If you end up in emergency at a private hospital or elect to be seen as a private patient in a public hospital, there’s a couple of different costs that can be confusing.
- Private hospital emergency fees
- Hospital excess if you’re admitted as a private patient
- Any outpatient fees if you’re not admitted
- Costs for any prescriptions or other services
If you attend a public hospital, it’s your right to be seen as a public patient. If you receive treatment as a public patient in a public hospital emergency department, these fees are covered by Medicare.
Emergency fees
Some private hospitals offer an emergency ward. Many of these hospitals charge a fee to patients to be seen in their emergency department. Frank can’t pay these fees as they are not covered by Medicare and part of your health cover.
Hospital excess
If eligible, private hospital insurance covers you when you’re formally admitted to a hospital as a private patient. You will have to pay an excess upon admission.
What is an excess?
An excess is the amount you pay when you are admitted to hospital as a private patient. Excess fees allow us to keep your membership premiums low. The most you’ll pay for your excess is $750 per person per year (up to a max of $1500 for a family).
Cover in hospital
Private hospital insurance covers you if you are admitted formally into a facility as a private patient. Once you are admitted to a ward (not just monitoring in emergency), you become an ‘inpatient’. Once you’re an inpatient, your eligible frank health insurance covers the cost of your stay including things like medical needs, theatre and equipment. These are charged directly to Frank.
If you visit an emergency department, but you are not admitted after being assessed you will be considered an outpatient and any associated costs won’t be paid for by frank.
Learn more about visits to hospital with Frank’s Going to Hospital guide.
