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Cities with Uber Have Lower Rates of Ambulance Usage

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Re: Cities with Uber Have Lower Rates of Ambulance Usage

#141

Post by briandear »

sitepodmatt wrote: post #132
rconti wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My wife was in a car accident, and surprisingly, the ambulance bill (perhaps 5 miles, "night" surcharge (7pm), private ambulance in the bay area) was "only" ~$3400. I seem to recall an ambulance ride when I was a kid (20 years ago) costing something like $5k plus when I crashed my bicycle. Funny thing, though, the ambulance bill was the only thing NOT covered 100% initially. The hospital and surgeons bill your insura…

3.4k and 5k. I would expect the keys to ambulance after the ride for that price. How can that cost be justified, did you get any treatment in the ambulance other than oxygen and maybe some morphine?

It’s called cross subsidization.

Re: Cities with Uber Have Lower Rates of Ambulance Usage

#142

Post by ballooney »

an4rchy wrote: post #5

I've been wondering about this for a while but, is there a reason why Uber or an alternative cannot/should not get into the Ambulance space, if it were able to get qualified staff. I feel like Ambulances/Hospitals charge way too much and using the app/tech at a basic level to connect the ambulances with patients addresses may be a good start for everyone and also the increase in supply may reduce costs.

When people criticize 'Silicon-Valley-Types' for only being able to think of technical solutions to social problems, it's exactly this kind of thing they have in mind.

Just read this thread - the way medical care is paid for in the US is batshit-insane, injured people not wanting to call an ambulance incase they lose their house - and reads like a history book about european medieval history. The solution is not more apps, it's a proper healthcare system like almost every other developed country.

Re: Cities with Uber Have Lower Rates of Ambulance Usage

#143

Post by jopsen »

dazc wrote: post #100
joshvm wrote: post #41

Coming from a country where ambulance usage is free for citizens, it would be interesting to see the stats in Uber cities. The only reason not to call an ambulance here is if you feel it would be unethical (e.g. if you broke your arm and your partner could drive you). EDIT: That is, I imagine you might be able to see whether Uber provides a better alternative than the local cabs. This still holds in US cities though,…

I also come from a country where ambulance usage is free but I can tell you from experience that getting one of these ambulances isn't as simple as one might think. I imagine, maybe, there are keywords or phrases that result in instant dispatch but the default behaviour seems to be to frustrate you as much as possible to the point where you just hang up and drive yourself to the nearest hospital accident and emergenc…

Free ambulances are always going to come with the problem of abuse, followed by a reluctance to send an ambulance.

Resulting in news stories of how some people call of help and don't get any. But these stories are rare, it's seem better than letting poor people die.

This said, we probably should add a tiny ambulance fee ($50), and apply a fine for inappropriate use.

Re: Cities with Uber Have Lower Rates of Ambulance Usage

#144

Post by somebadguy »

briandear wrote: post #136
blhack wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is pretty much nothing that infuriates me more than the health insurance system. Here is just one example (other than your ambulance example, which is like some trolley-car problem come real): We use "insurance" for routine medical examinations which are supposedly to be done regardless of health. We use "insurance" for YEARLY checkups. The absurdity of this is on par with insuring yourself against getting hung…

Insurance should be used for what it is — an financial instrument to protect against unforeseen and catastrophic financial loss. Car insurance doesn’t pay for tires or oil while it could be argued that bad tires increase the risk of accident. However tires and oil are an inextricable requirements to owning a car. This idea that health care should be paid for by someone else has always puzzled me. It’s the equivalent…

Oh do fuck off. Ignorant loser

Re: Cities with Uber Have Lower Rates of Ambulance Usage

#145

Post by somebadguy »

briandear wrote: post #141
sitepodmatt wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

3.4k and 5k. I would expect the keys to ambulance after the ride for that price. How can that cost be justified, did you get any treatment in the ambulance other than oxygen and maybe some morphine?

It’s called cross subsidization.

I told you to fuck off. Ignorant hypocrite

Re: Cities with Uber Have Lower Rates of Ambulance Usage

#146

Post by GordonS »

dazc wrote: post #100
joshvm wrote: post #41

Coming from a country where ambulance usage is free for citizens, it would be interesting to see the stats in Uber cities. The only reason not to call an ambulance here is if you feel it would be unethical (e.g. if you broke your arm and your partner could drive you). EDIT: That is, I imagine you might be able to see whether Uber provides a better alternative than the local cabs. This still holds in US cities though,…

I also come from a country where ambulance usage is free but I can tell you from experience that getting one of these ambulances isn't as simple as one might think. I imagine, maybe, there are keywords or phrases that result in instant dispatch but the default behaviour seems to be to frustrate you as much as possible to the point where you just hang up and drive yourself to the nearest hospital accident and emergenc…

What country is this?

Re: Cities with Uber Have Lower Rates of Ambulance Usage

#148

Post by dazc »

GordonS wrote: post #146
dazc wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also come from a country where ambulance usage is free but I can tell you from experience that getting one of these ambulances isn't as simple as one might think. I imagine, maybe, there are keywords or phrases that result in instant dispatch but the default behaviour seems to be to frustrate you as much as possible to the point where you just hang up and drive yourself to the nearest hospital accident and emergenc…

What country is this?

UK

Re: Cities with Uber Have Lower Rates of Ambulance Usage

#149

Post by skrause »

throwaway0255 wrote: post #48

I injured myself and needed to go to the ER. The injury wasn't life threatening, but I definitely needed to go to the hospital immediately. I called an Uber. I don't have the time or expertise to do the months of legalese and calculus it would take me to understand my insurance policy, so I have no idea how much an ambulance ride would have cost me. $0? $400? $15000? None of those numbers would surprise me. As best I…

Here in Germany the copayment for an ambulance is 10 €, everything else is covered by the health-insurance.

So the choice is easy: If it's urgent call an ambulance, if it's not urgent and/or there are other ways too get to the hospital quickly and easily use those instead.

Re: Cities with Uber Have Lower Rates of Ambulance Usage

#150

Post by dazc »

jopsen wrote: post #143
dazc wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also come from a country where ambulance usage is free but I can tell you from experience that getting one of these ambulances isn't as simple as one might think. I imagine, maybe, there are keywords or phrases that result in instant dispatch but the default behaviour seems to be to frustrate you as much as possible to the point where you just hang up and drive yourself to the nearest hospital accident and emergenc…

Free ambulances are always going to come with the problem of abuse, followed by a reluctance to send an ambulance. Resulting in news stories of how some people call of help and don't get any. But these stories are rare, it's seem better than letting poor people die. This said, we probably should add a tiny ambulance fee ($50), and apply a fine for inappropriate use.

'This said, we probably should add a tiny ambulance fee ($50), and apply a fine for inappropriate use.'

I agree although reclaiming this fee from those who abuse the system is likely to prove difficult?

I can remember a time in the UK when ambulance and, IIRC, fire service would bill you after the event for attendance.

Not sure if this was every case or just where they deemed it appropriate? But, I do remember, it was common knowledge there was no penalty or follow-up if you didn't pay.

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