Accounts & health insurance
Estimate of costs
Where time allows, the San will provide you with an estimate of costs for your hospital stay, including the gap between this cost and benefits anticipated from your health insurance cover, prior to your admission. As this estimate is prepared using information supplied by your admitting doctor, it is subject to change without notice. Circumstances may also occur during your hospital stay that result in changes to this cost. Fees for some services cannot be estimated prior to your admission. These services will be listed on your estimate.
While no guarantee can be given, every effort will be made to accommodate your room request. If you are allocated a private room, a gap payment will apply if your health insurance cover does not include private room fees.
Payment for your estimated gap is required on or before admission. We offer several options to pay your estimated gap and other accounts.
Costs from your specialist doctor(s)
Specialist doctors, surgical assistants and anaesthetists provide consultations and surgery at the San however they are not hospital employees, and therefore will issue invoices directly to you. You will be responsible for any ‘out of pocket’ expenses for doctors accounts following Medicare and health fund benefits are paid. We recommend you discuss the expected specialist fees for your treatment with your doctor(s) directly before your admission.
For some particular procedures and specialists, the Medicare Benefits Schedule falls well short of the relative value of the procedure as determined by the specialist colleges. You should therefore be aware that there may be a significant difference between your doctor’s fee and the combined Medicare / health fund rebates.
Please let your doctor and your anaesthetist know as soon as possible if your medical bills are to be paid by a third party such as worker’s compensation or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
Privately insured patients
Before you complete your admission forms please check with your private health insurer that your insurance is up to date. We will check on your behalf whether you have an excess or co-payment to pay or if your level of cover or waiting period excludes you from receiving benefits for some conditions. However, it is important that you also check with your private health insurer as co-payments and costs for excluded procedures are your responsibility.
You may be liable for the total cost (or part thereof) of your treatment if any of the following apply:
- Pre-existing condition: a waiting period may apply if your condition was present prior to you joining your health fund or changing cover levels
- Exclusion: where your required procedure is listed as an exclusion under your level of cover
- Basic cover: where your level of cover is insufficient to meet Private Hospital costs
Self-funded patients
Self-funded patients are required to pay the estimated hospital account prior to or on admission to hospital. To obtain a self-funded estimate of costs please complete the form below and email it to estimations@sah.org.au. You will require some information from your admitting doctor in order to complete the form and receive an estimate from our team.
Download our Fee Estimate form
Fees for additional or unplanned services are payable on or following your discharge.
Workers’ compensation and third-party patients
All Workers’ compensation, public liability and third-party patients require approval from their insurer prior to admission. If approval is not received, you will be required to pay the estimated amount on or before the day of admission.
Veterans
While no guarantee can be given, every effort will be made to accommodate your room request. As DVA does not cover veterans for private room accommodation, a gap payment will apply for each day you occupy a private room. All veterans will receive a hospital estimate highlighting the potential out of pocket expenses associated with private room accommodation.
The Hospital will ensure that prior approval is received for all White Card holders. Gold Card Veterans’ Affairs patients do not require approval prior to admission.
If you require transport to or from hospital you may contact the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to make these arrangements.
Account enquiries
For all accounts enquiries please phone (02) 9480 9900. Our staff can be contacted during office hours, Monday to Friday.
Our cashier's hours are Monday to Friday, 9.00am – 4.00pm.