynn as bondi mentioned try medibank or one of these others.
MBF Australia
NIB Health Fund
HBA Insurance
We are with HBA, nothing particularly to write home about, but then its part of Dagboys salary package.
MBF Australia
NIB Health Fund
HBA Insurance
We are with HBA, nothing particularly to write home about, but then its part of Dagboys salary package.
Oct 13th 2003, 10:51 am
#15
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Joined: May 2003
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 334
Try basic ambulance cover directly thru whoever is the local provider (if not in states where it's on the utility bills). In Victoria it's www.ambulance-vic.com.au.
Don't forget nothing's free in the UK. You just don't get a choice - you pay whopping NI payments for it, several times more than Medicare.
Sorry about the rant - just get a bit sick of hearing complaints about having to pay for stuff that's 'free' in the UK.
Don't forget nothing's free in the UK. You just don't get a choice - you pay whopping NI payments for it, several times more than Medicare.
Sorry about the rant - just get a bit sick of hearing complaints about having to pay for stuff that's 'free' in the UK.