Informed financial consent
Prior to your admission we will provide an estimate of the gap between your health insurance cover and the hospital costs. Otherwise, the estimate will be provided at the earliest opportunity on or after admission. Please be aware that as the estimate is prepared using information supplied by your admitting doctor, circumstances may arise during the course of your hospitalisation that may result in changes to the estimate.
This estimate covers your hospital account only and we advise that you check your status with your health fund for any exclusions, excess or co-payment applicable to your specific level of cover. Excess and/or co-payments are payable on admission.
Please bring receipts from any previous hospitalisation in the current year.
Payment of your estimated gap is required on or before admission.
Payment Options
- We accept major credit cards, cheque, cash, EFPTOS or direct bank deposit. Please note that many banking institutions have a daily limit of cash withdrawal.
- At pre-admission or on admission, we ask that you supply us with your credit card details which will be entered into our secure system. Any excess or co-payment will be taken at this time.
- If you have already made these payments within the year, please bring your receipts with you to the hospital.
- Extra charges such as ECG's, pharmacy, phone calls and so forth that may not appear on your account before discharge will be made by credit card.
- After receiving payment from your private health fund, any additional costs will be charged to your credit card, for example there may be items that the health fund will not reimburse.
- Our representative will call you to advise that we are debiting your account for amounts greater than $500. A copy of your receipt detailing all payments will be forwarded to you along with the full finalised account.
Privately insured patients
Ensure that your private health insurance is up to date, as co-payments, excess and costs for excluded procedures are your responsibility. On your behalf St Vincent’s Private Hospital will check whether you have an excess, co-payment to pay or if your level of cover or waiting period excludes you from receiving benefits for some conditions.
Uninsured patients
If you do not have health insurance you will be required to pay the full estimate of your account on, or before the day of admission. Fees for additional or unplanned services are payable on, or after the day of your discharge.
Prosthesis
We strongly advise that you discuss with your doctor prior to admission if any prosthesis or medical devices are planned and whether they will incur a gap-payment. The hospital will charge this gap payment to you.
Veterans
The hospital will ensure that prior approval is received for all White Card holders. Veterans’ Affairs patients who hold Gold Cards do not require approval prior to admission. As the Department of Veterans’ Affairs does not cover veterans for private room accommodation, a daily gap payment will apply if a private room is requested. St Vincent’s Private Hospital will provide an estimate of potential out of pocket expenses.
Accounts from your doctor and specialist consultants
Your doctor, the assistant, the anaesthetist and any other specialist consultant involved in your care will send their accounts separately. All these bills should be settled directly. Medicare and your health fund may cover a proportion of the account.
Medical imaging and pathology costs
Medical imaging and pathology accounts are not covered in the hospital costs and will be billed separately. These accounts should be settled directly. Medicare and your health fund may cover a portion of the account
Pharmacy costs
Medications supplied to patients during their hospital stay and for discharge may result in a cost to the patient depending on their health fund coverage. If eligible for subsidised medicines, please supply the card and details on admission.
Settling the account
Before you leave St Vincent’s Private Hospital you will need to settle your hospital account. For planned discharges our patient services representative may visit you in your room to provide a preliminary account and to answer any queries. If you are not visited by our patient services representative please ensure you call into the discharge area on level four to settle your account.
Health insurance
If you have private health insurance we will submit a benefits claim form on your behalf. Following the submission of your claim any out of pocket expenses not covered will need to be paid. If we have your credit card details on file the outstanding amount will be taken from your credit card, otherwise an account will be sent to you in the mail. We will call you to authorise any deduction greater than $500.
St Vincent’s Private Hospital has reached agreements with most major health funds to meet the cost of some services such as physiotherapy. However, not all funds cover these costs. Please contact your health fund to confirm their coverage of these services.
Workers’ compensation
If you are a workers’ compensation patient whose claim has been accepted by the insurance company and you occupied a shared room, you need only pay for any phone, fax or personal laundry charges incurred. If you request a single room a surcharge will be payable by you and not the insurance company.
Methods of payment
We accept payment in cash, by major credit card, bank transfer, cheque or traveler’s cheques in Australian dollars. St Vincent’s Private Hospital has EFTPOS facilities; please note that most banking facilities have a $1,000 per day limit on EFTPOS withdrawals.
Should you have any questions about your account after discharge contact our Patient Accounts Department on +612 8382 7406.
Personal cheques
Personal cheques up to $1,000 are acceptable for any patient who is required to pay excess or co-payment on admission. No personal cheques will accepted on the day of admission from patients who are required to pay up front, that is patients with no health fund, are from overseas or who may have restrictions with their health cover.
Up front payments
An up front payment is for patients with no health fund, those who are from overseas or who may have restrictions with their health cover. On the day of admission any patient who is required to pay up front may pay by cash or bank cheque only. If you wish to pay by personal cheque or EFT transaction this must be arranged with the accounts department and cleared by 5 pm the day before admission.
Questions about your account
Patient accounts staff are more than happy to assist with any questions you may have about your account. For all account enquiries call the Revenue Department on +612 8382 7406.