Thread: Would you know if you were having a heart attack?

Originally Posted by Eevo

not in SA
about 900 dollars a pop.

Same in NSW and ACT.

I find it amazing that if you have to call the cops to your house it is free, covered by the Government, your house is on fire and the firies come, it is free covered by the Government, SES, Country Fire etc etc but call an Ambulance and is about $1000 just about everywhere except TAS where it is free (I think) - so why are all other emergency services publicly funded but not Ambulances - should be a Medicare line item.

Essentially’free’ in Qld. Certainly my ride didn’t cost me anything!

Originally Posted by ramblingboy42

Ambos are free.

You serious? Well over $1K here in Vic. Free if you are a member. Emergency ambo is free if you are a pensioner, but transport ambulance costs. Free if it's a MVA. TAC pays for all ambulance rides where road trauma is involved, even the chopper.
A ride in an ambulance, with paramedics etc, in Vic, can cost over $10K if you have no form of cover.

Originally Posted by 101RRS

Same in NSW and ACT.

I find it amazing that if you have to call the cops to your house it is free, covered by the Government, your house is on fire and the firies come, it is free covered by the Government, SES, Country Fire etc etc but call an Ambulance and is about $1000 just about everywhere except TAS where it is free (I think) - so why are all other emergency services publicly funded but not Ambulances - should be a Medicare line item.

X1000. I'm currently a pensioner, so I get emergency ambulance free here in Vic, but if I needed to be moved from one hospital to another I'd have to pay. But, the hospital, which costs exponentially more, is free.
Still, I'd rather get sick here than in the US.

While I think ambulance should be free, to be fair it only costs about $60 a year to have ambulance cover if you have no other health cover.

its not free because people abuse the system.
if the fire service come out and find its a nuisance alarms, they will send you the bill, about $800 per truck.
on police is cheap, about $300 for a speeding fine.

Originally Posted by Eevo

its not free because people abuse the system.
if the fire service come out and find its a nuisance alarms, they will send you the bill, about $800 per truck.
on police is cheap, about $300 for a speeding fine.

And if it is abused - then they pay but if genuine should be no fee.

But you only pay for an ambulance if it is actually used - if someone calls an ambulance for you and you decline treatment there is no charge. If someone calls an ambulance for you against your instructions and it then takes you to hospital then you pay.

BTW in Qld ambulance fees are included in rates.

It gave me the ****s as a resident of NSW with health insurance that I had to pay ambulance twice as I had a property on Magnetic Island.
Regards PhilipA