Dillards 31: Grifting, Lying, and Allergies

[ViolaSebastian]

Ambulance costs are incredibly high. A few years ago, I had to be transported (I was unconscious) two miles to the nearest hospital. $650. About a year ago I dislocated one of my fingers, and I just drove myself to the hospital to avoid the bill.

[OreoMidnight]

A few years ago my partner had a medical emergency at work -was unconscious. Ambulance cost $1200- needed advanced life support. Insurance covered about $300. They said it was an ambulance not in our network so we had to pay most of it. There is only one ambulence service in our city. 

[Justmurrayed]

Holy crap! I had no idea ambulance costs were so high in the States. Here in Canada the average that I've seen has been around $50. 

[SorenaJ]

Here in Denmark and UK we don't pay for an ambulance. Healthcare is free. 

[Fluffy14]

53 minutes ago, Justmurrayed said:

Holy crap! I had no idea ambulance costs were so high in the States. Here in Canada the average that I've seen has been around $50. 

We have had the experience a few times to have to call an ambulance. The last time I fell off a ladder and broke my arm and dislocated it. I couldn't get off the ground so that was interesting.  We never got sent a bill. We waited for one and nothing came. So I don't even know. I know years ago we paid for one, but it was under a hundred bucks. We live in BC, and I have no clue what the rest of Canada does.

 

[albanuadh_1]

1 hour ago, Justmurrayed said:

Here in Canada the average that I've seen has been around $50. 

Live in Nova Scotia and the lowest I've seen is around $140.00.

[Kelsey]

17 hours ago, MadeItOut said:

 

Her Maj has said she won't have any more. She's supposedly very fond of cake though.

Every dog person says that at one time or another but when there's sweet puppy eyes staring at her with fat puppy bellies, we might have a chance!

[JordynDarby5]

1,200 was what my parents and I always had to pay for our ambulance rides and they wouldn't work with us for a payment plan either. They gave us three options none that we could meet so we always had to wait for it to go collections because the collection agency would work with us on a payment plan we could actually pay. I try to avoid it as much as possible and have someone drive me to the ER when I need to go.

[VelociRapture]

29 minutes ago, Kelsey said:

Every dog person says that at one time or another but when there's sweet puppy eyes staring at her with fat puppy bellies, we might have a chance!

I don't think so. She said she wouldn't take any more into her family because of her age - she doesn't want to leave a lot of them behind when she passes on (which I hope isn't for a while since she's a strong and reassuring presence for so many. We need more of that in the world right now.)

But maybe offering some cakes and delicious tea? And saying we're really, super sorry about that whole rebellious phase we went through? 

[SamiKatz]

My mother has epilepsy and has taken many, many ambulance rides to hospitals, and they've never cost her more than $30.  

We live in Ontario, Canada.

[Chewing Gum]

Holland: free if it's an emergency (cause, you know, ambulances...duh), and €110 if it was unnecessary. 

[Gobsmacked]

2 hours ago, Justmurrayed said:

Holy crap! I had no idea ambulance costs were so high in the States. Here in Canada the average that I've seen has been around $50. 

We had an ambulance bill of $400 Canadian dollars 10 years ago in Whistler when #2 and his snowboard hit a block of ice. He broke his right wrist! His treatment was 100%. Staff brilliant. All costs covered by insurance taken out in advance. The ambulance bill arrived 3/4 weeks later as a seperate bill. Our holiday insurance covered it. Still a shock though. The distance from Whistler mountain to the local hospital isn't miles!! The ambulance crew were fantastic.

[allthegoodnamesrgone]

2 hours ago, SorenaJ said:

Here in Denmark and UK we don't pay for an ambulance. Healthcare is free. 

The problem here in America is that we see health care like everything else. If it doesn't help me enrich me make my life easier or in anyway benefit me personally then I don't want to pay for someone else to have it, ie our taxes funding insurance,  never mind that you will need these services some day as well. To many Americans are too concerned with only them selves. There are too many people who feel if it doesn't effect me personally it isn't a problem. 

[Melissa1977]

2 hours ago, SorenaJ said:

Here in Denmark and UK we don't pay for an ambulance. Healthcare is free. 

Same in Spain.

But it's not really free, people pay taxes in order to have public services. I suppose American people save money on taxes but there's no real savings because private healthcare is overpriced so they finally pay much more.

 

[Greendoor]

22 hours ago, Nikedagain? said:

Yeah well, my ex MIL was my birthday twin. It wasn't that great....

My aunt, my father's cousin and I all share the same birthday.  My nephew was due on our day, but got born a week early by c-section.   Neither by brother or his wife share a birthday with anyone they know.

[MadeItOut]

11 hours ago, SapphireSlytherin said:

It's not terrifying - it's AWESOME! 

How weird. I'm so sorry,I thought I fixed my tablet's weirdness this morning. That's @seasonoflife who was terrified, not me - I'm an ex pat in no hurry to go back for more than a visit.

3 hours ago, Kelsey said:

Every dog person says that at one time or another but when there's sweet puppy eyes staring at her with fat puppy bellies, we might have a chance!

I dunno, she's a pretty feisty lady. Personally, I reckon there may be something to the fear of tripping over a corgi and hurting herself - after all, look at what happened to poor Princess Margaret.

[SapphireSlytherin]

@MadeItOut No apology needed. I know you're Brit (I think????) and I quoted the wrong text field. I owe you an apology! 

[2manyKidzzz]

18 minutes ago, MadeItOut said:

How weird. I'm so sorry,I thought I fixed my tablet's weirdness this morning. That's @seasonoflife who was terrified, not me - I'm an ex pat in no hurry to go back for more than a visit.

I dunno, she's a pretty feisty lady. Personally, I reckon there may be something to the fear of tripping over a corgi and hurting herself - after all, look at what happened to poor Princess Margaret.

Hmmm.....what happened to poor Princess Margaret if I may ask?

[MadeItOut]

24 minutes ago, SapphireSlytherin said:

@MadeItOut No apology needed. I know you're Brit (I think????) and I quoted the wrong text field. I owe you an apology! 

No worries, it happens.

Brit born, don't identify easily with it though. ...and likely won't go back unless somehow we get our absolute monarchy back. ...I'll take her maj any day.

11 minutes ago, 2manyKidzzz said:

Hmmm.....what happened to poor Princess Margaret if I may ask?

Not long before the end of her life she had a slip in/getting out of the bath and had an awful lot of trouble with damage and pain as a result. 

[Gobsmacked]

4 minutes ago, 2manyKidzzz said:

Hmmm.....what happened to poor Princess Margaret if I may ask?

She was very much the second daughter. The love of her life was Captain Townsend. He was divorced. Princess Margaret was "persuaded" not to marry him. Her eventual husband was very much a second choice. 

Margaret was a rebel and party girl, lovers aplenty (if the press are to be believed). She smoked and drank. Her health failed, she suffered a stroke and died in her 70s. I've always had a lot of sympathy for her.

[VelociRapture]

1 hour ago, allthegoodnamesrgone said:

The problem here in America is that we see health care like everything else. If it doesn't help me enrich me make my life easier or in anyway benefit me personally then I don't want to pay for someone else to have it, ie our taxes funding insurance,  never mind that you will need these services some day as well. To many Americans are too concerned with only them selves. There are too many people who feel if it doesn't effect me personally it isn't a problem. 

Another problem is wages, which have stagnated for a really long time. Could people really afford to pay another tax in order to provide healthcare? 

Then again, can a lot of people afford to pay for insurance now? 

[singsingsing]

3 minutes ago, MadeItOut said:

Brit born, don't identify easily with it though. ...and likely won't go back unless somehow we get our absolute monarchy back. ...I'll take her maj any day.

Ha, but what about the day when it becomes his majesty, King Charles?

(I actually rather like Charles, but I think I'm still in the minority in that.)

[MadeItOut]

11 minutes ago, singsingsing said:

Ha, but what about the day when it becomes his majesty, King Charles?

(I actually rather like Charles, but I think I'm still in the minority in that.)

I rather like him too - apart from how he is with women.

 

I still reckon it would be better - ultimately, on a grassroots level it'd be not so different - essentially it'd be a more honest version of what we have now. Plus, let's face it, for the last couple of millennia the problem royals haven't been a problem for long

 

...plus then I could wear my fave T-shirt more: Feudalism - your Count votes

[VelociRapture]

11 minutes ago, singsingsing said:

Ha, but what about the day when it becomes his majesty, King Charles?

(I actually rather like Charles, but I think I'm still in the minority in that.)

I like Charles a bit as well. He's far from perfect in many ways and he was a pretty bad husband at times (though, to be fair, Diana wasn't the greatest wife in many ways either.) I think it's clear he loves his children and grandchildren very much though and his interest in many important topics - such as environmental conservation - seems genuine.

That said, I don't think he's eager to take the throne. Not just because it means the loss of his mother (which is bad enough), but also because he'll have to step back from the work he loves most to become the ceremonial figurehead the nation needs. I don't think it'll be a fun or easy transition for him.

[Carm_88]

11 minutes ago, singsingsing said:

Ha, but what about the day when it becomes his majesty, King Charles?

(I actually rather like Charles, but I think I'm still in the minority in that.)

I quite like Charles. I think he has a good head on his shoulders now.