Payment/ACC
Payment is required for all procedures/surgery – payment can be by the individual or on their behalf from another source (i.e. Insurer/ACC). Please discuss costs with your surgeon/their practice nurse if you have not been given sufficient information regarding any costs and payments required.
It is important that you have made your arrangements for the funding of your surgery/procedure prior to admission.
If you are paying personally for your surgery, you will be responsible for the payment of accounts after you are discharged. There are usually three accounts – one from the hospital, one from the surgeon and one from the anaesthetist. If you are required to make a prepayment prior to your surgery you will have been advised of this by either your surgeon, their practice nurse or the hospital.
If you have health insurance you need to contact your health insurer to obtain prior approval from the insurer. They are likely to require cost approximations in order to proceed with this. Your insurance will confirm with you if they will accept you for cover and if there is any shortfall that you will be responsible for – you will receive written confirmation of this from the insurer. The amount covered will depend on your policy type with the insurer. In most instances, you will be required to submit three accounts (hospital, surgeon and anaesthetist) with a claim form to your insurance company who will pay us directly. The insurance company will advise you if there is a shortfall that you will be required to pay to us directly. You will also receive an account from us showing the amount your insurance company has paid to the hospital and the balance left owing by you to us.
If you are with Southern Cross Healthcare, some procedures are covered by an affiliated provider contract they have negotiated with us. Your surgeon will have told you if this applies to you and what you need to do to action this. In order for the application to be completed between the hospital and Southern Cross Healthcare on your behalf, we will need your Southern Cross Membership number. Depending on your policy there may be some cost that you are responsible for. You will be advised of this amount by your insurance company and the hospital. Any shortfall/co-payment/excess needs to be paid on admission to the hospital.
If you are covered by the Accident Compensation Corporation you will have received a letter of approval from them for the specific surgery/procedure.
If your surgery has been booked with us by a public hospital the costs will be covered by the hospital that arranged your admission.
Payments can be made by direct credit, cheque – made payable to Boulcott Hospital Limited, EFTPOS and all major credit cards.