From: "Glenn Meadows" 

The crux of the problem in TN stems from the almost bankrupt TennCare.  The
number of people who call an ambulance to go from their home to the
emergency room, because they have the flu, a sprained ankle, or other
"non-life threatening ailment", and don't want to find another
way to get there, and don't have a private doctor, is/was swamping the EMT
services here.  There have been many instances where there were no
ambulances available to transport accident victims, heart attack patients,
because they were all tied up making runs as listed above.  The EMT's made
a huge stink about it, in that it was interfering with their ability to
quickly respond to true emergencies.  That's when they started to charge
for Emergency calls.

--

Glenn M.
"Mark"  wrote in message
news:43bb4b76{at}w3.nls.net...
> What's next then? A bill from the firefighters for extinguishing the
> flames at your house? Or, perhaps a bill from the police for their
> investigating your call on a suspicious person in the neighborhood? Extra
> charge if they find him and have to transport him to jail?
>
> These are pretty weird communities that charge their citizens for having
> an accident or a heart attack -- I'm glad I don't live in one of them, and
> will surely research the local priorities before considering moving
> somewhere else.
>
> "Glenn Meadows"  wrote in message
> news:43bb485d{at}w3.nls.net...
>> Gary, sorry, not true here in Nashville.  The Ambulance is charged to the
>> ER bill, and to the patient.
>>
>> --
>>
>> Glenn M.
>> "Gary Britt"  wrote in message
>> news:43bae245$1{at}w3.nls.net...
>>> Emergency ambulance service is free almost everywhere.  If you have a
>>> car
>>> wreck and EMT's and an ambulance and police respond you don't get
>>> charged.
>>>
>>> There are a LOT of welfare momma's that use the FREE ambulance service
>>> to go
>>> to an emergency room for free routine healthcare.  They do this because
>>> the
>>> free ambulance is cheaper than a taxi.
>>>
>>> Gary
>>>
>>> "Robert Comer"
 wrote in message
>>> news:43bad0a7$1{at}w3.nls.net...
>>>> > Ambulance rides don't cost $1,000.00.
>>>>
>>>> They do anytime I've seen them, and in fact, that's a little low.
>>>>
>>>> >Most counties and cities in the USA
>>>> > (certainly every one that I've lived in) don't charge
ANYTHING for an
>>>> > ambulance ride.  Its like police service.  You don't
get charged when
>>> they
>>>> > come out either.
>>>>
>>>> I've never been in a place that it was free.  Are you
absolutely sure
>>> about
>>>> that.  (If so, I know a few people that have been ripped
off something
>>>> fierce.)  There's also provisions for ambulance in any
health insurance
>>> I've
>>>> ever seen and it wouldn't be there if it were free.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Bob Comer
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "Gary Britt" 
wrote in message
>>>> news:43bab309$1{at}w3.nls.net...
>>>> > Ambulance rides don't cost $1,000.00.  Most counties
and cities in
>>>> > the
>>> USA
>>>> > (certainly every one that I've lived in) don't charge
ANYTHING for an
>>>> > ambulance ride.  Its like police service.  You don't
get charged when
>>> they
>>>> > come out either.
>>>> >
>>>> > Gary
>>>> >
>>>> > "Robert Comer"
 wrote in message
>>>> > news:43baa9ed{at}w3.nls.net...
>>>> >> Take the instance of the slightly better off, but
don't have
>>>> >> insurance
>>>> >> for
>>>> >> some reason or are underinsured, they pay just
what Adam said if
>>>> >> they
>>>> >> have
>>>> >> enough money to pay it. (even if they don't have
money to eat after
>>> that)
>>>> >> Heck, even my insurance wouldn't pay it all.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> --
>>>> >> Bob Comer
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >> "Gary Britt"
 wrote in message
>>>> >> news:43baa8fe$1{at}w3.nls.net...
>>>> >> > You only see and hear what you want to see
and hear Adam.  I don't
>>> care
>>>> > if
>>>> >> > you ran a hospital, I live here and I've had
plenty of poor
>>>> >> > relatives
>>>> > ride
>>>> >> > for free in ambulances.  Then get free
treatment at hospitals.
>>>> >> >
>>>> >> > Gary
>>>> >> >
>>>> >> > "Adam"
 wrote in message
>>>> >> > news:43ba534c{at}w3.nls.net...
>>>> >> >> Gary Britt wrote:
>>>> >> >>
>>>> >> >> > That's a LIE.  An ambulance will
come just as fast whether the
>>>> >> >> > person
>>>> >> > has
>>>> >> >> > money or not.  Just ask all the
welfare mommas who get their
>>> medical
>>>> >> > care
>>>> >> >> > via an ambulance to the emergency
room.  The emergency room
>>>> >> >> > will
>>>> >> >> > take
>>>> >> > them
>>>> >> >> > and treat them for any life
threatening problems whether she
>>>> >> >> > had
>>>> >> > insurance
>>>> >> >> > or not.  County hospitals and free
clinics will provide medical
>>> care
>>>> >> > that's
>>>> >> >> > not life threatening for free or
very discounted prices.
>>>> >> >> >
>>>> >> >> > Its not government's job to feed
people, provide them housing
>>>> >> >> > or
>>>> >> > healthcare.
>>>> >> >> > People are responsible for
providing for themselves (in
>>>> >> >> > general).
>>>> > Its
>>>> >> >> > government's job to make sure there
is opportunity for those
>>>> >> >> > who
>>>> >> >> > want
>>>> >> >> > to
>>>> >> >> > work to provide these things for themselves.
>>>> >> >> >
>>>> >> >>
>>>> >> >> You want to be a little careful what you
state wrt this as I am
>>>> >> >> in
>>>> >> >> constant contact with US based
healthcare professionals from
>>>> >> >> clinicians
>>>> >> >> to policy makers to financial people in
orgs ranging from the
>>>> >> >> Mayo
>>>> >> >> clinic to the VA to the US Mil
healthcare ppl to Kaiser to Blue
>>> cross
>>>> >> >> etc.etc.
>>>> >> >>
>>>> >> >> I can state that the above is sort of true.
>>>> >> >>
>>>> >> >> A) ID determines where you are taken. No
health card & it's the
>>>> > cheapest
>>>> >> >> hospital & not the closest.
>>>> >> >>
>>>> >> >> B) Often if with Blue cross or whoever
then you may end up being
>>> taken
>>>> >> >> to that hospital even if it is 50 miles away.
>>>> >> >>
>>>> >> >> C) Once on the ambulance the job of the
crew is in part to rifle
>>>> > through
>>>> >> >> your possessions looking for health
cards or credit cards.
>>>> >> >>
>>>> >> >> D) Most of even the higher paid US ppl I
am in contact with are
>>>> >> >> basically fearfull of disease &
injury in a way that most
>>>> >> >> europeans
>>> I
>>>> >> >> deal with are not.
>>>> >> >>
>>>> >> >> Adam
>>>> >> >
>>>> >> >
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

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