Bill for Ambulance Service

Decieboy

Quote:
Originally Posted by buzzman
If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of having to be rescued by the chopper, you can relax, you won't get a bill. The lads in the chopper / the company that provide the service are on an annual retainer from the Government. Whether they do 1 call or 1,000 calls in the year, it doesn't matter, they get paid the same. Much the same as when an ambulance comes for you, you don't get billed off us either.

I realise that this is a quote from last year but wonder if it is still relevant today. I took ill at Cork Airport in January and airport staff called for an ambulance that took me to A&E at the South Infirmary Hospital. I was not admitted however and released later that night having been given the all-clear. I subsequently paid my 100 euro A&E bill as I am not a medical card holder. I was therefore surprised this week to receive a bill for 87 euro from the HSE Ambulance Service for use of their ambulance. Does anyone know if I am obliged to pay for this service even though I did not request it?

Thanks.

DubMedic

Decieboy wrote: »

I realise that this is a quote from last year but wonder if it is still relevant today. I took ill at Cork Airport in January and airport staff called for an ambulance that took me to A&E at the South Infirmary Hospital. I was not admitted however and released later that night having been given the all-clear. I subsequently paid my 100 euro A&E bill as I am not a medical card holder. I was therefore surprised this week to receive a bill for 87 euro from the HSE Ambulance Service for use of their ambulance. Does anyone know if I am obliged to pay for this service even though I did not request it?

Thanks.

I don't know if you are obliged as such to pay for it.

I do know however that if you activate the 999/112 system and ask for an Emergency Ambulance, that it is free. However, that said, the A&E has been known to charge patients in their bill an 'ambulance fee', one such hospital I know that does this is JCM.

Sounds slightly suspicious too if they called a HSE Ambulance for you , Do Cork Airport not have ambulances like the DAA.

.

Decieboy

Hi DubMedic,

I don't think Cork Airport have their own ambulance as such. I was taken from the plane to the terminal in their car so they must have rung for an ambulance.

I know that Waterford Regional Hospital do not charge an ambulance fee on top of their A&E fee. I just wonder does billing vary from hospital to hospital?

Decieboy

boomer_ie

DubMedic wrote: »

I don't know if you are obliged as such to pay for it.

I do know however that if you activate the 999/112 system and ask for an Emergency Ambulance, that it is free. However, that said, the A&E has been known to charge patients in their bill an 'ambulance fee', one such hospital I know that does this is JCM.

Sounds slightly suspicious too if they called a HSE Ambulance for you , Do Cork Airport not have ambulances like the DAA.

.

While I was in Bantry A&E last year I noticed a notice on the wall that stated that there is a €4 a km charge for anyone brought to hospital by Ambulance. This is to my understanding not repeated anywhere else in the country. I presume its in the area formerly covered by the Southern Health Board?

DubMedic

Decieboy wrote: »

Hi DubMedic,

I don't think Cork Airport have their own ambulance as such. I was taken from the plane to the terminal in their car so they must have rung for an ambulance.

I know that Waterford Regional Hospital do not charge an ambulance fee on top of their A&E fee. I just wonder does billing vary from hospital to hospital?

Decieboy

I'm not sure on whether it differs as this is only the 3rd time i have heard of something like this.

Maybe it's a case of some hospitals charging and others not.

However, I would have to agree with A&E charges in certain cases, IF it helped to keep certain wards in Children's Hospitals open, & kept the NeoNatal Intensive Care Ambulance OTR.

.

DubMedic

boomer_ie wrote: »

While I was in Bantry A&E last year I noticed a notice on the wall that stated that there is a €4 a km charge for anyone brought to hospital by Ambulance. This is to my understanding not repeated anywhere else in the country. I presume its in the area formerly covered by the Southern Health Board?

I was not aware of that Boomer.

I am however aware that JCM charge an 'ambulance fee', not sure whether it is set or not or whether it applies to DFB/NAS/Vols or not.

.

Decieboy

I don't mind paying the bill but the fact is I did not ring for the ambulance in the first place and why does it differ from hospital to hospital?

Also, should it not be tied in with the A&E bill of 100 euro rather than getting a surprise in the post almost five months later?

I did hear on Matt Cooper during the week that some councils are charging for 999 calls now. One woman received a 1,200 euro bill for ringing a fire brigade after being involved in an road traffic accident. It was so expsensive due to it being a Saturday and the firemen were on overtime. She may not even be liable for the accident as this still has to be proven by the insurers.

It is a sad state of affairs in this country if we are fearful of dialling 999 in case we get a hefty bill.

DubMedic

Decieboy wrote: »

I don't mind paying the bill but the fact is I did not ring for the ambulance in the first place and why does it differ from hospital to hospital?

Also, should it not be tied in with the A&E bill of 100 euro rather than getting a surprise in the post almost five months later?

I did hear on Matt Cooper during the week that some councils are charging for 999 calls now. One woman received a 1,200 euro bill for ringing a fire brigade after being involved in an road traffic accident. It was so expsensive due to it being a Saturday and the firemen were on overtime. She may not even be liable for the accident as this still has to be proven by the insurers.

It is a sad state of affairs in this country if we are fearful of dialling 999 in case we get a hefty bill.

It is a sad affair that we are aware that calling 999 might bring some sort of charge of sorts.

Sadly, HSE Management is not co-ordinated properly in that it takes a while for paperwork to seep through the various levels and get to the appropriate department before sending you a surprise bill.

In my opinion , it should have been included in the hospital bill because that's ultimately where the ambulance brought you.

That charge by the council is an absolute disgrace and should only be implemented for true false alarms , whereas the RTA should be responded to without fees, This fee may apply in rural areas because fire crews are retained ( paid per call ) rather than full-time.

.

boomer_ie

DubMedic wrote: »

I was not aware of that Boomer.

I am however aware that JCM charge an 'ambulance fee', not sure whether it is set or not or whether it applies to DFB/NAS/Vols or not.

.

It should be noted that HSE/DFB etc do not see a single cent of these "Ambulance Fees"

DubMedic

boomer_ie wrote: »

It should be noted that HSE/DFB etc do not see a single cent of these "Ambulance Fees"

Not strictly correct.
It would be NAS that don't see it, not HSE.
As HSE is the entity, not the Ambulance Service, Although they provide it.

.

Zuppy

I think boomer is referring to the money due to the DFB

boomer_ie

DubMedic wrote: »

Not strictly correct.
It would be NAS that don't see it, not HSE.
As HSE is the entity, not the Ambulance Service, Although they provide it.

.

Your entirely correct, I was having a brain fart and thinking back to the days of the Health Boards

Your correct that its the NAS/DFB that dont see the money although HSE does.

One point that arises, if a patient is brought in by VAS or PAS do they get charged the ambulance charge?

Decieboy

Decieboy wrote: »

Quote:
Originally Posted by buzzman
If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of having to be rescued by the chopper, you can relax, you won't get a bill. The lads in the chopper / the company that provide the service are on an annual retainer from the Government. Whether they do 1 call or 1,000 calls in the year, it doesn't matter, they get paid the same. Much the same as when an ambulance comes for you, you don't get billed off us either.

I realise that this is a quote from last year but wonder if it is still relevant today. I took ill at Cork Airport in January and airport staff called for an ambulance that took me to A&E at the South Infirmary Hospital. I was not admitted however and released later that night having been given the all-clear. I subsequently paid my 100 euro A&E bill as I am not a medical card holder. I was therefore surprised this week to receive a bill for 87 euro from the HSE Ambulance Service for use of their ambulance. Does anyone know if I am obliged to pay for this service even though I did not request it?

Thanks.

I'd guess that somewhere on the bill there is a contact number for the Department that billed you. Maybe you could phone them and get the facts of why you were billed and not speculation which is all you will get here.

And let us know, so we can pretend to be smart the next time someone asks a question like this one.:D

gdamedic

Voluntaries dont charge an amb fee for bringing people to A+E

boomer_ie

gdamedic wrote: »

Voluntaries dont charge an amb fee for bringing people to A+E

Correct they dont, we are talking about the Hospital Charging the patient a fee for coming in by Ambulance, I dont think the hospitals note on their forms what type / organisation of ambulance brings in the patient, they just tick the box marked Ambulance.

Zuppy

I know of people who have received bills from Ambulance (HSE) for being in an RTA. Others who have not. SO if your paying the HSE should you be charged for it by the A & E?

tagoona

I find it ridiculous that in these days of hospital closures for efficiency and centre of excellence reasons, that some places may charge you by the kilometre.
How long before someone from the far west of clare is charged taxi rates to be taken to limerick hospital. Because you know that's how it's going to end up.
Makes my f**king blood boil

Zuppy

Well RTE news tonight showed a Pensioner who uses half his weekly pension for the taxi round trip to the hospital in Galway city.

Bang Bang

I have seen one of those Ambulance invoices from JCM (Connolly Hospital). I enquired about it in the hospital and got nowhere. I asked admin in another Dublin HSE hospital and was told they never heard of an ambulance charge.
I enquired within the NAS and no officer I spoke to knew of any ambulance charge.
It's worth noting that hospitals have their own budget, as does the ambulance service. So where does the money go to?? Well it doesn't appear to be going back into the ambulance budget....

paconnors

A friend of mine works for the fire brigade and he told me if you didn't call them then you don't have to pay

DubMedic

Let's try and put this one to sleep , shall we?.

Should you or a family member become ill/injured to the extent that you need Emergency Medical Attention . Then you are free to dial 999 and activate the DFB/NAS , in an emergency situation.

Depending on which hospital you end up at, and depending on various different factors, You may or may not have to pay an 'ambulance fee' as part of hospital fees, or separate.

Should you require Emergency Ambulance Attention , do not hesitate to dial 999 and ask for help.

Trained Professionals will respond as soon as possible and help you to the nearest hospital if the situation so requires.
Do not worry about being charged then and there.

You cannot buy a new you, you , as a person , are irreplaceable.

.

Our man in Havana

Ultimately these charges will probably be ruled unlawful (as they are not applied to everyone) if someone was ever taken to court for non payment, same as fire brigade charges.