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A two mile ambulance ride, consisting of a the ride and an IV, cost me over $7k once.
I recall reading how people in US now prefer taking uber to the hospital instead of calling an ambulance.
Yeah people will also check hospital websites and consult their social circles before picking a hospital to drive to, while in crisis. Because you also have to consider how ambulances will drive you to the nearest hospital regardless of whether it's any good or if they'll be able to treat you there. If they can't, then you'll be forced to take another ambulance ride to transfer to a hospital that can (and not for free ofc).
It makes sense to do this for liability reasons and for health reasons, but god damn ambulances should not cost money. All healthcare shouldn't cost money...
Indeed.
It's not just "can this hospital take care of you" but "is this hospital 'in network' for you". If you've got full coverage but are unconscious and somebody takes you to the wrong place you might as well not have any insurance at all.
Absolutely. There's also out-of-network doctors that might treat you in an in-network hospital and exams, treatments, medications, etc that might not be covered. There's no shortage of ways to monetize people dying.
When I broke my collarbone in Amerika, I asked my friends to drive me to the urgent care (lmao can't afford to go to a hospital) instead of taking an ambulance. Even an Uber would have been like $50 from where I was
I'm insured through my job, and they have a $500 deductible for ambulance rides. I can uber to the hospital for 1/10th that price!
Imagine even remembering all the insurance shitshow lists when you are in pain and require help. Private healthcare is one of the most ghoulish things i can even imagine and i read multiple dystopian stories presenting much less worse things as total humanitarian disasters.