Photo from Marietta Fire Department

How much do you think it costs for an ambulance ride? Here is a hint: the two EMTs manning the ambulance have wages lower than most taxi drivers. Did you guess $700? Well, with a $650 base rate and an extra $15 per mile, $700 is roughly the cost for a short ride to the ER.

Add that to the hospital bill, about $800, and the total hits $1,500. Now compare that to the fee for a visit to the doctor’s office, averaging $100-$250 (depending on tests and procedures).

From my experience in EMS, many 911 calls are for problems that do not require immediate treatment: vomiting, twisted ankles, fevers, toothaches, etc. Is it worthwhile to use the ER for treating minor complaints right now when personal physicians can better dedicate their time to treating the problem at a much lower cost?

Waiting to see the family doctor is certainly the best option for minor medical complaints, but in more urgent situations, waiting around is simply not an option. However, not everyone who needs emergency care requires an ambulance transport.

For example, someone with a broken foot, leg, hand, or arm requires immediate care, but EMS personnel can often offer no interventions on scene and actually slow down the process of providing treatment. Why waste the time dialing 911, waiting for an ambulance to arrive, and sitting through an assessment that will be repeated multiple times in the ER? Don’t forget that EMTs only carry aspirin, so the administration of pain medications will be delayed as well. For $700 less, a friend or family member with a personal vehicle would better guarantee quick treatment from an emergency physician.

Photo by TheAlieness GiselaGiardino

If a patient is alert, oriented, and can stand, most insurance plans (like Medicare and Medicaid) won’t pay for transport fees — in other words, if the insurance company thinks the patient could have ridden in a personal vehicle or taxi, the they won’t pay the bill. So, the patients gets billed the $700. For me, life threatening situations aside, riding in an ambulance is not worth the financial risk.

Transportation by ambulance to the ER is not an obligation of dialing 911. After EMS personnel finish their on-scene assessment, patients still have three options: wait to see their normal doctor, take a private vehicle to the ER, or, in more serious situations, have EMS personnel take them to the ER. If you feel you need immediate medical attention, by all means, dial 911 and go to the ER. But when you do, weigh out the benefits and know your options.