Son billed $781 after dad dies waiting for ambulance

[jakem1]

Well, I had done some research on the topic of healthcare awhile back in regards to France, not as confident about the UK... but several items stood out. First, medical procedures/costs are regulated. Where a root canal costs $600-$1200 here, it would cost 100 Euros in France. Doctors are also paid about 1/3 about what doctors in the US are paid. France also controls access to health care professionals ... who you can see and when. Finally, France taxes at around 38% tp 43% (for a typical family, if you have more children you pay less, if you have fewer you pay more). Another telling figure for France was that 90% of the citizens purchase supplemental insurance. Finally, doctors are allowed to charge more than the baseline for more/better care and apparently most do (ie. the insurance does NOT cover it all).

To sum it up (France, I don't know about UK):

1. Higher taxes than in the US by at least 10%, closer to 15% and 20%.

2. Price setting by the gov't. (procedure prices and doctor wages).

3. Regulated access to healthcare professionals. (you don't get to see specialists unless referred onward)

4. 90% of people pay for supplemental insurance. (that cost is not figured in when the cost research was done)

5. You can pay more than the social medicine covers in costs if you want better care. (apparently most doctors offer this)

In regards to the statement about an ambulance ride. All people can take an ambulance whether you have money or not. So what our UK friend said was basically a lie, which is probably why the US poster responded as he did.

Yes, we pay higher taxes to cover healthcare in the UK but we spend less on healthcare per capita than the US does. There is regulation of healthcare professionals wages (doctors, specialists, nurses, dentists, etc.) but they're not poorly paid. Private health insurance is available here in the UK but the majority don't pay for it because it's not necessary.

As for your last statement, I haven't lied about anything and it's silly to suggest that I have in a thread about a person who was sent a bill for an ambulance visit. The guy who responded had no right to respond the way he did but can't seem to help being rude to people.

[Tuishimi]

As for your last statement, I haven't lied about anything and it's silly to suggest that I have in a thread about a person who was sent a bill for an ambulance visit. The guy who responded had no right to respond the way he did but can't seem to help being rude to people.

You said:

Not if you can't afford it. Here in the UK we support each other to ensure that everyone is cared for whereas in the US people can only use an ambulance if they can afford it.

That is not true. If it is not true, it is a lie.

Yes, we pay higher taxes to cover healthcare in the UK but we spend less on healthcare per capita than the US does. There is regulation of healthcare professionals wages (doctors, specialists, nurses, dentists, etc.) but they're not poorly paid. Private health insurance is available here in the UK but the majority don't pay for it because it's not necessary.

As I noted, (my above posts were in response to some UN report), even in the UK corporations also have insurance plans, and as I said most of my post was in regards to France's system, where a vast majority of people DO purchase extra insurance. Are you sure your figures are not heresay?

[Marshall Veteran]

Thread Cleaned

Let's try to keep it civil.

[jakem1]

That is not true. If it is not true, it is a lie.

Lucky everything's so black and white for you.

So are you saying that ambulances are free in the US? If not then I stand by what I said. If an ambulance is not free then people will choose not to call one, regardless of when they have to pay the bill.

As I noted, (my above posts were in response to some UN report), even in the UK corporations also have insurance plans, and as I said most of my post was in regards to France's system, where a vast majority of people DO purchase extra insurance. Are you sure your figures are not heresay?

I didn't provide any figures so I'm not sure what "heresay" (or even hearsay) has to do with it. If you want me to back my claims up then here's a link with admittedly dated figures that demonstrates that roughly 10% of the population in the UK has private health insurance:

http://www.privatehealth.co.uk/aboutus/industry/industry-marketdata/private-medical-insurance/

As the figure remained unchanged between 1992 and 2002 I'll assume it hasn't changed much in the following decade either. There's little need for private health insurance in the UK because the NHS is generally excellent and satisfaction rates are very high. Some companies do offer health insurance as part of an employee package but it's not considered necessary in the same way as it is in the US. For instance, I used to receive private health insurance through work but I ended up dropping it because it was a waste of money and I had to pay more tax on it.

And here's a comparison from 2010 on healthcare spending per capita in the US vs the UK and other countries:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/mar/22/us-healthcare-bill-rest-of-world-obama

I hope that helps. My sources are a little more concrete than your "some UN report".

[alpha2beta]

2 trained ER's, 1 Driver possibly trained in ER, phone system costs, medical insurance costs, $200,000 vehicle rental costs , after-service call check over and maintenance costs, and on and on and on... rent any $200k vehicle and driver for a couple hours and you are looking at the same bill. Now that one looks at it, its a damn cheap to get that for $700 considering what it is.

D!(k of month award to you buddy.

[Rippleman]

D!(k of month award to you buddy.

not saying i agree, just giving the reason... don't shoot the messanger

[Clirion]

Lucky everything's so black and white for you.

So are you saying that ambulances are free in the US? If not then I stand by what I said. If an ambulance is not free then people will choose not to call one, regardless of when they have to pay the bill.

I didn't provide any figures so I'm not sure what "heresay" (or even hearsay) has to do with it. If you want me to back my claims up then here's a link with admittedly dated figures that demonstrates that roughly 10% of the population in the UK has private health insurance:

http://www.privatehe...ical-insurance/

As the figure remained unchanged between 1992 and 2002 I'll assume it hasn't changed much in the following decade either. There's little need for private health insurance in the UK because the NHS is generally excellent and satisfaction rates are very high. Some companies do offer health insurance as part of an employee package but it's not considered necessary in the same way as it is in the US. For instance, I used to receive private health insurance through work but I ended up dropping it because it was a waste of money and I had to pay more tax on it.

And here's a comparison from 2010 on healthcare spending per capita in the US vs the UK and other countries:

http://www.guardian....-of-world-obama

I hope that helps. My sources are a little more concrete than your "some UN report".

Here again in this thread is how ambulance rides work in the US.

1. Ambulance is called for.

2. Ambulance arrives

3. Ambulance does transport or not.

4. Bill goes out to the Insurance company.

5. If not insurance company, then goes to the individual.

a. if the individual is above the line for Medicare/Medicaid, then they pay for it.

b. if the individual is eligible for Medicaid/Medicare, bill goes to that agency.

Now there are some municipalities that include Ambulances as part of their tax base.