Wellness

[151949]

You'd be utterly amazed how many people drive themselves to the hospital when they are having a heart attack! Also the ones who come in and say "I have been having chest pain and shortness of breath for 2 weeks". 

[Andreatoo]

@BalletBabe

I'm in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.

[JB116]

I'm so sorry you had to go through all that pain but I am very glad to hear you are mending now.

I've only had to use the ambulance once in my life (but it was because of a car accident so I didn't have to pay the bill, the dude who hit me did).

However, after that accident, I went to my benefits folks at work and asked about specifics like ambulance rides just for future reference. And with my policy, if I/my kids are admitted for at least 24 hours, then the cost of the ambulance would be covered in full.

If not admitted, then I have a $300 cost for the use of it and I can use my HSA to cover it.

I'm thankful for that since my sons don't drive yet if I am the one who needs the service. 

[CAMOGIRL]

If it is an emergency, why on earth would anyone NOT use an ambulance? No matter what the cost is - an emergency is just that, an EMERGENCY!! If is not one than by all means just drive yourself or find someone that will. I would never even think of the cost, I would be thinking - OMG someone else or I need help NOW!! There are just some things that the cost should not even be considered - like a life - being the first thing that comes to my mind!! 

[Big Sister]

Our city in Southern California offers for $60 a year a paramedic/ambulance membership that would pay all costs relating to an ambulance/paramedics coming to my house.

[Kachina624]

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@CAMOGIRL wrote:

If it is an emergency, why on earth would anyone NOT use an ambulance? No matter what the cost is - an emergency is just that, an EMERGENCY!! If is not one than by all means just drive yourself or find someone that will. I would never even think of the cost, I would be thinking - OMG someone else or I need help NOW!! There are just some things that the cost should not even be considered - like a life - being the first thing that comes to my mind!! 

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@CAMOGIRL  I think people are embarrassed by all the fuss; sirens,  lights,  people.  Our fire department always sends a fire truck and a paramedic unit.... Why,  I don't know.   When my friend fell and we just needed help getting her up,  I specifically asked for no sirens,  assuring them that she wasn't injured. 

[KarenQVC]

Medicare B covers it, so F people, use it freely.  I had a friend who had her Dad fall on the way to her car to go to the ER, so she still had to call 911. 

[LilacTree]

Last time I went to the ER (not too long ago) there was a parade in town, so they went out of network to send the ambulance.  When I received the bill I almost fainted . . . it was over $700!! 

They sent a form I had to fill out so that Medicare would pay.  I filled it out and sent it.  They sent another one.  I filled it out again and sent it.  Then they sent a third one . . . I filled it out, called them, and wrote a note on the form that it was my third response!!

Finally, I received a bill from them for the Medicare co-pay of $30+ dollars.  What a rigamarole!!