Pensioner stunned after receiving $1471 ambulance bill

Barbara Collett was stunned when she recieved a $1471 bill for an ambulance ride to transfer her partner to Christchurch for surgery. Photo / File

A Greymouth pensioner is stunned after receiving a $1471 bill for an ambulance ride to transfer her partner, who suffers from dementia, to Christchurch for surgery which didn't proceed.

Barbara Collett said she was going public on behalf of other people their age who would be hurt by such bills.

"If they've got no money, how are they going to get home?" Mrs Collett said.

Her partner is a resident in the hospital wing at Kowhai Manor rest home. After being admitted to Grey Base Hospital in April and told he needed surgery, he was later transferred from the rest home to Christchurch Hospital by St John.

The operation did not take place, apparently at his own request.

"Imagine my surprise when I received an invoice from St John for $1471.99 to be paid by June 11 for travel expenses," Mrs Collett said.

"Why should I have to pay such a huge sum of money when my partner is a subsidised resident [of Kowhai Manor] and I am a superannuitant?"

She said she would have preferred the operation to be done in Greymouth, noting those travelling as a support person had to pay for their own accommodation in a motel.

She would not have minded contributing to the ambulance trip, but the size of the bill left her shocked.

"What is this hospital of Greymouth going to provide for the elderly of our town after the so-called rebuild? Nothing," she said, referring to plans for a new $67 million Greymouth Hospital.

The invoice says the charge is for an ambulance trip covering 237km.

"St John is a charity and relies on the prompt payment of charges for ambulance services to help fund our ambulance operations and continue to support you and your communities," a note on the invoice says.

St John spokesman Ian Henderson responded today that the invoice was correct and that a patient transfer had been ordered to transfer the patient to Christchurch.

"This was a private hire, and as such the charge is correct," Mr Henderson said.

Information on the St John website says "private hire" between 101km and 400km is charged at the rate of $6.21 per kilometre.

- GSR