‘Something has got to give’: Pensioners won’t call ambulances due to cost of living crisis
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In the golden years of life, one would hope to enjoy the fruits of a lifetime's labour without the shadow of financial worry looming overhead.
However, for many South Australian pensioners, the rising cost of living has cast a long and troubling shadow, particularly regarding healthcare emergencies.
Some seniors, like 78-year-old Dee O'Loughlin, hesitate before dialling for life-saving assistance because they fear incurring hefty ambulance fees.
Dee, a sprightly and passionate dancer, faced a harrowing health scare last year when she developed pneumonia.
With a soaring temperature and her consciousness wavering, she contemplated whether to call a taxi instead of an ambulance to avoid the daunting costs.
‘I had a temperature over 40, and I was a bit in and out of being aware,’ she recounted.
‘I had thought I needed to go to the hospital, but the kids are all interstate, overseas.’
'I kept thinking “I'll just ride it out, I'm not that sick, I'll be alright”.’
It was only by the grace of her brother's timely intervention, who found her and called an ambulance, that she received the urgent care she needed.
But the relief of recovery was quickly overshadowed by the arrival of a nearly $1,200 bill for the ambulance service, followed by an additional $200 for inter-hospital transfers.
'Your heart plummets, and you start juggling and think “what will I save on?”,’ Dee said.
Dee said some ‘strategies’ that some older South Australians have adopted to cope with the rising costs.
‘If you have a meal in the middle of the day and you're not doing much, you can go without breakfast and just have soup for dinner,’ she said.
‘It sounds really silly, but that's a thing you can economise on.’
The Council on the Ageing (COTA) in SA has recognised this pressing issue and has advocated for the state government to waive ambulance fees for pensioners in their budget submission.
The disparity between states is notable, with Queensland and Tasmania providing complete coverage of ambulance fees for residents and most other states and territories offering free ambulance services for pensioners or pension concession card holders.
In contrast, SA pensioners must apply in writing for concessions after receiving their bills.
Miranda Starke, COTA SA's Chief Executive, has called for the state government to 'level the playing field’.
‘We really think it's time the state government stepped up and levelled the playing field,’ Starke said.
‘Cost of living is going up, rent is going up, mortgages are going up, and more older people are retiring with a mortgage than ever before.’
‘Something has got to give.’
Data suggested that eliminating ambulance fees does not lead to increased misuse of the service, as the triage system ensures that only genuine emergencies result in call-outs.
‘We understand on the face of it, it sounds like a really scary, big proposition,’ Starke said.
‘In the same way that we don't ask people to pay for the police to come and help them in an emergency, ambulance is something that many older people rely on as an essential service.’
Treasurer Stephen Mullighan pointed out that SA Ambulance Service offers discounted memberships for pensioners.
The membership covers both emergency and non-emergency transportation and is priced at $58 for individuals and $115 for families eligible for pensions.
But for many, like Dee, the cost of membership is still a luxury that falls behind other pressing expenses.
‘The $58, you think 'I'll do that when I get that little cushion' and keep your fingers crossed,’ Dee said.
As the budget looms, there is no clear indication that ambulance fees will be addressed, leaving many seniors in limbo.
Greens MLC Robert Simms believes the government can tackle these costs, stating, 'Budgets are all about choices.'
‘This is a government that is putting billions of dollars into road projects,’ he added.
‘It could put the money into this, particularly in the middle of an economic crisis…and a health crisis.’
Aside from hospital fees, waiting times in the emergency department also illustrate the flaws of Australia’s healthcare system.
In a previous story, a woman had to wait outside the emergency department for over two hours, and she wasn’t given prompt medical attention by the staff.
Due to this lack of attention, she felt ‘degraded'. You can read more about the story here.
Have you or someone you know been affected by the cost of ambulance services? Let us know in the comments below.
However, for many South Australian pensioners, the rising cost of living has cast a long and troubling shadow, particularly regarding healthcare emergencies.
Some seniors, like 78-year-old Dee O'Loughlin, hesitate before dialling for life-saving assistance because they fear incurring hefty ambulance fees.
Dee, a sprightly and passionate dancer, faced a harrowing health scare last year when she developed pneumonia.
With a soaring temperature and her consciousness wavering, she contemplated whether to call a taxi instead of an ambulance to avoid the daunting costs.
Hefty ambulance fees have become a looming problem for pensioners in SA. credit: Shutterstock
‘I had a temperature over 40, and I was a bit in and out of being aware,’ she recounted.
‘I had thought I needed to go to the hospital, but the kids are all interstate, overseas.’
'I kept thinking “I'll just ride it out, I'm not that sick, I'll be alright”.’
It was only by the grace of her brother's timely intervention, who found her and called an ambulance, that she received the urgent care she needed.
But the relief of recovery was quickly overshadowed by the arrival of a nearly $1,200 bill for the ambulance service, followed by an additional $200 for inter-hospital transfers.
'Your heart plummets, and you start juggling and think “what will I save on?”,’ Dee said.
Dee said some ‘strategies’ that some older South Australians have adopted to cope with the rising costs.
‘If you have a meal in the middle of the day and you're not doing much, you can go without breakfast and just have soup for dinner,’ she said.
‘It sounds really silly, but that's a thing you can economise on.’
The Council on the Ageing (COTA) in SA has recognised this pressing issue and has advocated for the state government to waive ambulance fees for pensioners in their budget submission.
The disparity between states is notable, with Queensland and Tasmania providing complete coverage of ambulance fees for residents and most other states and territories offering free ambulance services for pensioners or pension concession card holders.
In contrast, SA pensioners must apply in writing for concessions after receiving their bills.
Miranda Starke, COTA SA's Chief Executive, has called for the state government to 'level the playing field’.
‘We really think it's time the state government stepped up and levelled the playing field,’ Starke said.
‘Cost of living is going up, rent is going up, mortgages are going up, and more older people are retiring with a mortgage than ever before.’
‘Something has got to give.’
Data suggested that eliminating ambulance fees does not lead to increased misuse of the service, as the triage system ensures that only genuine emergencies result in call-outs.
‘We understand on the face of it, it sounds like a really scary, big proposition,’ Starke said.
‘In the same way that we don't ask people to pay for the police to come and help them in an emergency, ambulance is something that many older people rely on as an essential service.’
Treasurer Stephen Mullighan pointed out that SA Ambulance Service offers discounted memberships for pensioners.
The membership covers both emergency and non-emergency transportation and is priced at $58 for individuals and $115 for families eligible for pensions.
But for many, like Dee, the cost of membership is still a luxury that falls behind other pressing expenses.
‘The $58, you think 'I'll do that when I get that little cushion' and keep your fingers crossed,’ Dee said.
As the budget looms, there is no clear indication that ambulance fees will be addressed, leaving many seniors in limbo.
Greens MLC Robert Simms believes the government can tackle these costs, stating, 'Budgets are all about choices.'
‘This is a government that is putting billions of dollars into road projects,’ he added.
‘It could put the money into this, particularly in the middle of an economic crisis…and a health crisis.’
Aside from hospital fees, waiting times in the emergency department also illustrate the flaws of Australia’s healthcare system.
In a previous story, a woman had to wait outside the emergency department for over two hours, and she wasn’t given prompt medical attention by the staff.
Due to this lack of attention, she felt ‘degraded'. You can read more about the story here.
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….can’t feel it but it’s there anyway…..
