Ambulance Ride

[Spectro shire]

so my sister got charged $600 for an ambulance ride to the hospital on top of $500 her insurance already paid for?

What kind of bloody country do we live in where we have to pay to use the ambulance?

It's like "Oh, I'm sorry you might be dying, please give up $1100 for the ride." Take a taxi next time, it will be cheaper.

 

[afar28]

That's a stupid idea (paying to use the ambulance). Don't hospitals get enough money without the ambulance fee? Hope your sister is ok.

 

[mouse_luv]

Many Ambulance Companies run separate from the hospital, as in the hospital doesn't own them. They are a separate entity and they have to pay their employees wages somehow. I don't agree that it should be that high, for example I had to be transported 8miles in an ambulance once, my bill came and it was 800 bucks. While it was sticker shock for sure, I would have rather not died in my car along the road violently ill. I paid the 800.

 

[Spectro shire]

She's fine. Just an allergic reaction

 

[flynnibus]

Insurance != health care

Is it fair insurance doesn't pay what it will really cost to fix my house?

The ambulance isn't a public service everywhere. Private companies are very common.. as most health care (and hospitals) are private industry - not Government.

 

[The Mom]

Was she admitted to the hospital? That seems to be a dividing line - if you aren't sick enough to be admitted, then it wasn't enough of an "emergency" to to be transported by ambulance.

I don't think any hospitals still have their own ambulance service - mine certainly did not back in the 60s/70s. I know my parents had to call 911 from time to time, and admission made the difference between paying/not paying.

 

[flynnibus]

I don't think any hospitals still have their own ambulance service - mine certainly did not back in the 60s/70s. I know my parents had to call 911 from time to time, and admission made the difference between paying/not paying.

That's a good point.. that is also the difference between paying an ER fee for most insurances.

I think the traditional thought is Ambulances are like the Fire Company.. and in many places they are part of the fire company, or at least part of the ambulances in service are. But I know in a lot of places they are augmented by private services.

If you think that fee stings.. wait until you need an airlift! My daughter had to be evac'd to another hospital in an emergency.. the bill was 24k for a 15min flight.

 

[The Mom]

Most rescue squads are still part of the Fire dept around here - if you call 911, you'll get them. But they do charge if your insurance doesn't pay - and insurance might not pay if you aren't admitted. The private companies are used for transportation in non-emergency situations, such as transportation to a nursing home, transport between hospitals, etc. They have equipment in case of a problem, of course.

But most hospitals have not had their own ambulance service in decades - patients are brought in by county/city paramedics who are usually part of fire/rescue.

BTW, make sure your sister alerts the insurance company to the charge - it's possible that the ambulance company sent her a bill before the insurance company paid them, and she doesn't owe it.

 

[fireman17]

Okay I must have to add in here being in emergency services. Now the ambulance that took your sister to the hospital was it from your local fire department or a private service? If it was from your local fire dept.(volunteer) they charge the amount because insurance companies do not cover emergency transport by ambulance and depending on town by town basis the charge is different.
The service that provides transport in the area that I work in is a "non profit" group with paid personnel and it's a $600 trip to the ER and, if a paramedic rides and does any intervention the bill can rise to over $1000. Now go across to another town and it's different my FIL was transported to the local ER by the local volunteer ambulance and the charge was $1000.
Now here is the kick in the pants with my work. We provide ambulance on our base but, do not provide it to our base housing area unless the local ambulance service can't get an ambulance out then, and only then does our ambulance respond and when we transport anyone to the hospital we do not charge as we are a Government service. It burns my butt (no pun intended) but to me our service members deserve a free service by us to them for their service to our country. But, the local ambulance service would rather collect their $600 a transport than give up the area to us to provide our own service.
How's that for our troops.....

 

[The Mom]

I have not used fire/rescue in over 6 years, so our county may very well be charging now due to budget cuts.
I just remember my parents getting a bill, paying it (I took care of their financials) and getting a check back from the county because insurance had paid it. Then, another time when my father was not admitted (just IVs and some antibiotics) they had to pay out of pocket. The rest of the time (EMTs called due to each having a broken hip at different times, and one heart attack) they were not billed at all.
The fact that they were receiving Medicare might have made a difference?

 

[wiigirl]

She's fine. Just an allergic reaction

Well...thats atleast a plus

 

[Master Yoda]

I have not used fire/rescue in over 6 years, so our county may very well be charging now due to budget cuts.
I just remember my parents getting a bill, paying it (I took care of their financials) and getting a check back from the county because insurance had paid it. Then, another time when my father was not admitted (just IVs and some antibiotics) they had to pay out of pocket. The rest of the time (EMTs called due to each having a broken hip at different times, and one heart attack) they were not billed at all.
The fact that they were receiving Medicare might have made a difference?

My mothers final trip to the hospital was in December on 2010 and we did get a bill of around $110 that insurance, medicare, etc (she had it all) did not cover.

 

[The Mom]

My mothers final trip to the hospital was in December on 2010 and we did get a bill of around $110 that insurance, medicare, etc (she had it all) did not cover.

I thought that might be the case - the city is now charging for what used to be a "free" service, or no longer covered by insurance.

 

[PUSH]

I know it's bad, but just be thankful that it wasn't MedFlight. That can cost $10,000 for a 50 mile trip.

Sad story alert:
Last Wednesday, four high school students got in a one car crash in the country from speeding. All four had to be MedFlighted to a bigger hospital. Unfortunately one did not make it, even when she was wearing her seat belt. I did not personally know any of the students, but I know people who did, and it has affected our community of small towns greatly.

 

[AgentB911]

If I may elaborate just a bit...

Emergency Services...Police, Fire, EMS, and Dispatch, vary greatly from state to state, county to county, and municipality to municipality. For instance, living in a Commonwealth (PA,) the lowest form of government rules. But, the Commonwealth dictates that local government (ie: the municipality) is responsible for providing, implementing, or otherwise contracting emergency services. The town I live in contracts to a neighboring town for EMS coverage. My town pays an annual fee to the EMS to cover my town. In addition, most EMS (as well as the VFD's) send out subscription cards every year. For $75, me, my family, and any guests are covered, regardless of what insurance does not, should I need assistance from the EMS. If I do not subscribe, any fees that insurance does not cover, I will be responsible for.

As a previous poster stated, the services that EMS provides can easily rise above $1,000. Every item that the EMS uses to treat the patient needs to be replaced. Sheets, pillow cases, blankets, IV needles, tubes, bandages, EKG pads, medications...it all needs replaced and this all costs money. There's also fuel and maintenance costs for the truck itself, as well as the EMT's and Paramedics wages, if it's a paid service. Hard to imagine, but there are still volunteer EMS services out there.

In addition, most Fire Departments are charging for their services as well. Around here, all the indvidual needs to do is pass the bill onto their insurance company. The FD accepts whatever the insurance pays and waives the remainder, if any.

One thing the original poster can look into is if the local EMS has a subscription fee. Sometimes if you subscribe after using the service, they may waive, or otherwise reduce the remaining portion of the bill. Sorry to hear about your sister and glad everything came out just fine. But please understand that the ambulance isn't stocked for free and doesn't get free fuel.

 

[The Mom]

If I may elaborate just a bit...

Emergency Services...Police, Fire, EMS, and Dispatch, vary greatly from state to state, county to county, and municipality to municipality. For instance, living in a Commonwealth (PA,) the lowest form of government rules. But, the Commonwealth dictates that local government (ie: the municipality) is responsible for providing, implementing, or otherwise contracting emergency services. The town I live in contracts to a neighboring town for EMS coverage. My town pays an annual fee to the EMS to cover my town. In addition, most EMS (as well as the VFD's) send out subscription cards every year. For $75, me, my family, and any guests are covered, regardless of what insurance does not, should I need assistance from the EMS. If I do not subscribe, any fees that insurance does not cover, I will be responsible for.

As a previous poster stated, the services that EMS provides can easily rise above $1,000. Every item that the EMS uses to treat the patient needs to be replaced. Sheets, pillow cases, blankets, IV needles, tubes, bandages, EKG pads, medications...it all needs replaced and this all costs money. There's also fuel and maintenance costs for the truck itself, as well as the EMT's and Paramedics wages, if it's a paid service. Hard to imagine, but there are still volunteer EMS services out there.

In addition, most Fire Departments are charging for their services as well. Around here, all the indvidual needs to do is pass the bill onto their insurance company. The FD accepts whatever the insurance pays and waives the remainder, if any.

One thing the original poster can look into is if the local EMS has a subscription fee. Sometimes if you subscribe after using the service, they may waive, or otherwise reduce the remaining portion of the bill. Sorry to hear about your sister and glad everything came out just fine. But please understand that the ambulance isn't stocked for free and doesn't get free fuel.

I don't think anyone thinks that the services are "free." But at one time my county property taxes were sufficient to cover the cost - but apparently not anymore. No subscription is available where I live - but it's an urban area (relatively speaking) where having a subscription service might be impossible to oversee.

 

[shuflemstr]

When I tried to overdose my friend called 911 and the ambulance company charged me $1200 just to respond to my house using lights and siren then $800 to take me to the hospital. I thought that was too much

 

[AgentB911]

I don't think anyone thinks that the services are "free." But at one time my county property taxes were sufficient to cover the cost - but apparently not anymore. No subscription is available where I live - but it's an urban area (relatively speaking) where having a subscription service might be impossible to oversee.

I also live in an urban area. Managing subscriptions in an urban area is completely possible. Especially if the EMS contracts out to a third party company for billing purposes, which most do. Those that don't have sufficient front office staff to oversee billing.