Paying for Paramedics

Hotel guests, Americans above all, do not like paying for a housecall. Many, if they are feeling bad, decide to “call an ambulance.”

Paramedics know their business. If the guest requires urgent attention, they’ll take him to a hospital. If not, they might still transport him because they don’t like to take chances. If the situation is clearly not urgent, they’ll tell him to consult a doctor. Sometimes I end up making the visit.

Paramedics are city employees, so their services are free. But for reasons unclear to me, transportation in an ambulance is not free. If paramedics take you to a hospital, the city will send you a bill. Like all medical services in America, the cost will take your breath away.