The Federal, State and Territory Governments fund core palliative care services so that they are free in the public health system, (as these costs are normally covered by Medicare), whether you receive care at home or in a public setting.
Private health insurance may also be an option. However, this may not always be the case, as it will depend on your particular health insurance policy, so please check the fine print. It is important to find out as soon as possible who pays for what.
For example, your private health fund may include cover for home nursing, as part of your hospital cover. This means that you can be treated by a nursing service as a private patient. Check your policy carefully.
However, sometimes you may need to contribute to the costs of care.
Some examples include:
- hiring specialised equipment for use at home
- paying for your own nursing staff, if you elect to stay at home and require 24 hour assistance
- paying for complementary therapies, such as massage therapy
- paying an excess, if you have health insurance that covers palliative care and you go to a private hospital
- accessing respite services that may charge a small fee
- paying a dietitian’s fee that isn’t covered by a Medicare rebate.
Please use our Business Directory Search facility if you require assistance in finding ‘Hospices and Palliative Care’ providers in your local area.
