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It takes 5 minutes for the ambulance to arrive and 15 minutes to check that your insurance is gonna pay for it.

by VBprogrammer 5y ago

kcplate 5y ago
Sorry, but EMS doesn’t work this way.
- VBprogrammer 5y ago
  Of course it doesn't. It was a joke.
  - kcplate 5y ago
    Considering all of the lovely armchair analysis and assumption from non us citizens about the US on this thread, I thought I would just state it so some random European HN reader doesn't make yet another incorrect assumption about the US from a stray comment. “Did you know that in the United States ambulances will not take you to the hospital unless you have insurance if you have an accident? OMG, yes! I read it on HN!”
    - VBprogrammer 5y ago
      It's not like there isn't a grain of truth in it though. You don't have to look far to find people in financial emergencies because the ambulance provider didn't take their insurance or to find people with significant injuries begging a friend to take them to the hospital rather than phoning an ambulance because they are uninsured. The US perverse infatuation with healthcare as a business is kind of horrifying to those non-US citizens. If poking fun at it is what it takes to effect change then hurrah for the power of humour!
      - kcplate 5y ago
        > You don't have to look far to find people in financial emergencies because the ambulance provider didn't take their insurance or to find people with significant injuries begging a friend to take them to the hospital rather than phoning an ambulance because they are uninsured. That is a wholly different situation where the patient is making the decision because of a lack of insurance instead of the EMS provider. And…it’s generally because of ignorance that folks make that decision. They base it on rumor and assumption, where in many cases a simple phone call or two is all it takes to get those large charges decreased significantly. An ambulance provider has zero benefit to them in intentionally creating a bad debt account that will ultimately default.

It takes 5 minutes for the ambulance to arrive and 15 minutes to check that your insurance is gonna pay for it.

kcplate 5y ago

Sorry, but EMS doesn’t work this way.

VBprogrammer 5y ago
Of course it doesn't. It was a joke.
- kcplate 5y ago
  Considering all of the lovely armchair analysis and assumption from non us citizens about the US on this thread, I thought I would just state it so some random European HN reader doesn't make yet another incorrect assumption about the US from a stray comment. “Did you know that in the United States ambulances will not take you to the hospital unless you have insurance if you have an accident? OMG, yes! I read it on HN!”
  - VBprogrammer 5y ago
    It's not like there isn't a grain of truth in it though. You don't have to look far to find people in financial emergencies because the ambulance provider didn't take their insurance or to find people with significant injuries begging a friend to take them to the hospital rather than phoning an ambulance because they are uninsured. The US perverse infatuation with healthcare as a business is kind of horrifying to those non-US citizens. If poking fun at it is what it takes to effect change then hurrah for the power of humour!
    - kcplate 5y ago
      > You don't have to look far to find people in financial emergencies because the ambulance provider didn't take their insurance or to find people with significant injuries begging a friend to take them to the hospital rather than phoning an ambulance because they are uninsured. That is a wholly different situation where the patient is making the decision because of a lack of insurance instead of the EMS provider. And…it’s generally because of ignorance that folks make that decision. They base it on rumor and assumption, where in many cases a simple phone call or two is all it takes to get those large charges decreased significantly. An ambulance provider has zero benefit to them in intentionally creating a bad debt account that will ultimately default.