Serious Question - non emergency ambulance service

[Batti]

I know there are EMT's on here that might have knowledge.

I have a friend who has just completed major spinal surgery in NYC. His insurance is balking at paying for an ambulance to get him back home to NH. Are there private ambulance services that can be hired for such transport? Has anyone dealt with this?

We're trying to come up with some options for him. He is significantly disabled and will be at a rehab hospital for months.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[lxskllr]

Look in the phone book. There should be tons of private ambulance services. If insurance isn't covering it, I'm sure it'll be quite pricey.

 

[theflyingpig]

Insurance company sounds like a piece of shit. Who are they?

 

[FoBoT]

my brother in law manages a company that does exactly this, but he is in Washington state, however, i understand there are companies that do this all over the country

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=medical+transportation+services+new+york&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

 

[dartworth]

did they ask the insurance company how he should get to the rehab facility?

major spinal surgery??? liability issues...

something doesn't sound right

 

[FoBoT]

here is a non-profit that might have some info

http://www.patienttravel.org/

 

[Batti]

It may just be the usual grandstanding the insurance companies do before shelling out more money. That was their stance before he went into the surgery. Now that we know just how impacted he is, maybe their tune will change. I sure hope so!

Thanks for the link, I'll do some fishing around. I'd like to have some options for his wife to consider.

 

[cardiac]

Batti, call or go down to one of the fire stations near him. Ask the medics on duty who they would call for a non-emergency transport of one of their family members. They know the services in the area and will steer you away from the crappy services (And there are plenty).

Bob (28 years paramedic/firefighter)

 

[dartworth]

Batti, call or go down to one of the fire stations near him. Ask the medics on duty who they would call for a non-emergency transport of one of their family members. They know the services in the area and will steer you away from the crappy services (And there are plenty).

Bob (28 years paramedic/firefighter)

wow...now that is some great advice

grats and ty Bob

 

[Kaervak]

I work for a private ambulance service so here's my input. There are a lot of places that will do it, and there are a lot that won't. Where I work, we used to do out of state transports however we're so busy with the local stuff that we no longer do them. I don't know the cost, but I can speculate. Our ALS/ER runs IIRC are around $600. Again, I'm not sure on that since I'm just a grunt I could be wrong. Since this would be a discharge trip the cost would be quite a bit lower.

If we were still doing out of state transports, all you would have to do is call our dispatcher and tell him what's up and we'd get things taken care of. There would be some forms you'd have to sign for billing and privacy but that's about it. If you were in the northeast Ohio area I'd have you come to where I work.

As cardiac has said, definitely give the local firehouses a ring and explain the situation and ask which private EMS service they would use. Sadly there are a lot that are pretty half-assed and the local FD guys should know who's who. Definitely go with whoever they recommend.

 

[TheVrolok]

Batti, call or go down to one of the fire stations near him. Ask the medics on duty who they would call for a non-emergency transport of one of their family members. They know the services in the area and will steer you away from the crappy services (And there are plenty).

Bob (28 years paramedic/firefighter)

That's probably the best recommendation so far. I've done a good number of in-state LDTs and they weren't too pricey, but I'm not sure what an out of state ride would cost considering it would most likely be an ALS trip. I'm really surprised insurance isn't covering it.

 

[Batti]

considering it would most likely be an ALS trip.

Thanks for the help, guys! TheVrolok, what's an "ALS" trip? Advanced Life Support? I am presuming that since they'll be discharging him from the hospital where his surgery occurred, he won't be in too serious of condition. I suppose that IV's and such are possible though.

Here's hoping the insurance company just steps up and makes this happen.

Thanks, all!

 

[cardiac]

Thanks for the help, guys! TheVrolok, what's an "ALS" trip? Advanced Life Support? I am presuming that since they'll be discharging him from the hospital where his surgery occurred, he won't be in too serious of condition. I suppose that IV's and such are possible though.

Here's hoping the insurance company just steps up and makes this happen.

Thanks, all!

Yes, ALS is just what you thought. Getting discharged from the hospital and going straight to rehab, I'd be willing to bet that he will be a BLS patient. Even if he has just an IV with, say, Levaquin or some other antibiotic, he will still be BLS (At least here in Indiana). Much cheaper ride.....

Let me know if you need anything else, Batti. If not, Good luck !!!

Bob

 

[TheVrolok]

Yes, ALS is just what you thought. Getting discharged from the hospital and going straight to rehab, I'd be willing to bet that he will be a BLS patient. Even if he has just an IV with, say, Levaquin or some other antibiotic, he will still be BLS (At least here in Indiana). Much cheaper ride.....

Let me know if you need anything else, Batti. If not, Good luck !!!

Bob

Back in PA where I used to work we had to take patients ALS even if they just had a lock in or fluids running KVO. Absurd, right? Not positive it was state protocol or just the area in which I worked. We'd frequently get calls from a nearby outpatient surgery center for transport to the hospital located say.. 200 yards away, and we wouldn't be allowed to take the patient BLS if they had a line. What a waste of money that was. I really don't know what the protocols would be in the area of the OPs transport.

I'm actual somewhat surprised they let you take someone with fluids running BLS. What would you do on an LDT if they IV infiltrated/etc.? Was it in your BLS scope to fix lines?

 

[Kaervak]

I'd be a little surprised if they let him get discharged as BLS if there's a line running. On one hand if it's just antibiotics running and he's stable, they might be able to get away with it running as a BLS discharge. To be honest, as a Basic I wouldn't take charge of the trip if there was a line running regardless of if my protocols allowed me to.

 

[cardiac]

In Indiana, if they have problems with the antibiotic IV, they just D/C it. They (EMT'S) can't take any life-sustaining IV patients, such as those with Heparin, cardizem drips, etc. We do have advanced EMT's here that can start IV's, use Epi-pens, the patients own inhaler, etc. Paramedics here have a very wide scope of practice. In our protocol, we do not have to call in for any orders. Everything is a standing order. Makes it nice to be a paramedic here, as the docs trust us to use our skills and best judgement....

Bob

 

[SirStev0]

Insurance company sounds like a piece of shit. Who are they?

Actually that is just business as usually for the US for profit health insurance system.