What do you think, is St Johns ambulance
really honourable to the core? The other day a friend of mine passed out and the
next thing she was ushered into the ambulance and drove to the hospital (about
50 yards away). She works next to the hospital in another building for the
health department. A few days later she got a bill of $65. She did not ask
for an ambulance, she did not call the ambulance.
I heard from several other people that got
bills for the same reason, one refused to pay the bill and was threatened with a
court summons if not paid.
Now is St John that honourable?..
Posted by on 29 Aug 2013
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gartz
ithought they were free it was up to the people who want the aide to pay for
he hours they spend
If you say `St John', rather than the usual `St Johns' you will find it
easier to say. Guess what? If you read the sign(s) on ambulances, they say St
John' so you would also be correct!!!!
The Ambulance service in NZ is run by St John (except in Wellington, where
they have the Wellington Free Ambulance). One trip, within 48 hrs of an accident
is free as it is covered by the Accident Compensation Corporation. The current
fee for a person with a medical condition is a fixed rate so everyone pays the
same, even if the trip covers many k's
Thanks for the reminder - I need to pay my subscription for next year.
In WA St Johns do run the ambulance service. The were financially in
such dire straights due to unpaid bills that the service almost closed.
The government provides a grant for the service, but it doesn't meet
the running cost. HBFm as a not for profit organisation now provides admin
services for accounts for free to st John's, so the fees are the basic minimum,
and since the membership is so cheap there is really no reason for anyone not to
take out membership. Aged pensioners are covered for free. There are
many rules that Ambulance officers have to follow, one of which relates to
transporting unconcious patients. They have no choice, they must take you
to hospital if you are uncobscious. If you are awake you can refuse
transport and you will not be billed if someone else called for the ambulance,
but if you get the ride it is only fair that you pay for it. They provide
a valuable service and I am grateful they are there, "just in case".
membership is money wellspent and if you have private health insurance
your ambulance membership is usually part of the package options in WA.
A person who doesn't know another person's medical history has to consider if
it could be a heart attack, stroke, cerebal haemorrage, brain tumor or similar.
An Auntie of mine lost consciousness and it was initially thought shew had
suffered a stroke. Tests proved it was a terminal brain tumor. A neighbour of
ours in her mid 40s collapsed in her neighbour's home and they called an
ambulance. She had a pulse, was breathing but no air was being expelled. An
Ambulance was called and she was rushed to hospital (code 1 = lights and
siren/s). She had suffered a cerebal bleed. She had 3 lots of surgery and was
kept in an induced coma during the early stages so she wouldn't move at all.
After 3 months she started opening her eyes briefly but can't speak at all. At 4
months she could me her fingers a little on one hand. She has to be tube fed via
her stomach and is undergoing extensive varieties of therapies.
Well I think they do a fantastic job & the fact she was unconscious means
she needs to be rushed to hospital think of what might of happened if they left
her there people would say how discusted they were what if she had a heart
attack at the end of the day $65 is pocket change to compare a life my last trip
in a ambulance was about 10 Kms & cost $2,500 lucky for me we have ambulance
subscription we pay for & our private health cover reimburse us maybe your
friend should take out private health cover well enjoy your day I hope your
friend is ok now cheers
Yes it is honourable. Someone obviously thought that your friend was in need
of an ambulance to call one. They have an obligation to take a person to
hospital when they are called so they do their job or risk being sued for
letting a person potentially die.
$65 is reasonable for the time and expertise of the paramedics. They do a
fantastic job and can't ignore a person in need (whether it turns out it was
serious or not) They are so under funded and it must be difficult to keep
vehicles on the road let alone with trained staff.
Well firstly St.Johns Ambulance and the Ambulance Service are Two completely
different things. But I do know that when either one is called to the Cross area
in Sydney, both the Paramedics and St. Johns Service do a fantastic job and they
are spat upon, hit, they have missiles thrown at them, smashed bottles
thrown at them and have to deal with Drunken People both male and female. They
also have to deal with people who are really on another planet from drugs. They
never know what to expect when they are called out. They have to deal with
Needles left laying around, or being stuck with one. When they are called out to
Domestic Violence cases, they never know what to expect or whats waiting there
for them. I during my life have had to call upon them, and they have been
nothing but fantastic. I know that I would rather pay a few Dollars to be picked
up and be safe, than faint or become ill and pass out in the street and be left
on the side of the road, and then get done over by some low lives. I take my hat
off to both The Paramedics and the St. Jhons Ambulance. So should everyone
because you would be the first to complain about it if they were not there!!!
Cheers Mishiee.
St john do a fabo job, I guess the person who called them thought it was the
right thing to do, all I can say is lucky its $65.00 not $1300 maybe your
freind should invest in ambulance cover it dosent cost much at all
Ambulance insurance costs vey little. It gives piece of mind and mean the
difference between life and death.Surely we can take some responsibility for
our own health and well being. It is a very expensive service doing an
amazing job.
yep I agree with
you dosent cost much to cover your self for ambulance
when I was working full time had private health insurance and ambulance cover it
would cost me $25 for the whole year and when I had to renew my membership
I got a refund off my health insurance
I can not faulter the ambulance service as they were at my home within a very
short time and tried serviving our son unfortunately he did not servive. So if
you really believe in having an ambulance service the paramedics are there to
help with your condition don't knock them praize them they do a marvolous job
without them where would people be.
In Queensland the Ambulance Service is now free. It was in drie
straights for a time and if you had an electricity Account a fee was put on it
for the Ambulance.
It was taken off when they didn't need it anymore and it is now a free
service. When my father in Law was in chemo for cancer the ambulance used
to transport him to Hospital which is ligitimate.
For the other person I have heard of who rings says they are sick then gets
taken to Hospital by the Ambulance and then says she is okay and goes shopping
across the road is not legitimate.
this sort of treatment is horrible to have to pay for something you had no
control over and to slapped in the face with a bill is so wrong and beleive that
the ambulance company should rethink there system and realise that we are human
and this sort of treatment ,,i feel so sorry for these people and hope they have
this sorted out and not have to pay for this bill
Hi there do you think fuel & running costs are free $65 wouldn't even
cover the paramedic so they volunteer there time I think people shouldn't expect
a free ride in life pay $20 subscription & feel safe knowing there is
someone out there that will help you in need & not just turn away because
its not there problem cheers
Again, it is not St Johns who run the ambulances - it is the State
Government. While I can understand people's objections to paying, can you
imagine how the service would be abused if it were free? From stories on a
Current affair showing how some mis-use the 000 number, I reckon there would be
people calling the ambulance when they had a head-ache.
She had passed out so she indirectly gives her consent to an ambulance.
Passers by wouldn't know what to do to help so they called the experts, the
paramedics at St Johns. Ambulance cover is not very expensive and is automatic
in most private health policies. $65 is not too much to pay for the care they
were giving her as she was unconcious and while she was transported the short
distance to the hospital. If you come accross someone who is inured or passed
out you should always call the ambulance for help.
I believe in them as an organisation. Membership fees are reasonable
and would benefit any family. When you don't belong to St John's, but
require an ambulance, there is a one-off cost which is heftier than an annual
subscription. As far as your friend is concerned, 50 yards for an
unconscious person and/or any people around her at the time, may as well be 50
miles, no matter who she is or who she works for. Someone concerned enough
for her, rang an ambulance. $65 is cheap at the price of her welfare.
That she works in health (like I do) is surprising in that she is not a St
John's member and in conclusion, yes, I believe they are honourable. Keva
Mullins, Auckland.
I think St Johns is honourable, In New Zealand it is a one off payment I
think of 20 dollars per house hold which is well worth it if you do not use it
that year that is a worth while donation to a charitable service.
The same thing happened to me once. An ambulance was called and instead of
taking me just up the road, they took me 27 km away. Granted this was closer to
my home but I got an invoice for $62.50, three years aga. I didn't know you had
to pay and I didn't request that I go to hospital because I had recovered by the
time the ambulance arrived. Plus I was safe as I was in a medical centre.
However, St John's is a charity and they rely on donations so I guess that is
why they charge. At the end of the day, they save lives and do a wonderful job.
They see some terrible things and have to put up with drunks.
