SA Ambulance Service Back-billing

62 62Mrs HURN (Schubert) (12 September 2023). In relation to the back-billing of ambulance patients, how many South Australians in financial stress have made an application for a payment plan?

1. How many have been denied and why?

The Hon. C.J. PICTON (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Wellbeing): I have been advised:

In the financial year 2022-23, approximately 400 ambulance consumers have requested and been put onto varying forms of payment plans.

SA Ambulance Service (SAAS) advises they currently do not record how many consumers have applied for a payment plan and been declined. It is, however, in SAAS's experience, a rare occurrence.

SAAS aims to negotiate and work with consumers to find a solution that is reasonable and feasible to support them to successfully make their payments without causing additional financial stress.