Ambulance

[BAB]

Hi. I’m new here. My 16yr old daughter looks to have Borderline Personality Disorder. She has just returned home after 3 months of being homeless & in shelters & me being out of my brain with worry about whether she might be dead in a ditch somewhere (she has exercised her right to privacy & few professionals have chosen to offer any words of solace at all to me in regards to her wellbeing). However, my Q is: It’s not unlikely that I will need to call an ambulance for my daughter at some stage (she has been suicidal on & off). I have a health care card. Will that cover ambulance for my daughter?

I’m just trying to work out if I need to get ambulance cover. I’m not sure financially what I can manage as I’m still sorting that all out after my husband’s passing 18 months ago. I’m also wondering if I should get private health insurance (though certain I can’t afford it) with the ultimate aim of being able to assist my daughter through the private system (if she is eventually willing) for drug addiction. The public system is purportedly overloaded at the moment. After a suicide attempt 2 weeks ago, my daughter was assessed as being of no risk to herself & released the same day, which I guess kind of confirms it for me.

[Krishna]

Hi @BAB welcome to the forum and I’m sorry to read of the struggles both you and your daughter are facing. I too have a daughter that for many years was homeless, traversing the countryside, sleeping rough and the fear and worry that created for me was emotionally exhausting. She would simply after months away, show up on my doorstep very unwell. She suffers from drug induced schizophrenia. I purchased ambulance cover and was about $100 for the year and well worth the investment as we live in a rural location and the cost of the service would have been close to $500. I hope you’re looking after yourself as best as possible. Take good care 🙏

[Former-Member]

Hi @BAB
Welcome to the forums.
I’m so sorry to hear what you’re going through with your daughter. It’s so hard to see someone we love in so much pain.
Some states in Australia offer free ambulance cover to different groups such as the elderly or people with a healthcare card, but you would need to check what the rules are in your state.
I’m glad you have found the forums. There are lots of people here who support loved ones at different stages of their recovery. Please take a look around and keep posting 🙂

[Former-Member]

Hi @BAB, welcome to the forums! I hope you find our special community very supportive ❤️ 

It sounds like a really big time for you and your family ❤️ It's a real strength of yours to be planning for the longer-term and your daughter is really lucky to have that ❤️ 

You could call the ambulance service for your state to see if there is a membership available? I know in some states it's really low (eg. about $45 for a year in Victoria) and might be less than private insurance?

There might be something in this thread for info on private insurance

[ExhaustedCarer]

My brother (alcohol use disorder and in treatment) has had to use ambulances countless times. He has recently been looking into private health coverage. While he has been well-served by our public system and our values are aligned with public health, he himself has been saying private health is something he is really interested in and wants to put his (admittedly not much) money towards especially insofar as rehabs, psych stuff and ambulances. The fact that he can see the value and is thinking it could have been helpful previously (this is a 20 year+ addiction issue) is telling. Not sure if your health card would cover (others will absolutely know) but certainly extras on private help is useful for this. Again, ideal world is public system could offer everything we need (and in a crisis that can be the case), but if you’re planning around high & complex health needs, I think it’s probably worth it. 

[Tiredmumtrying]

I feel for you. Personally I have a 19 yr old daughter with severe depression, who was recently very suicidal for several months. After struggling with depression for 5 years she finally decided she needed help, and accepted entering a private clinic for a month. We have private heath (it was bronze level but you can bump it up to gold once with no wait period, that is law in australia now), and I was amazed at what was covered. The stay cost more than $20 000 and we only had to pay the gap of $750. This is a once a year gap payment apparently, so if she needs to return this year I have been told it wont cost any more. I was amazed and now feel if you can pay the premium it is worth it, as the comparison with public mental health treatment is night and day. My girl wouldn't have made it I don't believe. I wish you luck.