Account Information

Your hospital account includes the costs associated with your hospital stay including accommodation, theatre fees and any prostheses used.

No, you will receive separate accounts from your doctor, physician, surgeon and anesthetist. If applicable, you may also receive accounts for allied health services and ambulance fees. Diagnostic services such as medical imaging (x-ray) and pathology will be billed separately to your hospital account and are claimable from Medicare and your private health insurance. There may be ‘out of pocket expenses’ payable. This may be ‘capped’ by your health fund. Costs of medications you are taking prior to your admission and dispensed by Neerim Health pharmacy while an inpatient, and medications supplied to you on discharge, are not covered by your health fund and are payable on discharge. Medications required during your stay are included in your hospital account. Some ‘high cost’ medications will be charged to you, however this will be discussed with you prior to treatment. In some situations, there may be a gap payable on certain prosthetic items. This will be discussed with you prior to surgery. Interstate, international and mobile telephone calls, guest meals, late discharge fee and ‘sleep over’ fees are not covered in your hospital account and are payable on discharge. No charges are made for local calls.

It is recommended that you contact your health fund prior to admission to check your hospital cover and confirm your benefit limitations that are not covered and are therefore your responsibility.

These costs are payable on admission to hospital.

If you have recently joined your health fund, upgraded your level of cover or transferred from another fund, you may have a waiting period before full benefits apply. Waiting periods may also apply if you are being admitted to hospital for treatment of a pre-existing ailment.

You will be required to bring your health insurance payments up-to-date, in order to receive full benefits. If this does not occur, your account will be treated as uninsured and you will be required to pay the estimated costs of your account prior to or on admission.

As a gold/white cardholder, you are fully covered for your hospitalisation (shared room only) costs and any diagnostic accounts. However, where you are allocated a single room at your own request you will required to pay a fee each night. White cardholders are required to have prior approval to ensure their admission will be covered. Should you choose to come into hospital as a private patient under your private health insurance and hold a Veterans’ Affairs’ gold card, you will be billed for your diagnostic accounts and are required to claim them from Medicare and your private heath fund.

During your stay in hospital, Neerim Health will pay for new medicines prescribed by your doctor for use in hospital. Some ‘high cost’ medications will be charged to you, however this will have been discussed with you prior to admission where possible. Medicines prescribed for you prior to your admission to hospital are not the responsibility of the hospital. You are asked to bring these with you, in their original containers. Prescriptions dispensed for these drugs will be charged to you. Medicines prescribed for use following discharge will be charged to you.

Patient Accounts staff can be contacted on (03) 5628 1226 or via info@neerimhealth.org.au

If you are not privately insured, you will be required to pay the estimated costs of your hospitalisation prior to or on admission. Staff from the Patient Services Department will provide you with an estimate of these costs based on information provided by your doctor. In some instances, your account may vary from the estimated costs (e.g. if you stay in hospital longer, or the doctor performs extra procedures or prosthesis items). This additional payment is required on discharge.

You will be required to provide evidence of acceptance of your claim (including claim number, contact person and other relevant details). Where approval has been given, your account will be forwarded to your employer/insurer for payment. If your claim has not been accepted (or is not yet determined) your account will be treated as uninsured and you will be responsible for payment of the estimated costs. Please note: Once approved, you are fully covered for theatre costs and accommodation in a ward or share room. However, where you are allocated a single room at your own request you will be required to pay a fee per night. It does not automatically follow that you will receive approval for a period of hospitalisation even though you may have been covered under the same claim for previous visits. Each hospitalisation must be approved by the employer/ insurer.

Neerim Health does not accept any form of overseas health insurance. Prior to your hospitalisation, you should obtain an estimate of expenses from the Patient Services Department; this account must be paid on admission. On discharge, a detailed account will be supplied for you to claim from your overseas insurance. Any diagnostic services must be paid on discharge.