Bo-Jangles

Maybe not 'nice' for very much longer....

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/storie...1/1247fd445d38

Charismatic

Random question. Can you claim tax back on life insurance?

pricklykina

you can claim tax back if you have income protection type insurance, not life insurance though as far as I'm aware

owen

To be honest it seems a national pastime to slag the health services in either the UK or NZ. However when push comes to shove I see the same level of care in both provided in the ICUs I work(ed) in. The biggest difference is the number of nurses here is much higher and therefore I'm less stressed and more helped here in my everyday work.

crap coffee

no wonder... I (already?) managed to go to Emergency room two times this year.

but I didn't call the ambulance.

second time was last June, accidentally I knocked the top of my head and nose pretty hard (a road sign? - it was a sharp metal object) in town on a rainy night (was 9 p.m), (I still have no clue why that happened? ? ) then I was almost unconcious for about twenty minutes or so. couldn't even pick myself up or walk or anything. was bleeding quite a bit. - actually thought my nose was completly broken.. ( teared up automatically ) I could barely talk as the pain was severe in my nose, head and jaw etc. Just thought - wish I could have someone to help me, but noone was around. I wanted to call the ambulance, but I didn't. (I hate they might say you are not supposed to call us or something - anyway I didn't want to) went to the public toilet nearby, wiped (some of) the blood, and then went to the store to top up my snap card, (It WAS hard) then waited for a bus for 30 minutes. crazy. but I would never want to catch a taxi to go to Wellington Hospital unless its 3.00 AM. ppl asked me if I was all right? surely I wasn't all right, but I tried to hide my face and not to talk to ppl coz I couldn't talk. and walking was freaking painful - pounding.

When I arrived in hospital, waited for 10 minutes to see a doc I think, (they asked me to fill out the forms/ACC - but I couldn't - as I was unconcious a little bit). took X ray - the doc said the injury wasn't toooo bad than thought - my nose I mean. but can't tell exactely until the swelling disappears - or even my brain's ok...or not. I stayed there for 6 hours then went to home. Now I seem to be ok, but my nose... isn' t all right. can't touch it or blow......coz still painful.

when I saw my GP said, she can't really tell whether I've done the right or wrong thing this time

Last March, She said I've done an appropriate thing the fact that I didn't call the ambulance, but walking to town alone to catch a taxi at 3.00 AM isn't appropriate thing either.

Paula2007

The ambuance service in the UK - NHS is NOT free for Road Traffic Accidents even if you do not call the ambulance.

My husband had an accident through no fault of his own - an ambulance was called - he was taken to hospital - about a week later we got a bill for the ambulance and also a bill for the huge lamp post that had fell down on top of the car (even though my husband was unconscious when he actually hit the lamp post as the car he was driving was spinning)!!!

We just gave these both to our car insurance company who passed them on to the person who nearly killed my husband.

I wonder if this is the same in NZ?

Wilester

I have to admit i have never heard of anyone ever being billed for an ambulance.

In relation to street furniture councils will automaticaly persue vehicles involved for cost they expect you to forward it on to your insurance company

crap coffee

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/heal...ealth-rankings

BEVS

I can vouch for this happening as far back as 1972. I was billed for the use of an emergency ambulance following a motorway RTA. I was not the driver. It was not my car. The driver of the vehicle I was in was not at fault . The RTA was caused by 2 other vehicles which the police were unable to trace.

All my health care and recovery in the weeks, months and years to come cost me nothing further than my NIC contributions. It was all part of the UK national health service .

There is no compulsary car insurance in NZ. ACC covers some costs .
NZ St. John's ambulance charges

cappuccino

In 2001 I had an RTA in the UK (Essex) which caused a huge traffic jam for hours when a bus drove into the back of my stationary vehicle at traffic lights. My daughter and I were both taken to hospital in an ambulance and we never received a bill. A few years before that, I also had to be taken to hospital by ambulance when I collapsed at work from a reaction to new medication and was also not billed for this.

Maybe in the UK it is a case of different charging rules for different Hopsital Trusts.

BEVS

It's interesting.
Hospitals weren't trusts way back in the early 70's but I was billed. It was stated that it was because it was a motorway RTA.

Maybe it is discretionary although I would think there must be some statute for this these days.