tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4477131299817733843.post849395807193115825..comments2023-05-26T10:44:37.150-04:00Comments on The Bi-Coloured-Python-Rock-Snake: John StosselBi-Coloured-Python-Rock-Snakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10486453438350039642noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4477131299817733843.post-2413587715132991432009-05-11T16:05:00.000-04:002009-05-11T16:05:00.000-04:00You're totally right, Eric, there's definitely ano...You're totally right, Eric, there's definitely another side to the coin. If local governments are going to charge for emergency services, they need to make it clear.<br /><br />It strikes me as strange that it's pretty commonplace to charge for emergency medical care, which I would consider an appropriate use of public funds, yet quite rare to charge for rescues, which are far more expensive and in which the victim bears more responsibility for their predicament.Bi-Coloured-Python-Rock-Snakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10486453438350039642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4477131299817733843.post-67275908109809751062009-05-11T08:03:00.000-04:002009-05-11T08:03:00.000-04:00Last year we were billed (and paid) something like...Last year we were billed (and paid) something like $580 for a 10 mile ride to the hospital in the back of an ambulance. The only reason we called the ambulance is that the hospital told us (for reasons I do not fully comprend) that we should call the ambulance instead of driving ourselves to the Emergency Room. (In our case the patient was stable, and there was very little reason to rush -- we got no sirens on our ride and sat patiently as several stop lights.)<br /><br />I'm not exactly complaining. I'm grateful for the service. It was probably worth the expense. And generally speaking, I believe anyone who can pay, should pay. The sense of entitlement we have about such things is not good. But if I had been notified <I>in advance</I> and had been given the opportunity to make an economic decision for our household, I might have driven to the ER in my own vehicle. $500 is no small hit.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13313782518736452219noreply@blogger.com