The number of Mudgee region patients being pursued for not paying for ambulance trips has increased with about $78,000 currently owed.
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The latest figures from Revenue NSW revealed that 103 ambulance trips in the past six months had not been paid for on time and had been referred to government debt collectors.
A Revenue NSW spokesperson said the figure exceeded the number for the previous three financial years, 2015/16 (9), 2016-17 [69] and the 2017-18 total [25].
The total unpaid debt for Mudgee, Gulgong Rylstone and Kandos was $78,399.61 which included enforcement costs of $33,930.
They arose when people who did not pay and were charged an extra $65 fee recovery charge plus any costs arising from the case.
The total unpaid debt for Mudgee stands at $64,245.99, Gulgong ($10,294.77), Rylstone/Kandos ($3,858.85).
An average ambulance trip costs about $400.
That is based on a $372 call out fee plus $3.35 per kilometre.
It can be covered by taking out private health insurance or paying for ambulance-only cover [about $100 a year for a family].
Pensioners, healthcare card holders and veterans are among those exempt from having to pay the fee.
However, the NSW Ambulance website said 9 per cent [68,000] of people in NSW did not pay every year and were pursued by the State Debt Recovery Office and the Sheriff.
A NSW Ambulance spokesman said 51 per cent of the trip fee was subsidised for NSW residents by the state government.
“The patient call out fee is 100 percent reinvested in NSW Ambulance,” he said.