Emergency Ambulance Transport is currently covered under eligible extras policies and all hospital policies.
In Australia, ambulance trips are not covered by Medicare and how you’re covered for ambulance varies state to state.
In VIC, WA, SA, or NT, you’re required to purchase an ambulance subscription directly from your state ambulance service provider to ensure you are covered for all ambulance services, not just emergency.
In QLD or TAS, you are automatically covered for ambulance services through your state government for trips that occur within your home state. Check with the ambulance service provider for details regarding national cover and non-emergency transport.
If you are a resident of NSW or ACT and have any GMHBA hospital cover, you are automatically covered for emergency transportation within NSW or ACT. It is a Levy Based Scheme (health insurers pay a levy to the State government on behalf of eligible members) which is why it operates under your hospital cover.
Some states provide ambulance services free of charge to people holding a valid pension or concession card at the time of transport and meet certain criteria. Check your relevant state ambulance service to see if you're eligible.
It is the discretion of an ambulance service to classify a trip as emergency or non-emergency. Ensure you’re covered for all necessary ambulance trips by having the right cover for where you live.
What you need to be covered for your state
To avoid unexpected out of pockets, it is recommended you take out an Ambulance Victoria subscription, regardless of your health insurance.
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Ambulance service provider |
How do I claim? |
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Recommended option for Victorian residents |
Purchase a subscription from Ambulance Victoria to have comprehensive cover. |
If you have eligible extras cover, provide GMHBA with the Ambulance Victoria subscription receipt to receive a benefit up to 100% of the subscription cost. |
Benefits for emergency transportations are available on selected eligible extras and hospital covers. Contact GMHBA for more information.
For residents of South Australia to be covered, you need to purchase a subscription with the South Australian Ambulance Service (SAAS). To avoid unexpected out of pockets, it is recommended you take out an Ambulance subscription, regardless of your health insurance.
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Ambulance Service |
How do I claim? |
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Recommended option for SA residents |
Purchase a subscription from South Australian Ambulance Service to have comprehensive cover. |
If you have eligible extras cover, provide GMHBA with the South Australian Ambulance Service subscription receipt to receive a benefit up to 100% of the subscription cost. |
We strongly recommend taking out an interstate membership to ensure you are covered for comprehensive ambulance services Australia wide.
Benefits for emergency transportations are available on selected eligible extras and hospital covers. Contact GMHBA for more information.
For residents in the Northern Territory to be covered, you need to purchase a subscription with St John Ambulance NT. To avoid unexpected out of pockets, we strongly recommend taking out a subscription to be covered Australia wide, regardless of your health insurance.
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Ambulance Service |
How do I claim? |
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Recommended option for NT residents |
Purchase a subscription from the St John Ambulance Northern Territory to have comprehensive cover. |
If you have eligible extras cover, provide GMHBA with the St John Ambulance Service subscription receipt to receive a benefit up to 100% of the subscription cost. |
Benefits for emergency transportations are available on selected eligible extras and hospital covers. Contact GMHBA for more information.
WA ambulances services depend on whether you live within the Perth metropolitan area or regional WA. Where possible, we strongly recommend purchasing an Ambulance subscription, regardless of your health insurance.
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Ambulance Service |
Cover within WA |
Cover interstate |
How do I claim? |
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Recommended if you reside within the Perth metropolitan area |
Purchase an eligible Ambulance Service Subscription for comprehensive cover. |
YES |
Check with your subscription provider. |
If you have eligible extras cover, provide GMHBA with the ambulance subscription receipt to receive a benefit of up to 100% of the subscription cost. |
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Recommended if you reside outside of Perth metropolitan area |
Purchase WA St John Country Ambulance Cover.
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YES |
YES - reciprocal agreements in VIC, TAS, NSW and NT NO - SA, QLD & ACT |
Contact St John Country Ambulance Cover for more information. |
Benefits for emergency transportations are available on eligible extras and hospital covers. Contact GMHBA for more information.
Tasmanian residents are covered by a State based scheme. Please contact Ambulance Tasmania for more details regarding coverage.
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Within Tasmania |
Ambulance Service |
How do I claim? |
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Tasmania wide |
For Tasmanian Residents a State Levy Based Scheme exists to provide comprehensive cover within Tasmania.
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Forward the Ambulance service invoice with proof of your Tasmanian residency to Ambulance Tasmania.
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Visiting QLD, NSW & SA |
How do I claim? |
Visiting WA, VIC, SA and NT |
How do I claim? |
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Tasmanian Residents are not covered for reciprocal emergency transport in QLD, NSW and SA. Benefits are payable by GMHBA for members with eligible extras cover. Limits apply. |
If you have eligible extras cover, provide GMHBA with the invoice for Ambulance Services for payment. Limits apply. |
Reciprocal agreements exist with WA, VIC, SA and NT to cover Tasmanian residence for emergency road transport only.
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Forward the invoice with proof of your Tasmanian residency to Ambulance Tasmania.
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The NSW Government operates a levy-based scheme to cover the cost of ambulance fees for residents who have private hospital insurance.
Residents of NSW or ACT can take out any GMHBA hospital cover and be covered for emergency transportation.
The states levy-based scheme only covers non-emergency ambulance transport provided by HealthShare NSW within NSW and ACT.
NSW and ACT residents: Emergency Transport via or NSW Ambulance or ACT Ambulance service
Within NSW and ACT – If you have private hospital insurance, you are covered for the cost of the ambulance service fees.
In WA, VIC, ACT & NT – reciprocal agreements exist for emergency ambulance services provided in these states. If you have private hospital insurance, you are covered.
In SA and QLD there are no reciprocal agreements in place for NSW and ACT residents for emergency ambulance services provided in these states. However, GMHBA will cover members who hold hospital cover for emergency transport in SA and QLD. For specific information regarding your cover please check your fact sheet in your member area.
NSW and ACT residents: non-emergency transport via only
HealthShare NSW provide non-emergency patient transport services that is covered by the levy-based scheme.
For non-emergency ambulance transport services provided outside of NSW and ACT, benefits are payable towards ambulance transport fees as part of eligible extras cover only. There is the likelihood of significant out of pocket costs, contact GMHBA for more information.
How to claim
If an ambulance is called, you will receive a bill. If you have a hospital cover with GMHBA you can send the unpaid bill to GMHBA. We will let the relevant Ambulance service know you’re covered if the above criteria is met.
For specific information regarding your cover, please check your fact sheet in your member area or contact GMHBA.
All Queensland residents are automatically covered for the cost of emergency services Australia wide. This is paid for by the QLD state government. You don’t have to do anything.
FAQs
‘Emergency’ ambulance trips are situations where immediate medical treatment is necessary. ‘Non-emergency’ ambulance trips on the other hand are situations where immediate medical treatment is not necessary, or for transportation from a hospital to your home or another hospital. It’s at the ambulance service’s discretion to classify a trip as emergency or non-emergency.
Emergency Ambulance is covered under all hospital policies.
For specific information regarding your coverage please check your fact sheet in your member area.
You can submit your claim for your ambulance subscription in the online member area or by submitting a claim form. It’s important when you submit your claim that you provide an official paid receipt. Please check with your Ambulance Service Provider to obtain a copy of your receipt.
Once you have received your bill for your trip from your Ambulance Service provider please submit your claim by submitting a claim form.
Contact us and we can talk through your options.