Dear Madam…

People with Medicaid cards are automatically entitled to an ambulance ride, even if they’re not sick enough to justify it? Please tell me that’s not what you meant.

People with Medicaid cards are automatically entitled to an ambulance ride, even if they’re not sick enough to justify it? Please tell me that’s not what you meant.

Yes, that’s exactly what I meant. There is a form that must be completed to document stretcher necessity for all interfacility transfers and non-emergency calls, but for 911 calls – where all the entitlement abuse really occurs – a Medicaid card is pretty much a free ambulance token.A token that pays less than the cost of staffing the ambulance, but yeah, still free for the person abusing the privilege.

Yes, that’s exactly what I meant. There is a form that must be completed to document stretcher necessity for all interfacility transfers and non-emergency calls, but for 911 calls – where all the entitlement abuse really occurs – a Medicaid card is pretty much a free ambulance token.A token that pays less than the cost of staffing the ambulance, but yeah, still free for the person abusing the privilege.

I don’t blame anyone fo’ axing yo to turn off country shit. That shit is poor bedside ‘music’.

I don’t blame anyone fo’ axing yo to turn off country shit. That shit is poor bedside ‘music’.

Marcia- it doesn’t cost the person using it a cent, so they think it’s free…but it costs the taxpayers.A Lot. But since the users never see the bill, it gets abused.This problem is complicated by the fact the AD and I work for a The Borg, a private ambulance service – it’s considered unholy not to transport someone to the hospital, no matter how not sick they are – especially since they have “insurance”. We actually have to clear all refusals with field management now, unless it delays patient care.Yeah. I try not to think about it to hard.

Marcia- it doesn’t cost the person using it a cent, so they think it’s free…but it costs the taxpayers.A Lot. But since the users never see the bill, it gets abused.This problem is complicated by the fact the AD and I work for a The Borg, a private ambulance service – it’s considered unholy not to transport someone to the hospital, no matter how not sick they are – especially since they have “insurance”. We actually have to clear all refusals with field management now, unless it delays patient care.Yeah. I try not to think about it to hard.

<>We actually have to clear all refusals with field management now, unless it delays patient care.<>And if management doesn’t approve of the refusal (cause the stats are down, or whatever), you have to transport? Even if the person is competent to refuse?Isn’t that called kidnapping?

And if management doesn’t approve of the refusal (cause the stats are down, or whatever), you have to transport? Even if the person is competent to refuse?Isn’t that called kidnapping?

Gee, AD, seems to me like you could’ve had some fun with this kid. Start by pulling out all the big-ass needles you could find on board the ambulance and let them all dangle down in front of his face. Then tell him you’re going to need to stick him with all those needles for one purpose or another. Then hang as many of those IV drips as you can on the hook and tell him you’ll need to hook him up to all these fluids, some of which you don’t know what side effects it’ll have on him. Might even make him start to like country music. And if you can stick him, stick him with as many needles as you can without getting in trouble. Then connect an IV to him. From another stick, take blood. And from another, take more blood. That would be funny. Of course, I’m only joking. Maybe just stick him twice.

Gee, AD, seems to me like you could’ve had some fun with this kid. Start by pulling out all the big-ass needles you could find on board the ambulance and let them all dangle down in front of his face. Then tell him you’re going to need to stick him with all those needles for one purpose or another. Then hang as many of those IV drips as you can on the hook and tell him you’ll need to hook him up to all these fluids, some of which you don’t know what side effects it’ll have on him. Might even make him start to like country music. And if you can stick him, stick him with as many needles as you can without getting in trouble. Then connect an IV to him. From another stick, take blood. And from another, take more blood. That would be funny. Of course, I’m only joking. Maybe just stick him twice.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to crank up my Garth Brooks.“…I’ve got friends in lo-oowww places…”

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to crank up my Garth Brooks.”…I’ve got friends in lo-oowww places…”

If it makes you feel any better, I drove myself to the hospital on Monday afternoon for my appendicitis. I had surgery on Tuesday. No way was I calling an ambulance for that.

If it makes you feel any better, I drove myself to the hospital on Monday afternoon for my appendicitis. I had surgery on Tuesday. No way was I calling an ambulance for that.

<>“A token that pays less than the cost of staffing the ambulance, but yeah, still free for the person abusing the privilege.”<>Oh, Geez.I think Medicaid needs to start instituting a co-pay (more than $1) for all these free services. If you can afford cigarettes and booze, you can afford to pay <>something<> toward your healthcare. And the money should be collected <>at the time of service,<> unless the person has a genuine emergency. I’ll bet the abuse would go down.

unless the person has a genuine emergency. I’ll bet the abuse would go down.

Threads goes "WTF, over" >>> Remembers driving mom to hospital when light fixture exploded in her hand (30 plus stitches and her a music teacher – lucky she didn't nick a tendon) at age 12 with a newly minted farm permit because "ambulances are for when it's an EMERGENCY, dear."…….

Threads goes "WTF, over" >>> Remembers driving mom to hospital when light fixture exploded in her hand (30 plus stitches and her a music teacher – lucky she didn't nick a tendon) at age 12 with a newly minted farm permit because "ambulances are for when it's an EMERGENCY, dear."…….

After my daughter was tossed unceremoniously from the horse, the old man helped her back to the house. Once there she said “I think I need an ambulance”, I shot back with “you walked this far didn’t ya?” Got her settled into the jeep and drove her the 30 miles to our nearest emergency department. Yes, we have private insurance that would have covered the ride, but by the time they would have got there I would have been most of the way to town.She ended up only having a couple of hairlines fractures of the pelvis.

After my daughter was tossed unceremoniously from the horse, the old man helped her back to the house. Once there she said “I think I need an ambulance”, I shot back with “you walked this far didn’t ya?” Got her settled into the jeep and drove her the 30 miles to our nearest emergency department. Yes, we have private insurance that would have covered the ride, but by the time they would have got there I would have been most of the way to town.She ended up only having a couple of hairlines fractures of the pelvis.

Unlike the pain scale, the not sick scale does not stop at 10. It doesn’t even stop at infinity. OK, that’s not possible, but if it were . . . .No cheerful foot stomping music, like < HREF="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go" REL="nofollow">Hurt<>, by the Liberace of country music – Johnny Cash?

, by the Liberace of country music – Johnny Cash?

You…you listen to country music? And to think I once respected you!