[NSW] How Do I Pay NSW Ambulance Levy?

tempura on 10/01/2020 - 15:23
Last edited 11/01/2020 - 10:40 by 1 other user

How do I pay for NSW Ambulance levy?

What so {profanity} up about Ambulance and Patient Transport Service (PTS) versus Private Health Provider is their complexity.

Do you know that as a NSW resident, there is no limited use of emergency Ambulance and non-emergency PTS, provided that you have Ambulance cover?

But taking an example of BUPA, its Ambulance Cover are split to two:

  • Emergency only Ambulance
  • Premium Ambulance <— you need to take this to have PTS covered and it's capped to $5000 per year.

Then we have AHM, where its Ambulance cover only cover for 1 trip of emergency Ambulance per year.

Health & Beauty

Comments

    • tempura on 10/01/2020 - 15:30
      -3

      levy and not fee

      • boomramada on 10/01/2020 - 15:32

        Why you need to pay NSW Ambulance Levy ? Who asked you to pay that?

        • tempura on 10/01/2020 - 15:40

          i will approach this in a short story; grandpa is bed-bound and requires frequent trips to hospital by both emergency ambulance and 'non-emergency' patient transport service. Grandpa is not a pensioner (from Australian government perspective) nor a war veteran. Grandpa isn't eligible for Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card. Granpa is a permanent resident though.

          If I get Granpa on a Ambulance only cover, does he have to pay for all the invoices that be coming from NSW Ambulance and PTS?

        • tempura on 10/01/2020 - 15:50

          this is ridiculously complex; i don't expect you to know the answer. but you being in ACT, we are bound to the same Ambulance levy.

          • boomramada on 10/01/2020 - 15:56
            +1

            @tempura: Well you can get a ambulance cover through private health, ie HCF, Medibank, ETC. Find the one that suits your grandparents.
            One with unlimited cover. Mine is covered by private health extras. Some states, you can get them directly by Ambulance services, eg. SA

            If your GP got a Ambulance only cover, based on the policy terms they be covered.

            HCF got unlimited : https://www.hcf.com.au/content/dam/hcf/pdf/brochures/46-HCF-…

          • HighAndDry on 10/01/2020 - 16:59

            @tempura: Found cover that actually includes unlimited non-emergency ambulance services:

            https://peoplecare.com.au/Health-insurance/About-health-insu…

            • tempura on 10/01/2020 - 17:05

              @HighAndDry: i'll dig further on this and will let you know. thanks!

              • HighAndDry on 10/01/2020 - 17:06
                +1

                @tempura: Oh. The page says it doesn't include hospital to home or medical appointment transport services so hmm =/

                • tempura on 10/01/2020 - 17:13
                  -1

                  @HighAndDry: but see, it is not rocket science from NSW Ambulance nor PTS perspective. As they work under NSW Ambulance levy, a trip to hospital be that emergency or non-emergency if it's medical necessary, they said to not pay if you hold ambulance cover BUT to get this out of any private health providers mouth is just impossible. I have tried BUPA customer service (front facade) HOPELESS! asked to be transferred to their claim team, sort of helpful but overall hopeless. I then tried AHM customer service; the lady was nice, although not knowledgeable she was willing to confirm with their claim team. The outcome of that was more promising that they will cover a trip to hospital be that emergency or non-emergency as long as it is medically necessary but one thing still odd about it is that AHM will not cover the 'medically necessary' trip from the hospital back to the nursing home but will cover the trip going from the nursing home to the hospital.

                  so {profanity} up I tell you that.

                  • HighAndDry on 10/01/2020 - 17:36
                    +1

                    @tempura: Hahahaha yeah I tried to look into it but uh, it's an opaque mess. Might just have to get familiar with wading through PDSs.

                • tempura on 10/01/2020 - 18:50
                  +1

                  @HighAndDry: actually this is not so bad; PTS works under NSW Ambulance Levy so this looks OK; I'll check on Monday. Thanks buddy!

  • spackbace on 10/01/2020 - 15:40
    +19

    FFS stop making everything italic. There's no need, and you've actually had to go an extra step to add the necessary code.

    Do you have a link to this levy you're trying to pay? You're asking how to pay, then link to an insurer offering the product…

    • tempura on 10/01/2020 - 15:42
      -4

      my concern is as above with my reply to the other ozbargainer

      • spackbace on 10/01/2020 - 15:43
        +14

        Above doesn't need to be italicised.

        • tempura on 10/01/2020 - 15:43
          -2

          i can't help it; i am sorry.

          • spackbace on 10/01/2020 - 15:43
            +8

            @tempura: Yes you can.

            • rompastompa on 10/01/2020 - 15:49
              +2

              @spackbace: Reminds me of this:

              Forgive my italics:
              I have a Condition

              It's a medical condition causing sudden,
              frequent and uncontrollable italics that
              doesn't match how I feel.
              It can happen in people with a brain injury
              or certain neurological conditions.

              Thank you!

    • whooah1979 on 10/01/2020 - 17:18
      +3

      It’s as annoying as IVI.

      Mods should rein in on random formatting.

  • Bargain80 on 10/01/2020 - 16:05
    +2

    so glad I live in QLD.

    • HighAndDry on 10/01/2020 - 16:14
      -1

      OP's situation is pretty unique in that they have an elderly and infirm family member who's not yet eligible for any tax payer funded subsidies/services and so needs to pay everything either through private insurance or privately.

      Of course, because it's a unique situation, a lot of private health insurance products aimed at the majority of people also (ironically) won't provide the necessary cover.

      • Bargain80 on 10/01/2020 - 16:28
        +1

        still, unique condition or not, we don't have to worry about levy or fee.
        I know that we pay the service through other way indirectly, but services like ambulance should be a basic services that is provided by government.
        Just like you don't have to worry of having to pay for police when you call them.

        • HighAndDry on 10/01/2020 - 16:41
          +2

          but services like ambulance

          It is. OP is asking about additional ambulance patient transfer services which aren't emergencies and are really just taxi services essentially.

          • Bargain80 on 10/01/2020 - 16:45

            @HighAndDry: same either way in QLD

            Non-emergency medical transport
            If you need to travel to a medical facility for an appointment, you may be able to travel by ambulance, providing you meet at least 1 of the following criteria:
            you need stretcher transport
            you need active management or monitoring while travelling
            you have a condition that would cause you embarrassment or be of serious concern to other people on public transport.
            Ambulance transport for Queensland residents is free of charge.

        • [Deactivated] on 10/01/2020 - 16:46

          This is incorrect. I was recently a patient of nsw ambulance. $1400 bill to be taken to hospital. Mind you i sent to private health and they paid for it

    • tempura on 10/01/2020 - 21:11
      +1

      do you know that QLD resident (as i was told by Bupa rep) that you guys are paying your Ambulance levy through your water bill?

      • dcep on 10/01/2020 - 22:06
        +1

        funded by state government

        no levy

      • Chandler on 11/01/2020 - 10:52

        It used to be as part of the electricity bill (not water). Not sure who's collecting it (if at all) these days.

      • Bargain80 on 13/01/2020 - 09:39

        I said we pay it indirectly.
        You don't have to worry about getting bill from ambulance or making sure it's covered under private insurance.

  • whooah1979 on 10/01/2020 - 16:59

    How much does a trip cost?

    • tempura on 10/01/2020 - 17:04

      mileage bases so it varies by distance.

    • sardines on 25/02/2020 - 22:42

      I got hit with a $500 bill for a 4 minute ride basically lived in same suburb as hospital

  • HelpMeiCantSee on 11/01/2020 - 08:27
    +1

    Ever thought of not using ambulances? How many times a year does the grandparent “require” to go to hospital? Transport home is not a medical necessity, so you may struggle to find someone other than yourselves to pay for return taxi trips. Why not an actual taxi? I mean taxis are cheaper, and if it’s just to get them home, that’s adequate. Or are they bed bound and immobile, in which case requiring a stretcher (thereby being on a DSP and ambulance fees are null and void)?

    This all sounds a little complicated for no reason…

    • tempura on 11/01/2020 - 08:28

      This all sounds a little complicated for no reason…

      grandpa is bed-bound; he lost his lower limbs control as a result of spinal cord compression and pathological spinal burst.

      thank you for the comment

      • HelpMeiCantSee on 11/01/2020 - 08:41

        He will then qualify for a DSP. go to Centrelink and get the paperwork filed. Your ambulance woes will disappear!

        • whooah1979 on 11/01/2020 - 08:58

          Grandpa is not a pensioner (from Australian government perspective) nor a war veteran. Grandpa isn't eligible for Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card. Granpa is a permanent resident though.

          He is a FOB and doesn’t qualify for assistance.

        • tempura on 11/01/2020 - 09:36

          you just don't see it, do you?

          • HelpMeiCantSee on 11/01/2020 - 18:05

            @tempura: I certainly hope that’s not you poking fun at me being blind…

            I can’t see anything, can’t you read?!

            • tempura on 11/01/2020 - 18:44
              -1

              @HelpMeiCantSee: let's just stick to the subject; i have done everything that i needed to do. don't you dare give me a preach about it. you don't understand my frustration. you have zero understanding of my situation, don't you use exclamation mark against me!

              • HelpMeiCantSee on 11/01/2020 - 19:13

                @tempura: Yes sir! No exclamations here sir! I am only confused with you sir! I have shamed myself by dishonouring you sir! Never again will I exclaim sir!

  • OzHunterNSW on 11/01/2020 - 10:12
    +2

    Get out of health funds that are not Not for Profit

  • panorama on 11/01/2020 - 13:58

    Pre existing illness you wont be covered….. sorry

    • tempura on 11/01/2020 - 15:14

      huh? what you on about?

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join