Claim an exemption from NSW ambulance fees

Introduction

The cost of NSW ambulance services are not covered by Medicare. If you need to use an ambulance there is a fee attached, unless you meet the exemption criteria.

Note: When you receive an invoice for your ambulance use, you claim your exemption via the Ambulance Service website's 'My Invoice' page, where you're able to:

• access a summary of your invoice
• make your payment, or
• request an exemption from paying.

Eligibility

You will be exempted from paying the ambulance fee if you:

• hold a:
  • Health Care Card
  • Pensioner Concession Card
  • Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card
  • Gold Card from the Department of Veteran's Affairs (DVA)
  • White Card from the DVA (if the ambulance service was related to the specific condition funded by the DVA)
• have private health fund:
  • hospital cover, or
  • ambulance cover only.

For other exemptions visit the NSW Ambulance website.

What you need

• your payment reference number
• the issue date
• your concession card, or other evidence of your exemption eligibility.

How to claim

1. Check you meet the exemption criteria.
2. Select the 'Manage your invoice' button.
3. Enter your payment reference number and the issue date.
4. Check the 'I'm not a robot' box.
5. Select 'Next'.
6. Follow the prompts and provide your exemption details.

If you need help with claiming your exemption:

• call 1300 655 200, or
• write to:
  NSW Ambulance
  Locked Bag 14
  Rozelle NSW 2039.

More information

If you're having difficulty paying an invoice, or you wish to dispute the charge, you can apply for a fee review. For example, you may:

• believe you're entitled to an exemption
• believe your fee has been inaccurately calculated
• have arranged the ambulance service to help another person
• be financially liable for a patient who has since died after receiving the service
• be finding it difficult to pay the fee
• have some other grounds under the NSW Ambulance Patient Payment (Fee) Review Operating Procedure – PDF.

In cases of hardship, the review may result in one of the following:

• the fee being waived in full or in part
• an instalment plan
• an extension of payment plan
• some other payment arrangement being put in place.