Costs for an Ambulance Ride

[Fijimn]

I had no idea ambulance rides were so damn expensive. My step daughter had to be taken to a hospital from work. The ride was 15 miles (said so in the bill), looks like just an IV was started and it was $1700. After insurance it's still $700 - that seems insanely expensive.

 

[coloradonoles]

 

[seminole97]

I had no idea ambulance rides were so damn expensive. My step daughter had to be taken to a hospital from work. The ride was 15 miles (said so in the bill), looks like just an IV was started and it was $1700. After insurance it's still $700 - that seems insanely expensive.

Open an ‘uber’esque ambulance service and let’s see what kind of regulatory compliance costs come out of the woodwork...

 

[Hayduke GW]

I had no idea ambulance rides were so damn expensive. My step daughter had to be taken to a hospital from work. The ride was 15 miles (said so in the bill), looks like just an IV was started and it was $1700. After insurance it's still $700 - that seems insanely expensive.

A firefighter buddy of mine started his career on an ambulance in Osceola County. Most of their calls were from hotels on 192. They’d show up, people wouldn’t be seriously hurt, and they tell the caller that they can have an ambulance ride for over $1k or drive their rental car two miles to the hospital. He said most of the foreign tourists would opt for the ambulance anyway. This was the late 90s and it was already expensive, surprised it’s not even more now.

 

[Hayduke GW]

Open an ‘uber’esque ambulance service and let’s see what kind of regulatory compliance costs come out of the woodwork...

There’s been some interesting data coming out about this lately.

What Happens to Ambulance Calls When Uber Enters a City

Economists at the University of Kansas analyzed ambulances deployed in the more than 700 cities where UberX cars are available, and found that in the time after Uber entered a given city, there was at least a 7 percent decrease in rate of ambulance use.

 

[FSUTribe76]

I had no idea ambulance rides were so damn expensive. My step daughter had to be taken to a hospital from work. The ride was 15 miles (said so in the bill), looks like just an IV was started and it was $1700. After insurance it's still $700 - that seems insanely expensive.

You’re actually on the lower end for your contribution, it’s usually $500-1300. So you’re down near the bottom end of the costs for w hospital trip.

Also....just as an FYI....most medical companies including mine only send two or three bills for the copay and then just discharge it as unpaid without sending it to collections. MOST medical companies do it but not all. So some people play chicken with them on the copay and the worst outcome would be a ding on your credit and the medical companies probably (but not definitely) wouldn’t send it. Missed copay are just the cost of doing business.

 

[JohnnieHolmesNole]

How much does a fully-outfitted ambulance cost? I’ll say $200K+. Two paramedics each making maybe $50K-$70K, plus pension benefits. Some kind of dispatcher involved. Everyone and everything available 24-7 just waiting to get the call.

Yes, an ambulance ride is expensive, but who ever said healthcare was cheap??

 

[DanC78]

50k for a Medevac from St Lucia to Panama City, FL. I believe that price only includes the plane and pilot, you have to staff it with medical personnel.

 

[runkpanole]

A lot depends on who is providing the services. City of Tampa charges about $650 and City of Tallahassee/Leon County is about the same. I know from personal experience. Capital Health Plan is great. They cover the whole ride. When I was still under my parents insurance, the co-pay was $500 in Panama City. I can’t remember the cost in Lake County. I’ve taken a ride in each of those locations.

 

[AllNoles]

All care is overpriced. It’s like prices at a discount outlet. Everything is marked high then half off (after insurance). The only people who are “charged” full price are those with no insurance and they end up being written off as bad debt.

 

[Fijimn]

All care is overpriced. It’s like prices at a discount outlet. Everything is marked high then half off (after insurance). The only people who are “charged” full price are those with no insurance and they end up being written off as bad debt.[/QUOT

The think I need to do research on is that our policy has a co-pay for ambulance rides of $150. The city was operating the ambulance. Generally, for hospital care, the benefit of having insurance contract with the hospital is that the hospital can't seek the difference between the cost and insurance reimbursement. City takes the position that it can - presumably because it doesn't have a contract with BCBS. Just haven't had time to look at it.

 

[Random_John]

The question really is how did we get to a point where costs are like this?

 

[seminole97]

The question really is how did we get to a point where costs are like this?

Mainly by distancing the consumer from price information and barriers to entry in competition.
The freedom to pick a provider that isn’t a member of whatever guilds have been established is a freedom you’re not allowed to have.

 

[Fijimn]

Mainly by distancing the consumer from price information and barriers to entry in competition.
The freedom to pick a provider that isn’t a member of whatever guilds have been established is a freedom you’re not allowed to have.

Like a moth to a flame.

IBTL

 

[seminole97]

Like a moth to a flame.

IBTL

It’s unfortunately impossible to discuss economic factors and leave out the government.
Whether that means the conversation is suddenly ‘politics’ is up to the mods. I always think of ‘politics’ as the partisanship.
I think it’s possible to discuss government and its effects without partisanship, but I’ve witnessed plenty of folks struggle.

 

[RangerNole]

HHI provides ALS so you get at a minimum 1 EMT-B, a Paramedic and depending on staffing either another EMT-B or Paramedic. We charged $500 for the ride and a certain amount per mile; if we do nothing at all. Now start giving meds and it goes up from there; keep in mind O2 is a drug. Once the call is over you have a report to write, with serious details. Ambulance needs cleaning and restocking. You need to go get drugs if you used some. All and all just a simple fracture or general weakness call can take 1.5 -2 hours until your back in the station. You also have required training to keep people certified, vehicle maintenance which is documented and required, etc. As you can see having an ambulance staffed and meeting all the state and federal requirements can get costly.