The good news is that permanent Queensland residents qualify for free emergency pre-hospital ambulance assistance and transport, anywhere in Australia and for any emergency; big or small. But how exactly does it work and what about non-Queensland residents visiting the Sunshine State? Let’s take a look.
What is ambulance cover?
While ambulance services are a fundamental component of the hospital system, they’re not covered by Medicare – which means that in some Australian states and territories, ambulance services are not free.
This in turn means that, as with any other medical service not covered by Medicare, you could be paying out of pocket if you don’t have have an appropriate level of insurance in place (and if you live in a state where ambulance services aren’t covered by the government).
Health insurance cover for ambulance services can take a few different forms – some health insurers offer a standalone ambulance cover product, whereas most simply cover ambulance costs under their hospital or extras products.
While ambulance services are free to Queensland residents, once the ambulance gets you to the hospital, you may need cover for any further medical assistance you’re given, depending on factors like the hospital you go to and the types of treatment you receive. This means you may want to consider having a high-quality health insurance policy in place, just in case.
The table below displays a snapshot of 5-Star hospital & extras policies on Canstar’s database with links to providers’ websites, sorted by provider name (alphabetically). Please note the results are based on a young couple (aged under 35) in NSW.
Access to ambulance services for QLD residents – how it works
Receiving ambulance assistance or transport within QLD
If you or one of your dependents requires ambulance assistance and/or transport within the state of Queensland, that service will be provided for free if at least one of you is a Queensland resident. This is because the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) is fully funded by the Queensland Government.
Receiving ambulance assistance or transport outside QLD
The Queensland Government explains that if you or one of your dependants receives ambulance assistance or transport outside of Queensland, you will receive an invoice for these services which you can then forward to the QAS for payment. In doing so, you may need to provide proof that you are a Queensland resident, for example by supplying a current copy of your driver’s licence or a recent bank statement showing your address.
However, as mentioned above, any additional care could come at a cost to you, you so may want to take out a health insurance policy to help cover those additional costs. You can compare health insurance products with Canstar.
Are visitors to Queensland covered for ambulance services?
Non-Queensland residents are typically not eligible for free ambulance services within Queensland, and may be responsible for paying the costs of any QAS services provided to them, with a handful of exceptions as outlined by the Queensland Government.
New South Wales residents
NSW residents may be eligible to have any ambulance assistance received in Queensland paid for if:
- They hold a pensioner or healthcare card, in which case the Ambulance Service of NSW can pay your account
- They hold basic hospital cover in NSW, in which case an ambulance levy is included as part of their premium and they can forward the invoice to their health fund for payment
ACT residents
ACT residents who are covered for interstate ambulance services through their private health insurer will be able to forward an invoice for ambulance services provided to their health fund.
Victorian residents
Victorian residents may be eligible to have any ambulance services received paid for by Ambulance Victoria if they:
- Hold a pensioner or health care concession card, or
- Are an Ambulance Victoria member, or
- Are covered for interstate ambulance services through a private health insurer
Tasmanian residents
Tasmanian residents may be eligible to have any ambulance services they receive paid for if they are covered for interstate ambulance services through a private health insurer.
South Australian residents
South Australian residents may be eligible to have the costs of any ambulance services received paid for if they:
- Are a South Australia Ambulance Service member with interstate ambulance cover, or
- Are covered for interstate ambulance services through a private health insurer
Western Australian residents
Western Australian residents may be eligible to have any ambulance services received paid for if they are covered for interstate ambulance services through a private health insurer.
Northern Territory residents
Northern Territory residents may be eligible to have any ambulance services received paid for if they:
- Are a St John Ambulance Service subscription scheme member, or
- Are covered for interstate ambulance services through a private health insurer
Additionally, any individual who holds a Gold Card issued by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) is also covered for the costs of any ambulance services received in Queensland. If this applies to you, the Queensland Government says you should provide the QAS with your DVA file number.
Expats and other international visitors
Expats and other international visitors who do not live in Australia are encouraged by the Queensland Government to get in touch with a travel agent to discuss potential options for ambulance cover while spending time in the state.
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