SA Residents - Ambulance cover and what is changing

The current level of cover for SA Ambulance Service members is Australia wide providing it is a recognised interstate service providing the care/transport

SAAS wrote:The cost of an emergency ambulance is generally around $600 - $900. If you are covered with SA Ambulance Service, you won’t have to pay a cent if:

• the service is provided by SAAS, or
  
  
• the ambulance transport originates in another State or Territory and is provided by a recognised Interstate ambulance service, or
  
  

for a transport service originating in South Australia, if:

• SAAS directs or requests another person to provide non-emergency ambulance services, or
  
  
• after a request by the subscriber, SAAS, at its sole discretion, agrees in writing prior to the transport date that another person may provide the service, and that person is recognised under Part 6 of the Health Care Act 2008 (SA).
  
  

All new memberships from May 30th and all renewals after that date, the new reduced level of cover includes South Australia only, anything outside of SA you need to get some other form of cover, those with private health be aware that they usually only cover emergency travel, not any other patient or clinical tranfer required later




http://www.saambulance.com.au/ProductsServices/AmbulanceCover/30May2016AmbulanceCover.aspx

SAAS wrote:

Am I covered interstate?
The cost of ambulance services is not covered if you require ambulance transport while visiting interstate or overseas. You will not be covered for any services provided by an ambulance service of another jurisdiction within Australia or overseas. Private Health insurance or travel insurance is recommended before undertaking any travel.

These changes have been put in place by the current Labour State Government as a cost saving exercise, I've contacted my local MP and cc'd the Minister for Health and Premier, probably do no good but if enough have their say who knows?

I suppose they have to pay for the French holiday somehow 

This is just so crazy that you can not even go on an interstate holiday without getting some sort of ambulance cover or travel insurance. This just makes me so mad as I ride interstate and if someone knocks me off I could be seriously out of pocket. Both my kids have seizures so does this mean I now have to have ever increasing private health cover just for interstate ambulance cover. Sorry to only log on to complain but this makes me mad.

hobbsy wrote:This is just so crazy that you can not even go on an interstate holiday without getting some sort of ambulance cover or travel insurance. This just makes me so mad as I ride interstate and if someone knocks me off I could be seriously out of pocket. Both my kids have seizures so does this mean I now have to have ever increasing private health cover just for interstate ambulance cover. Sorry to only log on to complain but this makes me mad.

Private Health (or at least nearly all) only cover you for Emergency travel, any hospital transfers etc will still be at your expense unless you can find someone to cover you for that

Good news for me, I've just got confirmation that my private health provider (HCF) will now cover me for all Emergency and Non Emergency (up to $5000 per year) transport

That'll save me $155 a year for family cover (myself, Mrs Chook and Kaylah) my son is still able to be covered by our private health for 3 more years (while at home) but too old for SA ambulance so that's another $78 a year saved, total saved a year $233, thank you SA Government!! 

Chook wrote:Good news for me, I've just got confirmation that my private health provider (HCF) will now cover me for all Emergency and Non Emergency (up to $5000 per year) transport

That'll save me $155 a year for family cover (myself, Mrs Chook and Kaylah) my son is still able to be covered by our private health for 3 more years (while at home) but too old for SA ambulance so that's another $78 a year saved, total saved a year $233, thank you SA Government!! 

At a guess I'd say that is what they want people to do

I'm not so sure about that mm, they didn't advertise the changes, it was only made public after a leak where a Mt Gambier resident asked the question on their facebook page.

I really think they were hoping to continue getting the same revenue but pay out far less.

If you look at the Vic Ambulance site, they have a number of NSW and 2 SA addresses close to the border that they consider to be within their service area so will accept membership from those post codes, ironically the original questioning came from a Mt Gambier resident, along with Frances, Mt Gambier residents are considered to be within the Victorian Ambulance Service service area and can join their scheme