Private patients

On admission to the RAH or any Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) site or service, you can elect to be treated as a private patient, using your private health insurance.

Hospital staff are available to answer any questions you may have on admission, can assist you to complete the necessary forms and help you make an informed choice to be admitted as a private patient.

The patient liaison officer can confirm your level of health fund cover, whether you are covered for your hospital stay and find out about any costs relating to your admission as a private patient.

The RAH is a public hospital that provides all patients, public and private, with the highest possible quality and standard of care.

The benefits we receive from your private health insurance fund go directly to improving hospital facilities, updating equipment and providing staff education and training.

To be admitted as a private patient you need to provide:

• your Medicare details
• your private health fund details (if applicable).

By electing to be admitted into the RAH as a private patient you will have:

• no private health insurance co-payments or excesses
• access to single room (if available)
• your choice of doctor (if available).

If you do not have private health insurance, you can still elect to be a self-funded private patient.

As a self-funded private patient, you will be responsible for meeting any costs incurred during your hospital stay not covered by Medicare.

As a private patient you can choose your doctor, provided that the doctor has rights of private practice at the RAH, and is available. Where your doctor of choice is unavailable, you can still experience a private stay in the hospital and be treated by the doctor on duty.

If you have private hospital cover, your health fund should cover the costs associated with your accommodation and prostheses charges during you stay.

Medicare and your health fund will cover 100% of medical service fees if your doctor charges the schedule fee or participates in a Gap Cover Scheme with your health fund.

Medical service fees are fees that may be charged by your doctor, surgeon, anaesthetist, and/or pathology or radiology departments.

Worker or motor vehicle accident compensation: If you have been involved in a work-related incident or motor vehicle accident, which has resulted in your hospitalisation, it is important to advise admitting staff.

Third party of common law claims: If you have an open compensation claim, please advise which insurance company or solicitor is handling your case on admission, so that accounts can be processed accordingly.

The hospital will lodge all claims to Medicare and your health fund on your behalf, where possible.

Once hospital accounts are paid, you will receive a patient claim statement from your health fund providing details of all charges.