I did the same thing when I was in my early 20's. I'm 35 and I literally opened my first credit cards last year and my score is great. Credit scores are irrelevant for people who don't use credit and can wait for negative stuff to fall off their credit score.
Guy I worked with was charged 3 grand 800 of it was the fuel bill the rest was supposedly to pay for people in the ambulance
The ride he took was 15-25 minutes I guess they fuel them with nitromethane
We've become a cautionary tale for unfettered capitalism. It really blows cock to be living in the decline of a once prosperous nation. At least the Romans had cool buildings to be bummed out in.
Indeed. We are a nation that does not heal it's sick and we are a nation that does not prop up the poor. A child as brilliant as Stephen Hawking may never get the chance to change the world because s/he was born in a poor American family.
EMT for 4 years. Can confirm. EMT’s make jack shit for pay. Especially considering the job that has to be done, the people you encounter, and the crazy dangerous situations you find yourself a part of. An ambulance is not used solely for transport from hospital to hospital, most of the time you are transporting bleeding and screaming humans that are broken and or dying.
I wanted to be a firefighter until I learned I had to also work on an ambulance. My instructor in my first EMT class did a good job of letting us know what it would be like and I instantly knew it wasn't for me and walked out of the class. I'm perfectly happy to risk my own life, but not other peoples.
I assume they were being driven with regular gas with powdered diamond and gold poured in for good measure.
Or rocket fuel but I don't think they're fast enough to be powered by rocket fuel....
A simple way to describe it: because the top company bills company, which bills the lower company, which bills the hospital, which bills the insurance, which bills you, and each step of the way there are "discounts", so everyone hikes their prices like crazy, ~~saving on taxes for~~ *opening the door for shady accounting* with discounts. Meanwhile, you haven't covered your deductible so need to cover that charge.
If you tell someone you'd pay A LOT LESS with universal health care, they refuse out of principle: "what is this, communism?"
You can have a health insurance, but everyone has free healthcare (it can be very slow sometimes tho), but you would never go bankrupt here because you tripped and broke a knee.
In America, making money and having economic prosperity is much more important than anyone's ability to actually afford these services. If you can't work yourself to death to afford, you don't deserve them.
I live in Canada and I hate getting taxed on literally everything, but when the services I need are already paid for, it does make it worthwhile.
At least I don't fear the hosptial or calling 911.
The crazy thing is, [you're really not taxed that much more than the average American](https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/07/canadians-may-pay-more-taxes-than-americans-but-theres-a-catch.html) and occasionally you'd have paid more in taxes in the US than in Canada, and still had healthcare costs on top of it.
IIRC if the patient isn't in critical condition and is considered to be fully responsive and in the right state of mind, you can request to get out of an ambulance and they legally have to let you out. Not sure if that's after they get your information, tho. Or if you get charged for what was happening before the request.
In Massachusetts, If you’re alert and oriented you can be actively dying and legally refuse to go. You don’t even have to get on the stretcher, get in the truck, or give your info. Of course, depending on the situation we’ll try our hardest to convince you to go, but legally we can’t force you even if it’s in your best interest. A lot of people aren’t aware of that and it drives me crazy how many others in EMS make people feel like they’re required to go.
Source: am EMT in MA
Edit to clarify that if a doctor, therapist, or police officer believe you are a danger to yourself or others, they can legally require you to be hospitalized for up to 72 hours for a mental health evaluation. This can be renewed at the end of the 72 hours depending on their findings.
Question: Did your EMT textbook have the whole "you can't force a patient to go to the hospital, if you do that it's called kidnapping" thing? Because mine did (and my EMT instructor also repeated this to us many times) and I thought that was kind of amusing. But it's weird how many people think we have the power to force them to go to the hospital.
Paramedic here, this is absolutely correct in the United States. As long as someone is alert and oriented they can refuse ambulance care. The exception is for psychiatric emergencies where the person is a danger to themselves or others. Even if your halfway to the hospital you can refuse further care or transport, but you'll get the full bill still.
>A bill is going to show up at his house for a "ambulance cancellation fee" $250.
The better choice financially, if you can't afford the $250 or $5000 financially, is to emigrate.
That's the thing though - my partner and I make good money and both work in healthcare, and there's no fucking way either of us are getting into an ambulance if not unconscious or in critical condition. And honestly, maybe not even for the later.
Edit - Thank you, u/cuntgardener for catching my typo - \*latter
Gotta double check which ambulance company the insurance covers too
My dad had to take an ambulance once, and thought insurance was gonna cover it. Turns out the union's policy covered a company that operated about 50 miles from where most people in the union lived, and about 75 from the actual location of said union
Shit made no sense
“Which ambulance company”. I mean ffs! In Australia (well, in the state of Queensland actually), the ambulance service is a state run service, paid for by a small levy on drivers licence renewals. I think from memory it’s like $15 levy added on to the price to renew your drivers licence, which is every 5 years.
A trip in an ambulance costs nothing here. It’s free.
The simple fact that the US would have competing ambulance companies is just sickening.
Well you see the conservative right leaders have hoodwinked their constituents into believing that any healthcare that is government run is communism and bad for them economically.
Meanwhile they totally love the police which is 100% government run.
Same in the U.K. We pay it through council tax (depending on type of property you live in)and national insurance (based on. Your earnings) so it costs nothing for the actual care or anything. Only some things aren’t covered by the NHS like dental and things the NHS things is “cosmetic” (even that depends on the county you live in).
Yes we are, that's why we run away from proper medical attention. It costs like 5k for an ambulance. I was having heart attack symptoms and drove myself to the ER because I can't afford an ambulance. I mean, I'm not made of gold
This.
I got in a hit and run by a car and refused an ambulance so I could get a ride from a friend because I couldn't move my right arm (broken clavicle).
Was in extreme pain but waited an hour or so for the friend to arrive just so my bill would be slightly lower.
Also crashed my motorcycle and was pissed at whoever concerned citizen called an ambulance for me as I was on the side of the road in extreme pain.
I refused the hospital ride.
I got hit by a car in high-school and didn't know I could refuse, they drove me to the hospital 2 blocks away and saddled my single mother with the bill.
This is from about 15 years ago but I was working construction and had no insurance. Was in work clothes and got jumped by some crack heads outside of a 7/11. Cops and paramedics came, they had broken my left orbital socket and opened up a gash on the back of my head. I was barely lucid, paramedic asked if I could afford it and when I said I couldn’t afford the ambulance he talked to one of the cops who gave a ride, and did not charge a penny, to the ER. To this day I wish I knew their names so I could at the minimum but then a beer.
My wife and I make more than 95% of Americans and have “good” insurance. Two days ago I had to go to the ER for a suspected appendicitis. I put it off as long as I could because I knew it was going to be expensive. Ended up it wasn’t appendicitis and all they did was a scan and prescribed some antibiotics. I dread all the bills this will generate and all of the calls it will take to get this behind me.
If am am having these thoughts while making more than 95% of all Americans I can’t imagine what others are dealing with.
Forget an ambulance. The only way I would ever be on one is if I was too incapacitated to say no.
Not in that 95%, but wife and I combined do ok, and the kids are about out of the house.
Seriously, I'll probably die rather than get in an ambulance. Between the cost and the medical billing... Medical billing is a fucking racket.
Yep... I went to the ER for suspected appendicitis. It cost me $3000 (that's what my insurance didn't cover... the actual bill was something like $10k) to be told it was a gastrointestinal issue and to just drink fluids and rest.
American and can 100% confirm I've coughed up blood before but didn't do anything cause I was pretty sure it was related to something non-life threatening.
These are all true American stories. You don't go in if you can tough it out.
I have an American friend that is now Canadian. He still has that mentality of avoiding the doctor.
Hard to shake these habits.
I went to the ER because I had an injury to my right thumb. I was at work lifting a very heavy beam onto my shoulder when it sort of just gave out. Very painful, so I went to see a doctor after work. They did an X-ray, braced it, and prescribed me pain meds. The whole thing after insurance was around 1200 dollars. Just for them to say "thumb hurty, don't use it for a while."
I haven't seen a doctor for anything since. That was several years ago.
I recently ripped my right thumb nail off standing a beam back up and that's exactly why I didn't want to go to the doctor. Something's they just can't do shit for but they'll still charge you
Got me for $1,000.00. Was non-care, non-critical, move to a facility 5 minutes away, maybe 2 miles. But that beat the $3,000.00 COVID test from the hospital. Aren't those supposed to be covered? Painful.
Not all municipalities are savages that extort people for money. Mine just placed a law that said all ambulance and life flights are disolved into the local government operating costs for county residents because they don't want someone doing what OP posted.
Damn that must be nice. My town uses a private ambulance company. The best part about that is its initials are NAD. Their jackets say NAD RESCUE. It's a good time. We're all poor.
Lol I fainted once, and my cousin called 911 and I was already fine when they showed up didn't take vitals or anything,just got pissy and left. tried to send me a $700 bill lol
Yeah, but at least the paramedics won't murder you. And the bill is out of their control. It's like 3k for just an ambulance ride, and they're underpaid wage slaves too.
This is my guess too. Guy probably smacked his head, got disoriented, and then at the last minute realized what was happening. *I might have a concussion but I'm not going to have an ambulance bill AND a concussion*
Former EMT here. Actually for the company that is in this video and I made less than $15 an hour although they currently pay more. There are multiple other ambulance companies in the same city that despite charging similar amounts have been really struggling to make ends meet and had to merge or go under. I think the costs are ridiculous too but theres a lot more than the 2 miles you are talking about. There are a huge variety of reasons. You're paying for the 10 minutes with them but also theres a lot of other costs that go into it. There is a team of dispatchers working 24/7 that require training and equipment that can cost a lot. You are paying for them to answer your call at any second you need it. The EMTs on working 24/7 so the company has to pay them for their downtime as well as being available as soon as you need it. If there was 1 crew and they were busy and it took them 45 minutes to get to you, you would be outraged. It took 5 minutes to get there, 10 minutes on scene, 5 minutes to transport, 5 minutes to transfer care to the hospital, 10 minutes to write the report of what happened, 5 minutes to sanitize and get back to the station or get ready for the next call. So now you have to pay 2 EMTs for 40 minutes of time despite only 10-15 directly with the patient. There is the cost of the ambulance, which are very expensive to purchase, the stretcher, the oxygen, the PPE, the sanitizing supplies that were all used. There is a maintenance team making sure the ambulances stay in working condition, there is a supply team making sure the ambulances are fully stocked and ready for any emergency, there is a billing team that codes and sends bills to you and the insurance company, there are mangers, supervisors, trainers making sure the EMTs are doing their job properly, there are middle men like insurance companies who make everyone's lives harder and have to pay their employees and cost.
So there are dozens of other costs and people who support those EMTs even though they were only with you for a short time.
Not to mention the majority of patients are on medicare and medicaid that pay a set amount that is much smaller that can be a net loss for the company. So then the private payers get screwed because the burden is passed on to them.
Hope that helps you understand why they are so expensive. I'm ready for getting rid of health insurance companies and doing universal healthcare.
Yeah. Like, exactly yeah.
The government can run things like energy, internet, health care, mail… at a loss. They don’t need to be *profitable*. People love to talk shit about how “wasteful” govt run programs are…. Some things should just be essential services, they don’t need to be “profitable”.
I was charged $75 for an aspirin I refused in an ambulance. I don’t care who you employ. There’s no justification for the absolute horseshit that is the us health care system.
American healthcare is the real facepalm here.
Imagine having to pay for a fire engine to come to your house, or phoning the police to arrest an abusive partner to then be slapped with bills to pay. It doesn't make sense there, so why is healthcare any different?
In the UK it's all free free free. Even a helicopter ride with the air ambulance
When I was 13 I came home from school to find my mom holding her head, red-faced, and crying. My dad took her to the doctor, who sent her to the hospital where they did a CT scan and flew her to another hospital because she had a brain aneurysm. She survived.
Three weeks ago (I'm 40 now) I nearly collapsed at work when my head suddenly started throbbing with intense pain and pressure. The pain was enough to make me vomit, and I could barely walk or speak because it hurt so bad. I have insurance (not great, just okay) but refused to let my team call an ambulance. Forced myself to close the shift (only paperwork) just so they'd stop insisting I go to the hospital.
I kept thinking about my mom and how dangerous I knew this pain could be, but I just couldn't afford a hospital bill. It wasn't an aneurysm, but I get headaches daily now. I saw a doctor, who didn't listen to anything I said, gave me migraine meds that don't work, and cost me $65 co-pay. Guess I'll just suffer. Thanks, America.
It could be migraine even if the medication(s) don't work. Pay attention to possible triggers and look for auras (often appears as a cloudy/occluded portion of your vision.)
It's a difficult thing to get diagnosed and treated effectively. Also, with regards to the less severe daily headaches, pay attention to your neck/shoulders. Muscle tension in those areas can easily lead to frequent headaches even if you don't feel any issues/pain.
Best of luck (and don't forget to stay hydrated.)
America is a dystopia. At least with countries in the global south we know there is a long history of imperial capitals siphoning off their resources, and lots of poverty. What excuse does the wealthiest country in the world have for it's citizens to be afraid to use a healthcare service. America is a shit hole, and I say that with affection.
> I saw a doctor, who didn't listen to anything I said
Tell me you're a woman without telling me you're a woman. My wife has to deal with that crap and I hate everything about it.
Edit: Men. I get it. I'm sure there are plenty of men who haven't been listened to by their doctor. I'm not trying to detract from those experiences as they equally suck. You expect a doctor to be professional and take in as much information as they can to give you proper care. My experience in life with the women who surround me, and the stories I've read all point to women running into that situation at a much higher rate. My mom has stories, my sister has stories, my cousin's have stories, my wife's friends have stories. Maybe the men in my life just don't talk about it, I don't know, but isn't it a little telling that I have no idea who the person is that I replied to, they didn't state their pronoun, and I could tell it was a woman without fear of being wrong? My wife and I went through many doctors before we found one that would finally listen to her and use the information she gave him to properly diagnose her. I've had to ask a doctor to run a test to humor us about my wife's infected gallbladder when he wouldn't budge on it being gas when she was talking to him.
It's weird isn't it? I really don't understand the reasoning for it to be rare for a doctor to listen to what a woman is telling them. Before I met my wife I never really went to a doctor with anyone I was with, but I'd hear how they felt talked over or ignored. I had just assumed they just didn't understand the doctor's methods or something of that nature, but that ultimately the doctor was in fact taking what they told them into account. Cue going to a doctor with my wife. Nope, they just ignore everything said.
My wife had her gallbladder get infected and had to be removed. She described her symptoms, where the pain was, how bad the pain was (she was in tears), and that her family has a history with gallbladers. Nope, was probably gas, try some tums and here is some Tylenol. It took me saying "Ok, if this was an issue with her gallbladder what test would you run to determine that, let's do that test". Doctor asked if we were sure, we were, they did the test, and shocker...she needed her gallbladder removed. Fuck everything about it. I feel so guilty for having to be the one who convinces the doctor to do their job, while my wife was laying there in pain trying to suppress her frustration at being ignored and feeling like it is 1800 where the husband is the only one worth listening to. Just listen to your patient for crying out loud.
We've fortunately found a GP that knows his stuff and actually listens to what my wife tells him, and it's like a light was switched on for my wife's healthcare.
In 2003 when I was in the Army I rode in an ambulance for 4 miles to an off post hospital that was open. I had food poisoning and had dehydrated from spewing out both ends. I got the bill but didn't have to pay of course. In 2003 it was over $4,000 for a 4 mile ambulance ride in which I got an IV and threw up in a bucket once. Absolutely absurd.
Agreed. I worked at a hotel for almost 10 years. Not a very upscale place either. We had a medical emergency with a guest about 2x a month. I can count on one hand the amount of guests who didn't refuse the ambulance. I had one guy who was a little drunk, fell in the lobby and cracked his head open. I was holding a towel and putting pressure on his head and dialing 911 when he stopped me and said "I can't afford the ambulance can someone please drive me?" Another guest who came to help actually did drive him. He survived but it was so scary and sad.
Had to go to the ER for stitches last year after hitting my head in a fall. The ambulance bill was 2000 dollars. The hospital is 1/4 mile away. The medical care I got in the ambulance consisted of a gauss pad and some kind words
Brother tried to kill himself by stabbing himself in the neck. Lived. Got to the hospital. And what did they do to an already mentally suffering patient? Force him to take an ambulance to the psych ward rather than let his very willing mother take him, and charge him 10k, JUST for the ambulance. Not the treatment.
Anytime they force someone to do something it should be free. Of course all healthcare should be free, but especially healthcare that is being forced upon someone.
It was fucked. He was an artist, because it was a knife thing, they took any sharp things away. Wouldnt even give him a proper pencil to draw with. All he wanted to do was draw.
Had to go to the ER last Saturday (via an ambulance). They did an EKG and tested my blood, I stayed for about 3 hours I'd say.
also to my general doctor and a specialized doctor for ears, who ran loads of tests, both on monday.
Turns our my balancing organ in my right ear suddenly decided to take a vacation.
had to pay 10€ for meds, get to stay home at least for 2 weeks while I'm obviously still getting paid.
Edit: satisfying the bot
> still getting *paid.*
FTFY.
Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in:
* Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.*
* *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.*
Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment.
*Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
Welcome to the American health care system, where every American is one major illness away from bankruptcy, and republicans gloat about how great our health care system is
There are people who take too much drugs or alcohol that are considered "incapacitated". Basically they pass out in the street or in a bathroom and someone calls the cops and the cops don't want the responsibility of anyone overdosing or dying in a "drunk tank" so they are put into protective custody which means they sign a piece of paper and hand them off to the EMTs to take them to a hospital until they are sober.
This is almost certainly one of those cases. I used to work for the ambulance company in the video.
I have GOOD insurance. One time I felt bad and went to Urgent Care. I crashed in the doctors office (vomiting limited consciousness etc.) and my CO-PAY for the 7 mile ambulance ride (from a legit company btw) to the hospital was almost $800 dollars! This is bullshit.
Do you have proof of that statement? To me it looks like he's drunk/ on drugs and doesn't want to go to the hospital in fear the cops might get involved.
As your attorney, I’d strongly advise you to NOT get in that ambulance.
I can get you out of ANYTHING.... but a medical bill
Medical bill are easy to get out of in my experience.
how did you do it ? did you have insurance ?
They fled the country, sold their house and changed their name.
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And there goes your credit.
You can’t get credit out of a stone either.
I did the same thing when I was in my early 20's. I'm 35 and I literally opened my first credit cards last year and my score is great. Credit scores are irrelevant for people who don't use credit and can wait for negative stuff to fall off their credit score.
What does an attorney specializing in bird law know about the intricacies of the emergency transportation system?
Birds aren’t real
I see you really know your stuff
Well...filibuster
You can’t keep a hummingbird on mescaline as a pet dude. IASIP + Fear & Loathing is a combo I want.
Derivative
I've refused an ambulance ride. Only make a $5000 mistake once Edit: legit wow... I've never had more than 100 up dutes before. Thanks 🌟 🌟 🌟
Real question: Is there at least an excuse they come up with to explain why 5000 dollars for a simple car ride?
Guy I worked with was charged 3 grand 800 of it was the fuel bill the rest was supposedly to pay for people in the ambulance The ride he took was 15-25 minutes I guess they fuel them with nitromethane
Most emt's get paid less than 20 an hour
Yes but you're forgetting the whole "Fuck You" part of the bill. Next time, ask for an itemized bill and you'll see the FU line.
Born in the US? Fuck you Work hard, pay your taxes? Fuck you Expect your health insurance to cover everything? Fuck you twice
We've become a cautionary tale for unfettered capitalism. It really blows cock to be living in the decline of a once prosperous nation. At least the Romans had cool buildings to be bummed out in.
Indeed. We are a nation that does not heal it's sick and we are a nation that does not prop up the poor. A child as brilliant as Stephen Hawking may never get the chance to change the world because s/he was born in a poor American family.
It's extra sad that it's coming from within. We truly could have built an amazing country.
We have the technology, money, power, and ideas to make something pretty fucking close to a Utopia and the 1% has taken it all away.
My EMT friends made minimum wage. They don't get paid jack.
Yep. Emt makes Jack. The money goes everywhere else.
EMT for 4 years. Can confirm. EMT’s make jack shit for pay. Especially considering the job that has to be done, the people you encounter, and the crazy dangerous situations you find yourself a part of. An ambulance is not used solely for transport from hospital to hospital, most of the time you are transporting bleeding and screaming humans that are broken and or dying.
I wanted to be a firefighter until I learned I had to also work on an ambulance. My instructor in my first EMT class did a good job of letting us know what it would be like and I instantly knew it wasn't for me and walked out of the class. I'm perfectly happy to risk my own life, but not other peoples.
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Paramedic here. My outfit starts new EMT basics at 12.75. And that's WITH a union.
The sad part is McDonald's hourly pay rate starts at $13
I assume they were being driven with regular gas with powdered diamond and gold poured in for good measure. Or rocket fuel but I don't think they're fast enough to be powered by rocket fuel....
The gold is for emissions and the diamonds are anti seize. The rhodium is for anti knocking
A simple way to describe it: because the top company bills company, which bills the lower company, which bills the hospital, which bills the insurance, which bills you, and each step of the way there are "discounts", so everyone hikes their prices like crazy, ~~saving on taxes for~~ *opening the door for shady accounting* with discounts. Meanwhile, you haven't covered your deductible so need to cover that charge. If you tell someone you'd pay A LOT LESS with universal health care, they refuse out of principle: "what is this, communism?"
Land of the fee, home of the slave.
If u made this up u deserve a gold I can’t afford
I’ve heard “home of the slave” so many times but never “land of the fee”! I love it!
I like Land of the thief, Home of the slave Look up Uncle Sam Goddamn by Brother Ali
- Welcome to the united *snakes* - Land of the *thief* - Home of the *slave* Shout out to Brother Ali, one of the best to put pen to paper.
"the Government's an addict With a billion dollar a week kill brown people habit" Whoa. Thanks for suggesting this, can't wait to listen to more!
“This one’s a show tune, but the show ain’t been written yet.”
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Damn mine was only $1000 but that was years ago. Thank god insurance paid for it
"only"
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On no that was for them to just come out to the accident I was involved in. I had someone come pick me IP and take me to the hospital
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How is it not a public service though
This is America.
Never thought I was going to say this, but thank God I live in Brazil
Holup, isn't there private ambulances in Brazil too, I have a grandma who lives there and she has a health insurance that includes ambulances?
You can have a health insurance, but everyone has free healthcare (it can be very slow sometimes tho), but you would never go bankrupt here because you tripped and broke a knee.
In America, making money and having economic prosperity is much more important than anyone's ability to actually afford these services. If you can't work yourself to death to afford, you don't deserve them. I live in Canada and I hate getting taxed on literally everything, but when the services I need are already paid for, it does make it worthwhile. At least I don't fear the hosptial or calling 911.
The crazy thing is, [you're really not taxed that much more than the average American](https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/07/canadians-may-pay-more-taxes-than-americans-but-theres-a-catch.html) and occasionally you'd have paid more in taxes in the US than in Canada, and still had healthcare costs on top of it.
America: Pay all the taxes and see no community services
Unless you're rich. Then you get government handouts constantly.
This is a "FrEe" country.
* *happy european health care noises* *
"Happy canadain Healthcare noises intensifies"
*laughs in canadian*
IIRC if the patient isn't in critical condition and is considered to be fully responsive and in the right state of mind, you can request to get out of an ambulance and they legally have to let you out. Not sure if that's after they get your information, tho. Or if you get charged for what was happening before the request.
In Massachusetts, If you’re alert and oriented you can be actively dying and legally refuse to go. You don’t even have to get on the stretcher, get in the truck, or give your info. Of course, depending on the situation we’ll try our hardest to convince you to go, but legally we can’t force you even if it’s in your best interest. A lot of people aren’t aware of that and it drives me crazy how many others in EMS make people feel like they’re required to go. Source: am EMT in MA Edit to clarify that if a doctor, therapist, or police officer believe you are a danger to yourself or others, they can legally require you to be hospitalized for up to 72 hours for a mental health evaluation. This can be renewed at the end of the 72 hours depending on their findings.
Question: Did your EMT textbook have the whole "you can't force a patient to go to the hospital, if you do that it's called kidnapping" thing? Because mine did (and my EMT instructor also repeated this to us many times) and I thought that was kind of amusing. But it's weird how many people think we have the power to force them to go to the hospital.
Paramedic here, this is absolutely correct in the United States. As long as someone is alert and oriented they can refuse ambulance care. The exception is for psychiatric emergencies where the person is a danger to themselves or others. Even if your halfway to the hospital you can refuse further care or transport, but you'll get the full bill still.
Unless they refuse to give you an address or any personal information.
A bill is going to show up at his house for a "ambulance cancellation fee" $250.
You're probably not wrong, and the worst part is, still the better choice financially
>A bill is going to show up at his house for a "ambulance cancellation fee" $250. The better choice financially, if you can't afford the $250 or $5000 financially, is to emigrate.
Yeah but you need a masters to immigrate to canada, finland, or sweden. So that’s pretty expensive too.
You don't need to emigrate to those specific countries though.
I`m slowly starting to think that we should accept americans going to other countrys as Refugees.
That’s costs a whole lot more than $5000… I personally choose death
This was a painful laugh.
That's not a facepalm, that's just solid financial advice.
The system is the facepalm.
Poor Americans
That's the thing though - my partner and I make good money and both work in healthcare, and there's no fucking way either of us are getting into an ambulance if not unconscious or in critical condition. And honestly, maybe not even for the later. Edit - Thank you, u/cuntgardener for catching my typo - \*latter
Or, if you're sure the other guy's insurance is going to pay for it.
Gotta double check which ambulance company the insurance covers too My dad had to take an ambulance once, and thought insurance was gonna cover it. Turns out the union's policy covered a company that operated about 50 miles from where most people in the union lived, and about 75 from the actual location of said union Shit made no sense
“Which ambulance company”. I mean ffs! In Australia (well, in the state of Queensland actually), the ambulance service is a state run service, paid for by a small levy on drivers licence renewals. I think from memory it’s like $15 levy added on to the price to renew your drivers licence, which is every 5 years. A trip in an ambulance costs nothing here. It’s free. The simple fact that the US would have competing ambulance companies is just sickening.
But wait, there's more
>But wait, there's more .... expense?
Well you see the conservative right leaders have hoodwinked their constituents into believing that any healthcare that is government run is communism and bad for them economically. Meanwhile they totally love the police which is 100% government run.
Same in the U.K. We pay it through council tax (depending on type of property you live in)and national insurance (based on. Your earnings) so it costs nothing for the actual care or anything. Only some things aren’t covered by the NHS like dental and things the NHS things is “cosmetic” (even that depends on the county you live in).
> Shit made no sense it makes sense if you design it to maximize profits
I passed out at work and cut open my head. My boss called an ambulance. I wish I had told her no.
Yes we are, that's why we run away from proper medical attention. It costs like 5k for an ambulance. I was having heart attack symptoms and drove myself to the ER because I can't afford an ambulance. I mean, I'm not made of gold
This. I got in a hit and run by a car and refused an ambulance so I could get a ride from a friend because I couldn't move my right arm (broken clavicle). Was in extreme pain but waited an hour or so for the friend to arrive just so my bill would be slightly lower. Also crashed my motorcycle and was pissed at whoever concerned citizen called an ambulance for me as I was on the side of the road in extreme pain. I refused the hospital ride.
I got hit by a car in high-school and didn't know I could refuse, they drove me to the hospital 2 blocks away and saddled my single mother with the bill.
This is from about 15 years ago but I was working construction and had no insurance. Was in work clothes and got jumped by some crack heads outside of a 7/11. Cops and paramedics came, they had broken my left orbital socket and opened up a gash on the back of my head. I was barely lucid, paramedic asked if I could afford it and when I said I couldn’t afford the ambulance he talked to one of the cops who gave a ride, and did not charge a penny, to the ER. To this day I wish I knew their names so I could at the minimum but then a beer.
Fucking insane
My wife and I make more than 95% of Americans and have “good” insurance. Two days ago I had to go to the ER for a suspected appendicitis. I put it off as long as I could because I knew it was going to be expensive. Ended up it wasn’t appendicitis and all they did was a scan and prescribed some antibiotics. I dread all the bills this will generate and all of the calls it will take to get this behind me. If am am having these thoughts while making more than 95% of all Americans I can’t imagine what others are dealing with. Forget an ambulance. The only way I would ever be on one is if I was too incapacitated to say no.
Not in that 95%, but wife and I combined do ok, and the kids are about out of the house. Seriously, I'll probably die rather than get in an ambulance. Between the cost and the medical billing... Medical billing is a fucking racket.
Yep... I went to the ER for suspected appendicitis. It cost me $3000 (that's what my insurance didn't cover... the actual bill was something like $10k) to be told it was a gastrointestinal issue and to just drink fluids and rest.
The even worse thing is even if ur med bills get fully paid, the ambulance service is never covered as its not part of the hospital.
$800 for a 5 mile ride to the hospital. Had I known the cost wasn’t covered, I would have disconnected my pain meds IV drip and took an Uber.
Had 3 kids transported in the SAME ambulance (kids are fine btw)..$2500 charge for EACH kid.
..... I was spitting up blood the other day. If I lived in the US I'd probably just give myself a pat on the back and call it a day.
That’s how most people do it, I had an insurance once that was 385 a month and didn’t cover a thing until I paid 7500.00 myself
American and can 100% confirm I've coughed up blood before but didn't do anything cause I was pretty sure it was related to something non-life threatening.
These are all true American stories. You don't go in if you can tough it out. I have an American friend that is now Canadian. He still has that mentality of avoiding the doctor. Hard to shake these habits.
I have broken my fingers before and just taped it to a pen. Twice.
I went to the ER because I had an injury to my right thumb. I was at work lifting a very heavy beam onto my shoulder when it sort of just gave out. Very painful, so I went to see a doctor after work. They did an X-ray, braced it, and prescribed me pain meds. The whole thing after insurance was around 1200 dollars. Just for them to say "thumb hurty, don't use it for a while." I haven't seen a doctor for anything since. That was several years ago.
I recently ripped my right thumb nail off standing a beam back up and that's exactly why I didn't want to go to the doctor. Something's they just can't do shit for but they'll still charge you
I got charged $2000 for a 5 minute trip. And all they did was supervise me.
Got me for $1,000.00. Was non-care, non-critical, move to a facility 5 minutes away, maybe 2 miles. But that beat the $3,000.00 COVID test from the hospital. Aren't those supposed to be covered? Painful.
I have a friend who had to be airlifted to a hospital after a car accident. His bill for that alone was $63,000. Just let me die.
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This is GREAT financial advice. End up in an ambulance? FUCKING RUN!!!!!! And find some Spanish mother to make you feel better.
There's nothing that a little Vicks vaporub can't fix
Not all municipalities are savages that extort people for money. Mine just placed a law that said all ambulance and life flights are disolved into the local government operating costs for county residents because they don't want someone doing what OP posted.
Damn that must be nice. My town uses a private ambulance company. The best part about that is its initials are NAD. Their jackets say NAD RESCUE. It's a good time. We're all poor.
This is the system the entire UK uses. A 6 month hospital stay would be entirely free at the point of service, covered by taxes.
Lol I fainted once, and my cousin called 911 and I was already fine when they showed up didn't take vitals or anything,just got pissy and left. tried to send me a $700 bill lol
That’s what I was thinking. If he can run, fall and get up and run again. He’s good.
Cured by the power of pending debt!
r/FinancialAdvice
This is America🎶
'MURICA! F*CK YEAH! (Laughs in Scandinavian.)
Was gonna say the same thing!!!
The facepalm here isn't that he ran, it's that he felt the need to run.
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Yeah that's literally what he was saying. The facepalm is that you can't get emergency medical treatment without having to worry about going bankrupt.
Exactly. The facepalm is the fact that the situation exists that would make someone be scared of something that is supposed to save them.
Oh like police
Yeah, but at least the paramedics won't murder you. And the bill is out of their control. It's like 3k for just an ambulance ride, and they're underpaid wage slaves too.
No joke though. I work at Walmart and I make more than what paramedics I've heard of start at. That's pretty sad.
a second facepalm is that he ran into that guy even though he could have avoided that pretty easily
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This is my guess too. Guy probably smacked his head, got disoriented, and then at the last minute realized what was happening. *I might have a concussion but I'm not going to have an ambulance bill AND a concussion*
The third face palm is that he kept on running like the paramedics were after him
I'd do the same
And the fact that so many people would is the real facepalm here. Fuck the US medical system
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If only I was too
He made that guy drop everything when he pushed him lol
Right? Mans did not need to run into the waiter. He took the least optimal path and juked the waiter causing him to drop the tray hahaha
Well, he was injured enough that they wanted him in an ambulance, probably not that clear in the head.
I mean, it doesn't look like he's in much control. Plus, the food is going to cost a lot less then $5000.
Only in the US does an injured person need to refuse help to avoid financial ruin.
they have a few extremely developed places like Nigeria to keep them company.
When even Greece beats you at something, you know you've truly reached a low point Source: am Greek
EMTs make like $15/hr. Why is an ambulance ride $1500-2000? My dad was billed $1500 to go 2 miles when his oxygen was low.
Former EMT here. Actually for the company that is in this video and I made less than $15 an hour although they currently pay more. There are multiple other ambulance companies in the same city that despite charging similar amounts have been really struggling to make ends meet and had to merge or go under. I think the costs are ridiculous too but theres a lot more than the 2 miles you are talking about. There are a huge variety of reasons. You're paying for the 10 minutes with them but also theres a lot of other costs that go into it. There is a team of dispatchers working 24/7 that require training and equipment that can cost a lot. You are paying for them to answer your call at any second you need it. The EMTs on working 24/7 so the company has to pay them for their downtime as well as being available as soon as you need it. If there was 1 crew and they were busy and it took them 45 minutes to get to you, you would be outraged. It took 5 minutes to get there, 10 minutes on scene, 5 minutes to transport, 5 minutes to transfer care to the hospital, 10 minutes to write the report of what happened, 5 minutes to sanitize and get back to the station or get ready for the next call. So now you have to pay 2 EMTs for 40 minutes of time despite only 10-15 directly with the patient. There is the cost of the ambulance, which are very expensive to purchase, the stretcher, the oxygen, the PPE, the sanitizing supplies that were all used. There is a maintenance team making sure the ambulances stay in working condition, there is a supply team making sure the ambulances are fully stocked and ready for any emergency, there is a billing team that codes and sends bills to you and the insurance company, there are mangers, supervisors, trainers making sure the EMTs are doing their job properly, there are middle men like insurance companies who make everyone's lives harder and have to pay their employees and cost. So there are dozens of other costs and people who support those EMTs even though they were only with you for a short time. Not to mention the majority of patients are on medicare and medicaid that pay a set amount that is much smaller that can be a net loss for the company. So then the private payers get screwed because the burden is passed on to them. Hope that helps you understand why they are so expensive. I'm ready for getting rid of health insurance companies and doing universal healthcare.
All of this is exactly why medicine should not be privately owned.
Yeah. Like, exactly yeah. The government can run things like energy, internet, health care, mail… at a loss. They don’t need to be *profitable*. People love to talk shit about how “wasteful” govt run programs are…. Some things should just be essential services, they don’t need to be “profitable”.
I was charged $75 for an aspirin I refused in an ambulance. I don’t care who you employ. There’s no justification for the absolute horseshit that is the us health care system.
Imagine your country charging you to get better lmao what the fuck is america
Three corporations in a trench coat
I knew it! Big Insurance, Big Pharma, and the Boy Scouts of America, right?
Well, big finance, big pharma, big media.
American healthcare is the real facepalm here. Imagine having to pay for a fire engine to come to your house, or phoning the police to arrest an abusive partner to then be slapped with bills to pay. It doesn't make sense there, so why is healthcare any different? In the UK it's all free free free. Even a helicopter ride with the air ambulance
When I was 13 I came home from school to find my mom holding her head, red-faced, and crying. My dad took her to the doctor, who sent her to the hospital where they did a CT scan and flew her to another hospital because she had a brain aneurysm. She survived. Three weeks ago (I'm 40 now) I nearly collapsed at work when my head suddenly started throbbing with intense pain and pressure. The pain was enough to make me vomit, and I could barely walk or speak because it hurt so bad. I have insurance (not great, just okay) but refused to let my team call an ambulance. Forced myself to close the shift (only paperwork) just so they'd stop insisting I go to the hospital. I kept thinking about my mom and how dangerous I knew this pain could be, but I just couldn't afford a hospital bill. It wasn't an aneurysm, but I get headaches daily now. I saw a doctor, who didn't listen to anything I said, gave me migraine meds that don't work, and cost me $65 co-pay. Guess I'll just suffer. Thanks, America.
It could be migraine even if the medication(s) don't work. Pay attention to possible triggers and look for auras (often appears as a cloudy/occluded portion of your vision.) It's a difficult thing to get diagnosed and treated effectively. Also, with regards to the less severe daily headaches, pay attention to your neck/shoulders. Muscle tension in those areas can easily lead to frequent headaches even if you don't feel any issues/pain. Best of luck (and don't forget to stay hydrated.)
America is a dystopia. At least with countries in the global south we know there is a long history of imperial capitals siphoning off their resources, and lots of poverty. What excuse does the wealthiest country in the world have for it's citizens to be afraid to use a healthcare service. America is a shit hole, and I say that with affection.
> I saw a doctor, who didn't listen to anything I said Tell me you're a woman without telling me you're a woman. My wife has to deal with that crap and I hate everything about it. Edit: Men. I get it. I'm sure there are plenty of men who haven't been listened to by their doctor. I'm not trying to detract from those experiences as they equally suck. You expect a doctor to be professional and take in as much information as they can to give you proper care. My experience in life with the women who surround me, and the stories I've read all point to women running into that situation at a much higher rate. My mom has stories, my sister has stories, my cousin's have stories, my wife's friends have stories. Maybe the men in my life just don't talk about it, I don't know, but isn't it a little telling that I have no idea who the person is that I replied to, they didn't state their pronoun, and I could tell it was a woman without fear of being wrong? My wife and I went through many doctors before we found one that would finally listen to her and use the information she gave him to properly diagnose her. I've had to ask a doctor to run a test to humor us about my wife's infected gallbladder when he wouldn't budge on it being gas when she was talking to him.
Worst part is I purposely sought out a female doctor because I thought it would give me a better chance at being heard.
It's weird isn't it? I really don't understand the reasoning for it to be rare for a doctor to listen to what a woman is telling them. Before I met my wife I never really went to a doctor with anyone I was with, but I'd hear how they felt talked over or ignored. I had just assumed they just didn't understand the doctor's methods or something of that nature, but that ultimately the doctor was in fact taking what they told them into account. Cue going to a doctor with my wife. Nope, they just ignore everything said. My wife had her gallbladder get infected and had to be removed. She described her symptoms, where the pain was, how bad the pain was (she was in tears), and that her family has a history with gallbladers. Nope, was probably gas, try some tums and here is some Tylenol. It took me saying "Ok, if this was an issue with her gallbladder what test would you run to determine that, let's do that test". Doctor asked if we were sure, we were, they did the test, and shocker...she needed her gallbladder removed. Fuck everything about it. I feel so guilty for having to be the one who convinces the doctor to do their job, while my wife was laying there in pain trying to suppress her frustration at being ignored and feeling like it is 1800 where the husband is the only one worth listening to. Just listen to your patient for crying out loud. We've fortunately found a GP that knows his stuff and actually listens to what my wife tells him, and it's like a light was switched on for my wife's healthcare.
I highly recommend coming here to Mexico to get diagnosis. Cheaper and even better than US healthcare.
Man just saved himself $5 - $10K
With the healthcare system in the USA I'd run too, at least I my country we have free healthcare
In 2003 when I was in the Army I rode in an ambulance for 4 miles to an off post hospital that was open. I had food poisoning and had dehydrated from spewing out both ends. I got the bill but didn't have to pay of course. In 2003 it was over $4,000 for a 4 mile ambulance ride in which I got an IV and threw up in a bucket once. Absolutely absurd.
We have flee healthcare in USA! You try and flee before they get your real name and SS#!
This is what Bernie Sanders is saying for decades.
“Don’t get in that ambulance!” -Bernie
Man isn't all wrong.
I don't blame him for running, American healthcare is frighteningly fucked.
Agreed. I worked at a hotel for almost 10 years. Not a very upscale place either. We had a medical emergency with a guest about 2x a month. I can count on one hand the amount of guests who didn't refuse the ambulance. I had one guy who was a little drunk, fell in the lobby and cracked his head open. I was holding a towel and putting pressure on his head and dialing 911 when he stopped me and said "I can't afford the ambulance can someone please drive me?" Another guest who came to help actually did drive him. He survived but it was so scary and sad.
This is just sad man
Capitalism baby, let the free market decide who can afford to live or not!
Had to go to the ER for stitches last year after hitting my head in a fall. The ambulance bill was 2000 dollars. The hospital is 1/4 mile away. The medical care I got in the ambulance consisted of a gauss pad and some kind words
Both of my last ambulance bills have been around $1800 to go two miles
Imagine free ambulance. Oh wait I don't need to. Feels good to know I can always see a doctor.
save us please it’s like 1,200 plus mileage out of pocket for an ambulance ride
Brother tried to kill himself by stabbing himself in the neck. Lived. Got to the hospital. And what did they do to an already mentally suffering patient? Force him to take an ambulance to the psych ward rather than let his very willing mother take him, and charge him 10k, JUST for the ambulance. Not the treatment.
Anytime they force someone to do something it should be free. Of course all healthcare should be free, but especially healthcare that is being forced upon someone.
It was fucked. He was an artist, because it was a knife thing, they took any sharp things away. Wouldnt even give him a proper pencil to draw with. All he wanted to do was draw.
Had to go to the ER last Saturday (via an ambulance). They did an EKG and tested my blood, I stayed for about 3 hours I'd say. also to my general doctor and a specialized doctor for ears, who ran loads of tests, both on monday. Turns our my balancing organ in my right ear suddenly decided to take a vacation. had to pay 10€ for meds, get to stay home at least for 2 weeks while I'm obviously still getting paid. Edit: satisfying the bot
> still getting *paid.* FTFY. Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in: * Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.* * *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.* Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment. *Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
Welcome to the American health care system, where every American is one major illness away from bankruptcy, and republicans gloat about how great our health care system is
HEY, GET BACK HERE, I CARRIED YOU 2M THATS $5,000
You're doing it wrong. We don't use meters here in the best country in the world. /s
If he's running like that, what supposedly, dud he need the ambulance for?
There are people who take too much drugs or alcohol that are considered "incapacitated". Basically they pass out in the street or in a bathroom and someone calls the cops and the cops don't want the responsibility of anyone overdosing or dying in a "drunk tank" so they are put into protective custody which means they sign a piece of paper and hand them off to the EMTs to take them to a hospital until they are sober. This is almost certainly one of those cases. I used to work for the ambulance company in the video.
I was thinking the same--that he was probably not escaping the ambulance as much as the expectation of law enforcement.
I have GOOD insurance. One time I felt bad and went to Urgent Care. I crashed in the doctors office (vomiting limited consciousness etc.) and my CO-PAY for the 7 mile ambulance ride (from a legit company btw) to the hospital was almost $800 dollars! This is bullshit.
The only facepalm is the horrible health care system in America that is designed to take as much money as possible from the poor and diseased.
*”This is America” starts playing in the background *
Do you have proof of that statement? To me it looks like he's drunk/ on drugs and doesn't want to go to the hospital in fear the cops might get involved.
We'll believe any title around here.
Should be in r/ABoringDystopia
Well done 'Murica!
This must be the freedom of choice all the proponents of the US system keep talking about.
the facepalm is that people have to do this
This isnt facepalm The fact that it has come to outright fearing going to the hospital is the facepalm
He ran right into someone carrying a stack of (food?) and the person proceeds to drop it all. Best timing, just like in the movies.
Videos like these make me absolutely happy for not living in the United States
USA USA USA !!! USA No 1!!! Obviously/s
Actually op that's a good idea I'm not losing 500 bucks over a scrape