[(Title)] Ambulance costs around Australia: why is it free in some states and not others?.

A good Samaritan in Melbourne who called an ambulance for an injured man yesterday spoke out about being chased by debt collectors seeking payment for the call-out.

墨尔本一位好心的撒玛利亚人为一名受伤男子叫救护车，这名男子被救护车追要支付救护车费用。

But Queenslanders and Tasmanians who read the story may have been confused — in those states, the State Government provides free emergency ambulance services.

但读过这个故事的昆士兰人和塔斯马尼亚人可能会感到困惑 - 在这些州，州政府提供免费的紧急救护服务。

That is not the case across the country.

全国情况并非如此。

A survey by finder.com.au last year found almost 25 per cent of Australians wrongly believed the service was covered by Medicare.

去年Onder.com.au的调查发现，近25%的澳大利亚人错误地认为，这项服务是由医保承担的。

In states other than Queensland and Tasmania, ambulance services are covered either by private health insurance or are out of pocket.

在昆士兰州和塔斯马尼亚州以外的州，救护车服务由私人健康保险或自费的。

The out-of-pocket costs also vary from state to state, with some charging a fee per kilometre and other states charging a single set fee depending on the type of call-out.

各州的自付费用也各不相同，有些州每公里收取费用，而其他州则根据呼叫类型收取单一集费用。

University of New South Wales health sociologist Dr Sophie Lewis said the confusion stemmed from people assuming ambulance calls were covered by the public health system.

新南威尔士大学卫生社会学家苏菲·刘易斯博士说，这种混乱是由于人们假设救护车电话被公共卫生系统覆盖起来的。

"Ambulance is one of those areas that people don't even think about when they take out a policy," Dr Lewis said.

刘易斯博士说：“救护车是人们在制定政策时甚至没有想到的领域之一，”

"It's an area where there is confusion about whether they are or aren't covered.

“这是一个不知道是否被涵盖的混淆地带”。

"So some people will assume that they're covered for ambulance and sort of see it as an extension of the public healthcare system, when in fact in many states it isn't covered."

“因此，有些人会认为他们享有救护车免费服务，并将其视为公共医疗系统的延伸，而事实上在许多州，公共医保并未包含救护车。”

In Victoria, people can choose to apply for Ambulance Victoria membership, paying a fee to receive emergency transport.

在维多利亚州，人们可以选择申请救护车维多利亚州会员，支付费用以享有急救运输。

The annual membership fee in Victoria for a family is $92.05 and $46 for a single person.

维多利亚州一个家庭的年度会员费为92.05美元，单身人士为46美元。

The average cost of an emergency transport in Victoria is more than $1,100, according to their website.

据维多利亚州的网站称，急救运输的平均费用超过1100美元。

But the cost can also apply if someone else calls an ambulance for you — even if you refuse service.

但如果其他人叫救护车来接你，也需要费用，即使你拒绝服务。

Coastal Victorian resident Michael said his 21-year-old son had just finished a difficult surf when a concerned passer-by called him an ambulance.

维多利亚海岸的居民迈克尔(Michael)说他21岁的儿子刚刚经历了一场艰难的冲浪，一位有关的路人给他打电话叫了救护车。

Although his son refused service, he was still hit with a $500 bill for the call-out.

尽管他的儿子拒绝服务，但他仍然被开出了500美元帐单。

"I guess it's also an awareness thing for people," Michael said.

“我猜这也是人们意识上的事，”迈克尔说。

"How important it is to get the cover, but also, not just that but that there's times when an ambulance gets called — not by you — and you've got to pay the bill.

获得保险是多么重要，但不仅如此，而且有时救护车被召唤 - 但不是由你 - 你也必须支付账单。”

"I don't get that."

"我不明白。"

Victoria, New South Wales, the NT and the ACT provide free ambulance cover for pensioners and low-income earners,

维多利亚州、新南威尔士州、北部地区和澳大利亚首都地区为领取养恤金者和低收入者提供免费救护车保险，

but most Australians will be stung with a large call-out fee and a per kilometre charge if they don't have health insurance or ambulance cover.

但是大多数澳大利亚人要支付高额救护车费用，如果他们没有医疗保险或救护车保险。

Some states will waive an ambulance charge for people who meet certain criteria.

有些州会免除那些符合某些标准的人的救护车费。

Australian National University Associate Professor Michael Eburn said ambulance charges vary depending on the jurisdiction.

澳大利亚国立大学副教授迈克尔·埃伯恩说，救护车收费因管辖范围不同而不同。

"In NSW for example, the debt is actually proceeded with as if it's a fine and it goes through the state debt recovery office and various steps are taken to enforce it," he said.

他说，“例如，在新南威尔士州，债务实际上就像是罚款一样，并通过国家债务追偿办公室，并采取各种措施加以执行。”

According to the Ambulance Service of NSW, ambulance fees are based on a call-out charge plus a per-kilometre charge.

据新南威尔士州救护车服务公司称，救护车费是根据呼叫费加上每公里收费计算的。

Kilometres are based on the round trip between the ambulance station, pick-up address, destination and return to the ambulance station, according to the Ambulance NSW website.

根据《新南威尔士救护车网站》，公里是以救护站之间的往返、接送地址、目的地和返回救护站为基础的。

NSW residents will only be billed for 51 per cent of the actual charge with the State Government subsidising the remainder.

新南威尔士州居民只有51%的实际费用须向州政府支付，其余部分则由政府补贴。

If you live in Western Australia, you need to pay similar cover as Victorians, and any costs will be paid by the patient.

如果你住在西澳大利亚州，你需要支付与维多利亚州人类似的费用，任何费用都由病人支付。

St John Ambulance in WA list fees ranging between $473 for a patient transfer vehicle and $967 for a life-threatening or urgent call-out.

西澳大利亚州圣约翰救护车列出的病人转运车费用为473美元，紧急呼叫费用为967美元。

In Western Australia those over the age of 65 who receive a pension are entitled to free service, while those who don't receive a pension but are still over 65 get a 50 per cent discount.

在西澳大利亚州，65岁以上领取养恤金的人有权享受免费服务，而那些没有领取养恤金但仍在65岁以上的人有权享受50%的折扣。

Similarly in the Northern Territory, you have to pay based on a call-out fee and a per-kilometre fee.

同样，在北部地区，你必须支付一笔服务费和一笔公里费用。

Alternatively, paying a subscription to St John Ambulance gets you emergency transport services in the NT.

或者，购买圣约翰救护车可以获得北方地区紧急交通服务。

South Australians also need to pay for ambulance cover, with discounts for pensioners.

南澳大利亚人也需要支付救护车保费，给养恤金领取者打折。

Queensland and Tasmania are the only states where emergency ambulance services are provided free by the State Government.

昆士兰和塔斯马尼亚州是唯一由国家政府免费提供紧急救护服务的州。

Associate Professor Eburn said regardless of stories about big bills, no-one should avoid calling an ambulance because of cost.

埃博恩副教授说，不管那些关于巨额账单的报道，任何人都不应因成本原因就不叫救护车。

"To use a sort of workplace example, there's a visitor in your workplace, they're sitting in your workplace, they're complaining of feeling ill, you want to call an ambulance, they don't want one, what are you going to do?" he said.

他说：“用工作场所的例子来说，办公室来客人，他们坐在你办公室，抱怨感觉不舒服，你想打电话叫救护车，他们不想，你要怎么做？”

"You can't just leave them there. So my view would always be, when in doubt, call an ambulance."

“你不能不管他们，所以我还是会叫救护车。”