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7/30/2009
Do you know how much an ambulance costs?
How much does an ambulance cost all of us? No, not how much does an ambulance cost you, but how much does an ambulance cost the system, cost all of us?
If you knew the cost, would you think twice before you call 911? If anyone so much as dared suggest you think twice, would you label that as unfair or unwise or uncaring or un-American or some such thing?
I paid $506 for an ambulance last year (and it wasn’t the first time) that shouldn’t have been called in the first place. We know how to take care of the problem when it happens and if necessary, we can provide transport to hospital or clinic. But as has happened in the past, a concerned, surely well-meaning bystander called an ambulance before we could respond.
The point is, if you knew it would be $500, $600, $700 and much more from your wallet – or from somebody’s wallet - every time you called 911, would you, should you think twice about it?
Ambulance fees may be in the news more frequently these days, as municipalities with municipally-operated services will be looking at those ambulances as less controversial (or more hidden?) routes to generate badly-needed revenue. This week it was the Town of Beloit:
Town Fire Chief Dennis Ahrens spoke with the Board of Supervisors Monday about raising the fee by $50 for residents and non-residents.
This would increase the fees to $475 and $575, respectively.
…. Debate stems from how much users should be expected to pay and how much the property taxpayers should contribute...
About half of the town’s ambulance users receive Medicare or Medicaid, and the federal government reimburses the town at a fixed rate that is “substantially less” than what it costs to provide the service, he said. Property taxpayers generally make up the difference. That business of what property taxpayers should contribute is a discussion (an important one) for another day. But for now, here’s another question we need to be asking: Just who makes the decision about sending an ambulance for those Medicare and Medicaid situations? When it’s somebody else’s money, who stops to think about the burden on taxpayers and on all of us who pay health care costs?
I dare say no one.
I can hear it now. Egelhoff, you’re so damned insensitive. How can you deny critically needed health care! to anyone who needs it?
Of course day in and day out there are instances that require immediate care and/or medically-supervised transport. Of course the decision about whether that care and transport are required is not an easy one – and time isn’t always available to scrutinize that decision. Of course.
But should the community reflex reaction always be “Call an ambulance!?” Should someone pause and say in some of those instances “In this situation, do we really need an ambulance?”
Again, I dare say yes, we must begin making better choices about health care utilization – and ”calling an ambulance” is just one of countless examples where ordinary folks like you and me can make a difference.
Jo Egelhoff, FoxPolitics.net
COMMENTS
IF an ambulance is a private provider in contract to the city, that's one thing. To be charged for publicly owned vehicles, be they fire, police, whatever is quite another issue.
To be charged for "use" is a slap in the face. We (the public, thru taxation) already pay for the vehicles, maintainance, insurance and personnel. The only actual additional cost is the fuel.
This typical bureaucratic double tap is becoming the norm nation wide and it's time to stand up to this insanity. We have a 4th of July parade each year in our neighborhood, Colony Oaks.
For years the city provided police and fire vehicle "escort" for the kids. Three years ago they decided they needed hundreds of dollars for the fire vehicle and no police would be available.
We still have the parade but without escorts. I do not fault the departments but I sure as heck do blame the bureaucrats.
Can any of you say, "tea party"?
Steve Wells (Thu Jul 30 07:48:40 2009)
I got charged $900 for an ambulance ride of 9 miles for a heart attack. They ran a test before taking me, then asked if I REALLY thought I was having a heart attack. Their machine, they did not think was working right. The "intern" questioned if they had given nitro, and then the wrong size IV was started. I was told I got standard care with oxygen. I think next time, I'll have a neighbor drive me.
Mike (Thu Jul 30 09:55:07 2009)
If a concerned person calls an ambulance for you that is not needed, can you refuse transport?
David (Thu Jul 30 08:08:19 2009)
David: According to our service here in Appleton (Gold Cross Ambulance), the determination of billing is "situational." The person that calls the ambulance is never billed. If a patient is assessed at the scene (vitals, head to toe review, that kind of thing) but not transported, a minimal charge is billed. Often the taxpayer-paid first responders have already done an assessment so in that case, a charge may not be billed.
Jo (Thu Jul 30 09:55:15 2009)
Steve, I respectfully disagree with what I think you're saying. Just because an ambulance service is publicly owned and operated doesn't mean the taxpayer does or should foot the bill. Yes, in most cases, taxpayers subsidize such a service. And those of us who live in communities in which firefighters and police officers serve as first responders are indeed subsidizing emergency service in those cases. But taxpayers should not be asked to fully subsidize ambulances and medical transport.
Jo (Thu Jul 30 09:58:55 2009)
Perhaps I was not clear in my position. IF it is a public (v. contract) We ALREADY pay for the vehicle, dispatch, personnel, etc. through taxes. Cities don't provide anything. Tax payers do. If it is there and paid for, why should individuals pay for the use of what is already theirs again, thereby paying twice for payroll, etc. Again, the ONLY difference in what I am talking about is the additional fuel.
steve wells (Fri Jul 31 19:23:15 2009)
Good catch. Indeed, taxpayers, not cities, pay for public services. Indeed. There's still the matter of how much a specific service is subsidized by the taxpayer. For example, in many cities, recreation programs are funded partially by taxpayers and partially by user fees. The same would be true of a publicly provided ambulance service. A portion of the cost of the service (fuel, equipment depreciation, labor) might be paid for by the taxpayer and a portion of the revenue may (should, I believe, in the case of ambulance service) come via user fees, i.e., charges for service. I think we're agreeing on this - ?
Jo (Fri Jul 31 20:08:08 2009)
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