After hours docters

[Antoinette]

A bit of advice. When you land here take out ambulance cover. In our third week here my son got croup one night. We phoned the local clinic but they were closed. We did not know where else to go so we phoned the ambulance. They were there in 5 minutes and took him to the only after hours facility which was in town about 40km's away. The ambulance cost us A$890. It is not covered by medicare.

Afterwards I asked around and there is indeed no after hours facility in our town so in case of an emergency you have to phone the ambulance. South Australia offers ambulance cover for a family for a year for A$150.

[Enrica]

I think that the only state that has automatic ambulance cover is Queensland...perhaps someone can confirm this.

WA , you defintly need ambulance cover, as a little trip to the hospital less than 8kms away cost me $550.00!!!Fortunatly my private health cover refunded me the cost.

You never know when you are going to need it.

[polly]

If your child has a tendency to get croup, I would really recommend you get a nebuliser. My kids had croup for a long time and it would drive us around the bend. Always happens between 1 am and 3 am. Mostly I could get it under control with a nebuliser and meds. My house dr was really udnerstanding and gave me a supply since my oldest had it until 9.

Thanks for the advice on ambulance cover. Will talk to hubby about getting it. I am asthmatic, so it is always a risk.

[zorba]

Hi,

You may want to look at taking private health cover for those things that medicare doesn't cover.

We are on a 457 visa with full private cover, but will reduce the cover when we finally get PR and medicare. (This on the advice of our health insurer!)

Who knows, it may even be comparable to your current payment for ambulance cover, and you will be protected for so much more.

zorba