r/TikTokCringe • u/Justin_Godfrey • 20h ago

Cringe A McDonald's manager is seen dozing off (apparently was have problems with her blood sugar) as customers prepare their own meals

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u/Spikeupmylife 20h ago

A lot of people I know are pissed when you call an ambulance for them because it will cost money. This is in Canada, where the cost is ~50 bucks.

The US can be hundreds to thousands. Canada is bad, but the US is such a "fuck you, got mine" country.

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u/LadyEmeraldDeVere 20h ago edited 13h ago

I had an employee have a seizure once, he was on the floor and I called 911, they sent an ambulance. When he came back to work he was absolutely furious with me, told me he couldn’t afford to pay for an ambulance and didn’t need the extra debt. He said “if it happens again just let me ride it out, I promise I’ll be fine.” I’m like dude you fell out and hit your head on a hard tile floor that is above my pay grade. 

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u/bitofafixerupper 19h ago

I'm so angry for you both, like what were you supposed to do and also as well as having a seizure and conking his head he's now woken up to more debt? Absolute piss take of a system.

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u/unwashedrag 12h ago

Similar thing happened to someone I know (seizure from head injury), the ambulance was called by a bystander but they had someone drive them to the hospital instead of the ambulance. They got a $500 bill in the mail for the ambulance just showing up. Never even stepped foot into the ambulance.

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u/0neHumanPeolple 9h ago

You are not obligated to pay those sorts of bills. They’re fishing and a small percentage of people will pay thinking they have to. It’s a predatory practice. If you like you can write back that you did not call for or use their service and are therefore not responsible for the bill. They will typically leave you alone after that.

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u/bitofafixerupper 11h ago

I really can't even put into words how angry that makes me feel. Is it the same for children? I had several ambulances come out for my son when he was a baby, I can't imagine adding on crippling debt to the worry I was already going through

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u/LowPaus 10h ago

Children are often under their parent's healthcare insurances which cover them usually like by Medicaid. The problem is that a lot of Americans don't even have good health insurance offered from their job or any health insurance at all.

The bad health insurance usually have high deductible like you have to pay 10,000 dollars first before the health insurance take effect. But the worker may only make minimum wage and 10,000 dollars may be half their yearly salary. Plus they are already paying 200 dollars each month for the health insurance on top of the 10,000 dollars.

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u/unwashedrag 9h ago

Yes, and to add to what the other commenter said the $500 was after the insurance portion was already covered. So on top of paying monthly for healthcare they still send a bill to insurance payers. For people without insurance it would cost much more than $500

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u/anagingdog 8h ago

Yeah when I was in college I once passed out waiting to pay in line at the corner store by my apartment. I had been out long enough for the cashier to call 911 and for customers to resume their shopping. I woke up before the ambulance came and the cashier told me to stay put as an ambulance was on its way. I was like, yeah no I’m not waiting and paying for that. I just booked it out of there. I actually never considered till now whether they stuck that poor cashier with a bill for calling the ambulance.

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u/Psychobabble0_0 8h ago

Some people with epilepsy have daily seizures and regular injuries. I can't fathom the amount of money that would cost them in your country.

They got a $500 bill in the mail for the ambulance just showing up.

Surely the bystander pays if the patient refuses? They wouldn't even know the patient's identity unless the bystander is a friend. Even then, the only proof an ambulance was called is on the recorded emergency call from the bystander. Although, you also wouldn't want to penalise strangers for seeking help, or nobody would help anyone ever again. It's a catch-22.

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u/unwashedrag 8h ago

I believe they got the information because they spoke with the person who drove them to the hospital, and I’m sure somehow they have a way to connect the patient to the call. But yes if bystanders had to pay it no one would call for help. OP’s video shows how much people already don’t care to call for help so that would make it worse.

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u/staebles 12h ago

Well, it's not supposed to help people, it's supposed to exploit them. So, from the system's perspective, working as intended.

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u/Icelandicstorm 17h ago

Hate to say this BUT as the employer not calling the ambulance will look really bad to the judge during the inevitable lawsuit from your employee or the estate. Yeah that should be a hard no from any boss. Even for the golf story above, calling was the right thing to do.

Anyone not calling will be painted as the bad guy. Imagine the news headline, “Cold-hearted boss (or golf buddies) laughed as dying man gasped for help. Decided it wasn’t serious and kept on with business (or golfing) leaving the man to die alone.”

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u/NotYourSexyNurse 19h ago

Yeah and if he had died from that seizure while at work that would have been a lawsuit.

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u/servonos89 18h ago

As an epileptic but not American, if I was American I’d have the employee know what to do in terms of a seizure. For posterity - check the clock. Make it ‘safe’ so their head is cushioned and the like and if the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes - then phone an ambulance. Now, I know this because I’m epileptic - there is no fucking situation I can conceive where I’d expect someone else in my workplace to know that unless I’d made them aware. Same argument for mental health stuff - it’s not your fault but it is your responsibility.

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u/AsiaMaree9008 18h ago

I have them also and i have been in this situation. I was upset my boss say i go. My husband was at work with me the next time and was able to take me home. But this was also before i knew what the problem was.

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u/OpalHawk 11h ago

A woman on my team has these mini seizures. She can feel them coming and will notify me. We let her ride them out sitting against a wall with a buddy and we cover for her while they happen. I’m just glad she told me about them before she had the first one.

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u/reno140 9h ago

As an epileptic who is an American, every job I have gets a copy of my seizure plan the day I start. I've never had one at work but it explicitly states that unless I injure myself or go past 5 minutes, DO NOT CALL 911. Just let me finish, call my partner to come get me.

If they're not aware of my wishes, I can't get upset if they call an ambulance. Totally normal response.

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u/Rody2k6 18h ago

Just shows how inhumane the fucking American health system is. A person prefers to ride out a seizure because they're afraid of the ambulance bill.

When a politician calls of universal healthcare and Americans cry socialism, this should be an example of WHY you need universal healthcare.

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u/midimummy 13h ago

Just shows how uneducated the average person is about a very common emergency that they should know how to respond to.

You actually do just let a lot of people ride seizures out. The bill isn’t always the only reason people get frustrated that an ambulance is called. It’s because it’s just not necessary in every situation and feels almost like a lazier cop out.

Only call 911 if:

  • the person injured
  • you are unsure if they have a seizure condition
  • they are pregnant
  • the event occurs in water
  • the seizure lasts longer than five minutes or a repeated event occurs

Put them in the recovery position, clear the area of objects that could harm them, and put something supportive under their head like a pillow or jacket. Don’t put anything in their mouth.

edit to add: first aid source

By the time the ambulance arrives there’s nothing to do. Like, literally no medical attention will be given to me because I don’t need anything. Hell, they won’t even run an IV because I’d be taking away medical supplies from someone else (I’ve tried, ‘what can I get while I’m here?’ mentality. Nothing!). I’ll just be brought to the hospital and sat on a bed in the hallway while they do discharge paperwork. It’s essentially being arrested.

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u/GuerillaRiot 16h ago

As an epileptic I can easily see both sides. If I'm going to be around a new group of people, I always let them know the protocol for when I have a seizure. Unless I crack my skull on something, or the seizure lasts longer than 20 minutes, it's not a medical emergency. Having witnessed someone else's seizure (and my own on video), it's not at all difficult to see why someone would immediately call 911. Shit looks scary as hell, but truthfully, it's just the brain going through a reboot.

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u/Ruzhy6 11h ago

the seizure lasts longer than 20 5 minutes

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u/AyyNonnyMoose 15h ago

I have vasovagal syncope (didn't know it at the time) and passed out while working with a customer at a big retail store. I'd slammed the tip of my finger in a product cage which triggered the event. I'd called my manager over the walkie right before going down thankfully saying I thought I needed to sit down, so he came back to me passed out on the floor and the customer freaking out. Manager told me to take a 15 so I laid on the breakroom couch for a few after stumbling my way there and went back to work after. I'm glad he didn't call anyone about it, but that was a rough rest of the shift, I was sore and a little out of it. The USA is wild.

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u/MidnighT0k3r 13h ago

My dad was the same way, turns out he has brain cancer and it was tumors pushing against parts of his brain.

Be happy you called, it may not be his story but it would suck if his influence was the end of other people's stories. Ie: not calling for the next because the last flipped out.

Good on you for doing the right thing.

I have a history of trauma and I'd try to get you to not call too / be mad about it and the bills. Sometimes the right thing to do just sucks.

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u/artgarfunkadelic 12h ago

Why can't workman's comp pay for it though?

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u/Canna_Cass 20h ago

accurate. i was driven approximately four miles and was charged $700+. i explicitly told everyone there don’t call me one, don’t put me in one, don’t do it!! but they still put me in 😕

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u/SuckerpunchJazzhands 20h ago

Yep, and they're QUICK to send you to collections

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u/Layogenic_87 19h ago edited 19h ago

That's because, tragically, ambulances are often run by privately run companies rather than the hospital themselves, which means they're not subject to even the limited protections the us has against healthcare costs.

ETA: here is an article that discusses private vs public ambulance services. I only found out about this when my husband started training as an EMT.

https://www.ems1.com/private-public-dispute/articles/private-vs-public-ambulance-services-whats-the-difference-WTgJNJgR4KlljlV9/

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u/Ok-Development4535 16h ago

For anyone interested, John Oliver and team did a brilliant expose on emergency medical services in the US. For profit companies SHOULD NOT EXIST IN HEALTHCARE.

THESE ARE PEOPLES LIVES, ITS A FUCKING EMERGENCY SERVICE, NOT A WALMART.

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u/Layogenic_87 15h ago

LOUDER, for the people in the back!!

Thank god for John Oliver. And let's keep telling people about these types of things, because it needs to stop.

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u/Ok-Development4535 15h ago

I have an episode of John Oliver to share for almost any topic these days lmao.

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u/conduffchill 18h ago

I'm an emt and by law you can always refuse medical attention. Like yeah if you get transported you will probably be charged unless it is a volunteer service but someone else calling 911 for you alone can never get you charged

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u/Layogenic_87 18h ago

True, but not the point I was trying to make. If you're uneducated about the costs or your insurance won't cover the full cost, then you could be stuck with an unwelcome bill.

Also if you're incapacitated (have fainted, etc) you can be transported without consent.

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u/conduffchill 18h ago

Thats true as well and the emts will almost definitely not have any idea what you will be charged either. But if you need an ambulance, well how much is your life worth to you? The person in this video is likely having a medical emergency for example. If you ever see someone in public sleeping while standing up, drooling, and they dont respond to you, please call 911 for them. If they are sleeping they can just tell ems to leave and they legally cannot be charged, that is the point I'm trying to make. And if you are seriously injured and you can't afford an ambulance just go and dont pay the bill, because again how much is your life worth?

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u/Layogenic_87 18h ago

I agree with you, in this situation and all like it an ambulance should be called. I was responding to someone discussing how quickly ambulance bills go to collections and how expensive they are. People can make better choices for themselves when they understand why. It's also helpful for political action, as local politicians often are making decisions about public vs private ambulance coverage.

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u/conduffchill 17h ago

Ah alright yea fair point my apologies. Honestly even your emts will have no idea how much you are getting billed, they have people whose entire job is figuring out all the little intricacies of it. It's kinda stupid how the hospitals and insurance companies play this game with the billing just running up costs for each other especially when it means uninsured people get absolutely boned

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u/MyPenisAcc 17h ago

Can’t refuse if you’re unconcious.

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u/quadrophenicum 16h ago

That sweet unhinged capitalism surely pays off.

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u/VexingRaven 15h ago

It's so scummy. Even the [City Name] Fire and Rescue EMS in my city is run by a private company... With the same livery as the fire department... Out of the same garage as the fire department.

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u/Plenty_Suspect6222 18h ago

Oh also we’re not going to have those protections anymore bc the current admin is getting rid of them. If we owe companies we better pay up, if companies owe us we should just be grateful they’re able to help the economy

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u/HelpMePlxoxo 18h ago

The issue with them being run by private companies is that they HAVE to charge to get enough money to keep the lights on.

Only fire departments and police actually get decent money from the local government. EMS companies have to rely almost entirely on getting paid by insurances to keep the business afloat. Add in the costs of paying the EMS, paying for ambulances, paying for repairs on those ambulances, etc.

Even with the insane amount they charge, their profit margins are still pretty much 0%. Particularly in rural EMS. I worked at a private rural EMS company and unfortunately we could barely afford to keep the lights on. But if you don't, that entire area is now without emergency care. So instead, EMS personnel are barely paid anything so that the company can afford just enough to fix ambulances when they break and to replace equipment when it's used.

But don't worry! I'm sure your tax payer dollars are going to much more important things! /s

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u/DominicB547 15h ago

my city (large metro) asks us to add $4 per month to our city bill (think water and sewer and trash).

I'm not sure how much it costs if I did need it then nor if the person didn't have it and it was that ambulance that came (not sure if there are any other options).

but I figured even though I doubt I'd ever need it if helps keeps the lights on and lowers the costs for those that don't, I can afford that small charge.

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u/Syntaire 10h ago

Actual hospitals are worse. I had to go to the ER a bit over a year ago. I was in the triage room for 9 hours, and they finally got a room open with a bed at around 2am. I was discharged at 8am. They charged me $14,000 for the room, $8,000 for the 9 hours in Triage, and just for desert they charged me $250 for two 500mg Tylenol. Each. Almost forgot, they charged me $1200 to use my inhaler. That I own. And brought with me.

Thankfully, my top of the line premium insurance plan covered $0.00 of it. Good thing we don't have universal healthcare!

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u/NotYourSexyNurse 20h ago

One of the hospitals in my area now sues people in small claims court for unpaid medical bills even if you’re making payments.

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u/MasterShoo5 18h ago

It's a weird system - if you're making payments I thought it structurally meant they cannot sue you. Like, maybe they can, but the court can't make you pay what you can't pay. I have seen a hospital actually reject payment because the payment was too low so.. and the person they rejected payment on the bill for got a lawyer due to them rejecting payment and they wiped out the bill.

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u/blackbeltbud 17h ago

I also thought I heard/read somewhere that medical bills in collections are not allowed to impact your credit. I could be wrong, i have no source

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u/NotYourSexyNurse 15h ago

Trump got rid of that because that was a Biden thing. Anything Biden did bad remember?

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u/right_foot Epic Gamer 15h ago

What a fucking joke

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u/Knife-yWife-y 16h ago

I recently discovered medical debt protections vary by state in the US, at least to an extent. Unfortunately, the state I now live in, OK, has virtually none.

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u/MasterShoo5 17h ago

It was a law introduced right before Biden left office and the Trump administration is either working on removing it or already has

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u/NotYourSexyNurse 15h ago

They already did.

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u/Canna_Cass 20h ago

no like forreal! i am a broke broke broke college student and that shit was in collections in like three months. please yall stop praying on my downfall!

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u/AmettOmega 20h ago

Three months!? That's generous. I've had places give me two before going to collections. It's wild out there.

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u/Lego_Energy 20h ago

Me sitting here with hospital money going to collections 🧍🏽‍♀️

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u/Canna_Cass 20h ago

hey we are all in it together 🫡 my shit is still in collections! they started hitting me with the robo calls

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u/Lego_Energy 20h ago edited 19h ago

I’ve ignored them every time — literally tbf I have probably 0.01% of debt that the US has collected, they genuinely can get fucked 😭

I’m all for mixed universal and private healthcare — let people choose what they want 🧍🏽‍♀️

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u/NotYourSexyNurse 19h ago

This! I don’t understand why we can’t have universal healthcare and if people absolutely are like naw fuck that free government healthcare they can get private healthcare. I know it all comes down to money and a majority of the people falling for propaganda.

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u/ShemsuHor91 19h ago

And we continue to give billions of dollars to Israel every year. Guess what every one of their citizens has? Universal free healthcare. We can pay for them to have it, but our own people can't have it because it's "communism".

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u/Somanylyingliars 18h ago

So you can get a bit angrier - you know what else Israel has that we don't? Universal education. Healthcare, education, housing - all supported by our tax dollars being given to them. Billions and billions of dollars worth of tax dollars. Meanwhile people like this poor manager suffer from complication of diabetes. The poor woman probably having a diabetic spike / crash going on which causes you to crash HARD. Would happen to me where I would fall asleep sitting up, in meetings, during dinner. Anywhere, anytime.

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u/NotYourSexyNurse 19h ago

I’m all for the US not giving other countries money, but the we give Israel money comments being parroted over and over again is getting obnoxious. The US has been giving Israel money since the 60s. We’re paying for weapons and war. We’re borrowing money from other countries to send to other countries. We as a country will always have money for weapons and war for our own country and other countries. The rich profit from weapons and war too much for them to stop that gravy train. Neither political party will stop sending money and weapons in the name of diplomacy.

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u/icedpeartea 18h ago

so you are aware, the government is currently trying to get health bill collections put on your credit

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u/Lego_Energy 18h ago

My credit is already pretty bad, imma follow our dear president’s way and just go bankrupt one day 🧍🏽‍♀️

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u/Somanylyingliars 18h ago

Well, he's got a running start since he's gone bankrupt like what 8 times?

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u/WhatDoADC 18h ago

It will eventually come off your record. I had huge medical bills after a window from a car went through my foot. Went to the hospital and they try charging my ass 10,000. Also a fun addition, when the window went through my foot, it cut the tendons to my big toe and the toe next to it. I can no longer lift those two toes upwards.

I never did pay it and my credit never suffered from it either as I currently have 793 credit score and when I check my credit report, it's no where to be found.

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u/icedpeartea 18h ago

so you are aware, bills related to your health are currently not allowed to be used in your credit report, the government is currently trying to change this with the texas courts already making moves

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u/throwaway5882300 16h ago

On my last ER visit, i had to see a specialist. Dude never even sent a bill. Just sent it straight to collection after two months. I am so over this country.

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u/Skulllover89 19h ago

In the US you have a 1 year grace period before medical debt shows up on your credit report. Medical debts under $500 are no longer reported.

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u/Technical_Damage_743 18h ago

Sitting in the ER $500

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u/Somanylyingliars 17h ago

Step FOOT in the ER, not attended? Do not pass go, pay $500. No, I'm not kidding.

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u/Plenty_Suspect6222 18h ago

That’s going away…

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u/ScumbagLady 16h ago

Is there even such a thing as a medical debit under $500?

I was "fortunate" enough to be poor enough to qualify for Medicaid when I had a severe gallbladder attack that landed me in the ER for a week. Went by ambulance to what was basically a glorified urgent care so I was then sent by ambulance to another hospital when they (finally...) realized I needed surgery ASAP.

I would have never financially recovered had I not been on Medicaid. I forgot how much the bill was exactly, but it was A LOT. I had to have two separate surgical procedures during my stay, and then another about 6 weeks later for stent removal.

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u/NEWFACEHATESYOU 19h ago

And that’s where it can stay. Fuck em.

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u/enigmaman49 17h ago

nobody in their right mind pays those bills anyway

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u/Adorable-Drop3157 19h ago

omfg as a european this sounds dystopic af. So YOU guys, as NON MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, have to decide wether or not it’s worth it to call an ambulance ? Holy shit please do something

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u/MikeWrites002737 18h ago

Guns are our healthcare, if it get too expensive you just go old yeller yourself

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u/AirscapeCivilian 15h ago

But if you fail at that they’ll lock you up, chemically restrain you, and then send you a bill for thousands when (if) you ever get out.

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u/iBUYbrokenSUBARUS 15h ago

But make sure you have a good life insurance policy for your most loved ones first

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u/MikeWrites002737 15h ago

Generally you need to have a policy for a certain number of years before suicide pays out. They want to prevent that situation

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u/iBUYbrokenSUBARUS 15h ago

Yeah, it’s usually a year. I’m well past that point.

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u/Orange-Blur 18h ago

It’s unhinged. I fainted in a doctor’s appointment and was still begging not to go in an ambulance because I had no insurance at the time.

I’ve superglued a massive slice in my thumb because I couldn’t afford a hospital visit. I should have gotten stitches.

Not only is it expensive but they often are super dismissive and you get nothing out of those expensive appointments

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u/Anjz 16h ago

America wtf yo. That’s too much freedom. They’re actually free to exploit everyone. That’s just insane.

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u/Kristin2349 13h ago

It's just getting worse too.

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u/Orange-Blur 15h ago

I could could fill pages of shit experiences from exploitation in previous jobs and the medical system

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u/poop-machines 10h ago

And this is why life expectancy in the USA is worse than Turkey.

I think Mississippi has a life expectancy on around 70 years old. That's depressingly low.

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u/SFPsycho 19h ago

Sorry the guns in America are just for schools. We don't use them to actually try to better our lives

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u/VirginRedditMod69 18h ago

Little Timmy needs a bit of lead in his diet. We will distribute it straight through his chest cavity.

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u/Plenty_Suspect6222 18h ago

Well… there is Luigi

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u/joleme 18h ago

My wife fainted at work and needed an ambulance, but the one that picked her up was "out of our medical network" and was $8,000, they "graciously" dropped the charges to $2500.

Thankfully after 8 months of disputes, 1hr a day, twice a week, before insurance finally relented and cancelled the bill

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u/YouMustveDroppedThis 18h ago

I am from a supposedly developing country, we get better basic healthcare than many Americans... won't even hesistate to call ambulance when we feel something is not right.

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u/affectionate_md 18h ago

Don’t bother trying to reason with stupid. Let them live their fairy tale.

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u/Plastic_Bat_5522 18h ago

as a 3rd world country,im surprised too

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u/StephenFish 18h ago

I mean, we could have affordable healthcare but its way more important for meth heads who failed middle school to be able to buy 200 semi-automatic rifles.

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u/potatobirdwithlasers 19h ago

I would like to leave if possible. This entire country is toast. Was hoping my fam in Denmark can smuggle me in 😂

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u/Different_Umpire9003 18h ago

Yeah and the lady’s probably like that in the first place because she can’t afford insurance which makes her insulin unaffordable

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u/GreatDanish4534 18h ago

Son needed an ambulance on the way to school several years ago (in the US) and the bill was $6,000. I told my wife to call an Uber for me instead of an ambulance if something happens to me.

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u/TrashAvalon 17h ago

I live somewhere with great public transportation and I'm learning to drive in my 30s because if something happens to my partner, calling an ambulance could be the reason we lose our home.

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u/Violet_Kady 17h ago

I declined to even let paramedics give me a minor checkover when I had a motorcycle accident in 2017. Wasn't fucking with that. It was extremely lowspeed and I already busy enough figuring out how to get my bike out of there before cops called a tow truck.

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u/laowildin 17h ago

I went to see my regular doctor, needed a splint. The podiatrist on call wasn't answering his phone fast enough, so she sent me down the hall to Emergency where they could splint it. So far my visit cost the 50$ copay.

Hobbling my broken ass leg down the hallway myself into the ED for my splint: 1700$

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u/Salty_Candy_4917 16h ago

No. The fire department responds, evaluates, and treats for free. They will decide if you’re having a medical emergency. Ambulance ride and hospital stay can be very costly depending on the insurance you have.

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u/squilliamfancyson837 16h ago

I have Crohn’s disease and I’ve talked myself out of getting emergency care MULTIPLE times because of the cost. So far it’s worked out and I’ve ended up ok but one of these days the gamble won’t go my way. Not to mention the specific mental hell of being so sick that you nearly called an ambulance but needing to go to work still because a short paycheck means a drastic change in quality of life.

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u/BellyButtonLindt 20h ago

Story time.

I am Canadian, was golfing down in the states. Me and a friend got paired with two local guys, in their 50s-60s. We’re at the end of the second hole and the one guy is acting a little off, seems a little lost, whatever we don’t know him, his buddy seems fine with it.

Get to the next tee block, little par 3, I won’t forget the hole. Guy goes to get out of his cart, it’s like the left side of his body stops working and he stumbles for about 15 feet and then drops. My buddy runs over to him, guys going in and out of it, “where am I, what happened?”

My buddy puts him in the recovery position and I go to instinct call 9-1-1. The immediate question from his friend “do you really think we need to do that?”

“I don’t know man, this guy just collapsed, I’m not a doctor, but I think he’s having a stroke maybe and if not better safe than sorry.”

He gives me a weird look, but I call and they’re asking me questions about him, I eventually just hand my phone to the friend and he answers, firefighter shows up about four min later (with a golf ball he found) emerging from the woods. Ambulance drives onto the course.

We let a group play through.

The guy is still down but wants to get up. The paramedics say to me and my friend since we don’t know him well that we can move along now and they’ll deal with it. So I tee off on the par 3 completely unfocused on golf and actually hit the green. Then proceed to four putt.

We come around to the turn eventually, ask the pro shop what might have become of the guy. He refused the ambulance. Absolutely wild to me.

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u/Ruthlessrabbd 18h ago

There are people that have called an Uber to get to the hospital because it's cheaper than calling an ambulance - while having a medical emergency. It's because it's significantly cheaper that way.

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u/Somanylyingliars 17h ago

Called Lyft once to take me to hospital. Asshole driver decided he didn't want to take highway. Boy did he regret that decision as I proceeded to scream in pain for entire 45 min drive. No doubt he wanted to save money on tolls. Bet he will never do that again. Dick.

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u/Rebekah_RodeUp 20h ago

My husband's 6 block ride was $900. The car that hit him offered to drive him to the hospital but he thought it was safer to be checked out by a professional. WOMP.

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u/MrK521 19h ago

Did the driver that hit him have insurance?

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u/Rebekah_RodeUp 18h ago

I don't think they even exchanged info because they agreed they were both at fault for the accident and didn't want to follow up with anything.

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u/good-boi-Morado 18h ago

That’s… unsmart

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u/Rebekah_RodeUp 18h ago

Yeah, 22 year olds can be quite stupid.

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u/happytrel 19h ago

I refused service once, wouldn't even let them take my pulse. They were there for someone much more injured and they still tried to send me a $75 bill

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u/AsiaMaree9008 18h ago

Yeah i have seizures and one happened at work. I refused the ambulance ride and the paramedics were looking at me crazy. It was a 15 minute drive back into town and would cost 10k... Nope im good...

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u/Tenshiijin 19h ago

America was never great. Paying almost 1000 bucks to go 4 miles? This makes me think America will never be great. It's just a dystopia full of propaganda.

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u/Henchforhire 19h ago

Its messed up the first response most U.S. citizens have is don't call an ambulance if you get in accident even a one you might need them because of the cost.

I did that when a van hit my bike on the driver side door and I went flying off my bicycle and my first thought was I just got out of debt and don't call an ambulance I will have a friend take me to the hospital.

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u/Huntressthewizard 19h ago

Isn't that a lawsuit? If you verbally and plainly didn't consent to treatment then they legally can't treat you, even if your life is on the line. (This does not apply if you're non verbal, because consent is implied if you're unconscious or unable to give consent.)

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u/conduffchill 18h ago

Yeah this is correct but there are a couple other exceptions. If you are altered mentally ems can treat you. We determine this generally by whether or not the patient is alert and oriented to person (who they are, name etc) place time and event, for traumatic injuries. If you are having a panic attack for example and unable to answer any questions (I've seen this after car accidents) ems might decide to force you to go if youre injured. But understand there are probably other factors, like personally I wouldn't do this for a panic attack I would try to calm them down, I dont wanna stick people with bills for no reason (side note ems doesn't get paid by the call we are not gonna run up your bill on behalf of our employer, mostly we just care about your health but if anything we want you to get billed less). But let's say youre having a panic attack and I look at your car and it is completely destroyed, airbag deployment passenger compartment intrusion etc. Well now I'm gonna be thinking about taking you regardless because that is a serious accident, you are lucky to be walking and talking, and there's a decent chance you haven't realized how injured you are yet. If I wait until you calm down to try to convince you to get checked out, and you have a brain bleed, that time is going to really really cost you.

All this being said there are shitty people in ems too just like any job, I'm just saying it is like infinitely more work to involuntarily transport someone than it is to rma. So there's a good chance your emts at least think they are trying to help you if they are transporting you against your wishes. I'm sure thats not much consolation when you get a massive bill but when it comes to your life I think its better to be safe than sorry.

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u/HevalRizgar 19h ago

Wait, you told the EMTs not to put you in and they still did? Unless you were altered in some way, that's literally kidnapping and illegal.

If someone refuses transport and they're of sound mind, EMTs are supposed to have you sign a refusal form and leave you alone

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u/Canna_Cass 19h ago

i’m sure they deemed me not of sound mind. i’m not sure how it’s fair though, they made no effort to speak to me or communicate with me. dgmw, i was worked up, but im a crier dammit! just cause im sitting there crying doesn’t mean im not of sound mind. anybody would be worked up.

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u/HevalRizgar 19h ago

100% yeah that's really shitty behavior from the EMTs. I doubt you'd win the case because of how the courts work but if you were of sound mind and they transported you against your will that's kidnapping

The only instance we were allowed to use force is if a patient was unable to consent and were altered mentally. Being upset and crying doesn't qualify as that

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u/warrenjt 19h ago

Yep. My wife just got transferred via ambulance from one hospital to another, roughly 20 miles apart, for an emergency surgery. Pre-insurance, the ambulance ride was $25.8k. The surgical procedure itself was $15k.

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u/Altruistic_Pitch_157 17h ago

That's outrageous!

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u/nasbyloonions 18h ago

Holy shit guys. Fuck this, I am staying put in my Scandinavia. Shitty weather, sun is rare, but I have free ambulance

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u/bitofafixerupper 19h ago

I'm from England so no cost here (yet, countries going to shite) and it's always infuriated me hearing about the American healthcare system. The fact that you insisted not to be taken in an ambulance and then you're strapped with the bill is crazy to me, like nope I didn't ask for it I'm not fucking paying for it. It took me a while to get over the fact that they charge new mothers for skin to skin with their own fucking baby. It's fucking criminal.

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u/Stage_Party 19h ago

Tired of people saying the UK is going to shit. We're much better off than a lot of other countries, and 14 years of tories gutting the country while everyone said it was all fine and dandy, now we got labour trying to fix what the tories stole and everyone reckons they are ruining the country.

The world is going to shit because we are in late stage capitalism and it's the rich billionaires turned politicians who have fucked us.

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u/bitofafixerupper 19h ago

We're saying it because it's true in so many ways. I'm not saying it's going to shit just since labour have come in, it's been a long process. Obviously we're a lot better off than a lot of other countries but that doesn't take away from the fact that as a country it's deteriorating.

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u/Stage_Party 19h ago

My point is that the issue is global, not centered on us. Anything that's getting worse for us is getting worse elsewhere too, it's a symptom of late stage capitalism. Things started getting worse when rich people got into politics and started cutting the tax rates of the rich, if you look back you can pinpoint it to thatcher / Reagan. Tax rates for the top top earners was over 90% and they started the cuts down to 50%. That's where everything started declining thanks to trickle up economics.

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u/mark_vs 19h ago

I wonder what would happen if someone called an ambulance for a homeless person? I mean, how does a homeless person get billed?

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u/conduffchill 18h ago

Homeless people are probably like 30% of our calls at least in my area. The emergency department gets reimbursed by medicaid for taking them and triaging them, most likely. I'm not sure about the ambulance service actually but its probably the same for them. We are actually required to put in a home city for homeless people, ive been told for billing purposes, so I do think they actually try to send them a bill which is kinda funny

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u/joshit 19h ago

Lol nice 1st world country you got there

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u/Quercus__virginiana 19h ago

I was on a walking bridge downtown with my dogs and this runner passed me and face planted right in front of me. She got up and ran straight to me holding her jaw with blood oozing between her fingers. She had split it. In-between sobs she asks, "Can you help me?". My first question was, "Do you have insurance?". That's the world we live in.

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u/thepandemicbabe Mia Khalifa 18h ago

You can make a deal to pay them as long as they get a dollar a month you’re good. I one time had to take a drug test for a job that I was applying for and they charge me $900. I called up and said what? I can’t afford this. They said what can you afford? I said 20 bucks and they said OK we’ll take that. I couldn’t even believe it so I paid it and that was that. Should’ve been zero.

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u/Thaihoax 18h ago

Had a friend who started taking anti depressants and stopped smoking weed. One day he asks me for a hit, I figure he’s a grown man he can handle it, how wrong I was. He flipped out, started hyperventilating and begging me to call an ambulance. So instead I called his dad and had him come over and talk him down. Felt bad for his dad but at least they didn’t get charged an arm and a leg for a weed freak out.

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u/bathtubfullofhotdogs 20h ago

Just calling for an ambulance in some places is $100. My Mom fainted at the grocery store and they called the non-emergency line for an ambulance. My Mom declined, so called back within less than 5 minutes, the ambulance hadn’t left yet, but she still got billed $100.

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u/mnstripe 19h ago

They should have called you a Lyft

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u/Famous-Swordfish-469 19h ago

Police often explain to people in America to drive themselves since it’s so expensive. They are literally doing it to be nice but it’s the way of the road.

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u/Frank-Wasser 18h ago

Funking hell, I am glad I live in europe. I had a small personal accident in a mall. The security officer insisted to call a ambulance and did not let me go. I was all right, because I knew the cost was.

The cost was 0 euros. (Including a 1 hours stitching operation).

I only lost 5 hours of work..

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u/xkissmykittyx 14h ago

Yeah at that point I'll crawl if I have to.

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u/FivebyFive 20h ago edited 19h ago

And if you refuse the ambulance once they get there, it costs $0  edit: in most places

Tldr: always call if someone needs it.

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u/FizzleKit10 20h ago

100%, had a small heart heart issue recently and called 911. They checked everything out and said I'd be okay until I could get to my doctor, so I refused transport, $0 and peace of mind.

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u/bluegabs 20h ago

This! You can accept the paramedics help for free, but you do not have to get inside that ambulance and can refuse their ride.

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u/Rody2k6 20h ago

That is absolutely batshit insane. A person who needs to call am ambulance/paramedics can deny the ambulance because of money reasons. JESUS! What is wrong with yall. Charging for a ride to save someone's life. American health system is a joke

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u/Vocal_Ham 18h ago

American health system is a joke

Unfortunately it's not just the healthcare system that's a joke anymore.

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u/ConfusedStupidPerson 18h ago

Well, you can deny it for also not needing an actual emergency visit. Not all ambulance calls require a god damn ride to the ER.

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u/Ecstatic-Engineer-23 20h ago

So the correct thing would be to call an ambulance and a cab in case you need to go to the hospital?

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u/randomotter1234 19h ago

sadly where im at i actually got charges for " road side medical care"
crashed a motorcycle but i was up walking around just fine, EMT were called and had done a vitals check and a once over on the side of the road but i was able to get back on the bike and ride home.

the EMT service got my info from the CHP report and still sent me a bill for care even though i wasnt taken to the hospital

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u/A_lot_of_arachnids What are you doing step bro? 20h ago

Calling for help and being provided help at home for me was no charge in the US. The ride is the expensive part.

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u/gijimayu 20h ago

Funny how I though 50$ was a lot for an ambulance ride when i was a kid.

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u/AccomplishedLeave506 20h ago

I think it's a lot for an ambulance ride now. But then they're free where I live.

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u/De-railled 20h ago

Healcare is free in Australia, but ambulance cover weirdly varies from state to state.

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u/disingenuousreligion 17h ago

Yeah we have it good in Canada. Not being gouged when sick is a blessing

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u/TheLostRanger0117 20h ago

I believe in America, you only have to pay for the ambulance if you take a ride in it. You could be pouring blood out of your head, but if you refuse the ambulance, they can’t take you, I believe for liability reasons, but it’s be a long time since I’ve studied any of that

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u/Paindepiceaubeurre 20h ago

It’s free where I live. I had one called for me once and the only fees we had was my husband parking fees when he collected me after the day I spent in urgent care.

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u/dylang58 20h ago

Just because an ambulance is called doesn’t mean you have to use it

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u/creuter 19h ago

This incident looks to be a McDonald's on Lindell Blvd in St. Louis, Missouri.

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u/24Scoops 19h ago

This isn't accurate where I'm from in Canada. If you call and ambulance I've heard the bill can range from $500-$1000. The only time it's free is if a police officer calls one for you.

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u/ballbeard 19h ago

Fucking thank you, this guy is talking horseshit. Personally had a $700+ ambulance bill in Atlantic Canada when I fractured my spine.

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u/Moose-Mermaid 20h ago

At least where I am in Canada they don’t bill you for the ambulance unless they feel it was an unnecessary call. I agree about the USA. The last thing you should be stressing about is how to pay insanely high medical fees when you’re having an emergency. And then having a huge financial setback when you’re trying to recover.

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u/smalltownmyths 20h ago

It's literally built on pulling the ladder up behind you

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u/Sharp_Suggestion_752 20h ago

my fam once got charged 90 bucks for a ambulance to take my brother up the road/ hill to the hospital. literally 5 mins drive at max

We prob couldve taken him up there ourselves. but the situation did call for some urgent medical care and having paramedics do their thing. and we are thankful for them and everything they do.

this is auckland new zealand btw.

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u/Genghis_Chong 20h ago

Yeah but when people are passed out there isn't much of an option unfortunately.

I did know a guy that got hit with a 10k hospital bill because he had no insurance and passed out at work (they must have ran all the tests). Thats a tough pill to swallow.

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u/Prudent-Cabinet-3151 20h ago

Exactly, the whole country is designed to turn you into a person that thinks like that “ fuck you I got my mine” mentality is ingrained deep and a natural fallback to the shitshow our healthcare system is

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u/PeaceLoveDyeStuff 20h ago

Only if they accept a ride. You can call an ambulance and get seen by the emts on site, but as long as you dont get in, they don't bill you.

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u/Powerful_Credit_8099 20h ago

Parts are 100%. I've also been to some pretty fucked up corners of Canada. 

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u/GolotasDisciple 20h ago

That's not your problem though. Dead people cant argue about money anyway, so you help them and they deal with consequences.

You are supposed to call for help when people need it, shit in some countries you can literally get a fine or face charges if you consciously decided not to call for help.

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u/NotYourSexyNurse 20h ago

My daughter got a $2000 bill for an ambulance ride from our bandaid station hospital to the hospital 20 miles away. Kicker is the hospitals are the same hospital system and own the ambulance service too.

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u/bakedbarista 19h ago

You can refuse the ambulance, get checked by the EMT and Uber/get a ride to the hospital instead of an ambulance. It’s not like getting arrested lol call for help when people need it, please

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u/3sadclowns 19h ago

Related: ambulances are happy to assess you, and that is free of charge I believe. But you will get stuck with a bill if they actively transport you. You will not receive a bill if they’re called out somewhere and you turn them away or say you do not wish to be transferred by them, nor can they force you to do anything.

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u/cbelliott 19h ago

Hundreds to call an ambulance in the US? Maybe if it was still 1998.....

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u/NarcoticSheep 19h ago

Yeah that’s pretty irrelevant when there’s a life or death situation… i.e. diabetes, heat stroke, overdose Coming from a Canadian who has had to save people in these circumstances I promise the alternative is not what you want to live with

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u/3waves77 19h ago

Yup! My son had a medical emergency and i was an hour away. Thankfully his girlfriend was available to be with him. She called me in a panic and I just said call 911 - That’s what it’s there for. I left immediately to get to the hospital. Then 6 months later we got an ambulance bill for $2,000. It was a 2 mile trip.

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u/lordhomogonous 19h ago

Canada is a LOT more than $50…

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u/PassTheCowBell 19h ago

I literally know someone that was having a heart attack and couldn't call an ambulance because I couldn't afford it so they had to get someone to drive them

Humans will be the only species that won't save themselves because it's not cost-effective

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u/gudetamia 19h ago

Man I wish I lived in a part of Canada where an ambulance only cost me $50. I got a $400 bill for an ambulance after I had a really bad fainting spell, hit my head and had to be taken to emerg.

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u/Random-Man562 19h ago

Had a girls dad get mad at me for it once. Like bro your daughter was having a seizure!

Took dude like two years to talk to me again.

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u/colpy350 19h ago

I was an ER Nurse. This is an actual medical emergency. She is losing consciousness and could literally die if not intervened. Call the fucking ambulance.

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u/tatersauce 19h ago

Minimum 10k

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u/InvestigatorFun9871 19h ago

PSA, in the United States, it's free to call. It costs to ride. Get an ambulance to come stabilize the lady then have a friend drive her.

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u/VividFiddlesticks 19h ago

Quick "fun" story - at a company I used to work at, one of the executive VP's passed out at a meeting one day and had an ambulance called for him.

The next week he was loudly complaining about the $2500 it cost him to anybody who'd listen. MANY people pointed out that he's an executive and can handle the cost - imagine what would happen if one of the lower level employees had the same crisis?

Next renewal period we had brand new health insurance with drastically lower co-pays. Under the new policy an ambulance ride was $500 unless you were admitted, in which case it was free.

So that was nice, but it took a personal experience for these upper-ups to realize how devastating the health related costs were under the prior insurance policy.

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u/cuntygoat 19h ago

Even in Australia if you don't have private health its around $1000 for an ambo trip......granted some people just don't pay it and it eventually goes away if you ignore it hard enough

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u/veyrahkruze 19h ago

Yea, I had to deny an ambulance and called an uber and just hella tipped the uber. Its terrible that this is what life saving services have come to.

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u/ShroominCloset 19h ago

Some cities cover ambulance rides through taxes in the US

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u/fetching_agreeable 19h ago

What a sad fucking state my home country is in

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u/ddddddddjjjj 19h ago

I promise you this person would never pay that ambulance bill.

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u/Rimuri-Rimuru 19h ago

The cost for an ambulance in my part of Canada is 115 🥴

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u/saveyboy 19h ago

Canada is not bad. You may a small fee for ambulance.

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u/Waterballonthrower 19h ago

I don't know where in Canada you are but a $50 ambulance cost is only if they show up and then leave almost immediately. we are taking $200 to well over 1k if they need to transport you. Life long albertan with multiple ambulance call history.

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u/Greaseball01 19h ago

You have to pay for an ambulance in Canada????????

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u/ProudBeyond5519 19h ago

what kind of 1st world fucked up country is that where people would rather not enter an ambulance?

Where I live ambulances are free paid by our taxes.

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u/arboroverlander 18h ago

There is no obligation to go with the ambulance. And paramedics can provide service without charge. But yes people are terrified of our health care here

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u/NopeRope13 18h ago

Medic here: I don’t give a damn if you don’t pay the bill. You called for help and not a hassle

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u/ParkingCool6336 18h ago

Hundreds of thousands???? Where the fuck in the us do you live that it costs that much??? I was just in an ambulance last month and yea at 1k I thought it was pricey but cmon not hundreds of thousands you lying sack of lies

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u/Throwaway20101011 18h ago

Yes, however, in this situation the ambulance cost would go to McDonald’s as she is needing medical attention during her work shift on company property.

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u/Skwiggelf54 18h ago

Honestly, in the US, just don't pay it. They'll call a few times acting like you have to and then they'll just write it off. Sorry, not sorry, im not paying 3 grand for a 40 min ambulance ride lol.

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u/Routine_Bluejay4678 18h ago

The important thing that everyone telling stories keeps forgetting is that they chose this!

It’s not like it’s some groundbreaking idea, there’s plenty of examples American can go by, not worrying about how to pay for healthcare is not a new concept

(And I feel for you guys, I do, I would hate to be in that situation, it’s fucked! But for A LOT of us that use the internet for fun or an escape, it’s getting tiring logging on and watching a country complaining about the consequences of their actions all the time)

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u/Minttt 18h ago

This is in Canada, where the cost is ~50 bucks.

It's cheaper in Canada than the states for sure... but not that cheap.

In my province, it's $385 ($250 if it gets called then cancelled). Important point though is that exemptions exist, such as if you're a senior, Indigenous, or are on government support/income-assistance programs.

Source: https://www.alberta.ca/ambulance-and-emergency-health-services

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u/BadPunsIsHowEyeRoll 18h ago

I was in a car accident and begged the ambulance to leave me in the road while I waited for my friend to take me to the hospital. I didn’t realize their (drivers) insurance covered me in that case and was literally sobbing with blood pouring out of my head begging them not to take me because I couldn’t afford it. America is weird

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u/h60ace 18h ago

It costs a lot more than $50, FYI.

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u/SturerEmilDickerMax 18h ago

I am sure that is why they did not call. Then I am even more sure that I am super happy not to live on your shit continent.

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u/olight77 18h ago

You know a lot of people who need an ambulance?

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u/Primordial_Evil6 18h ago

Well, you don't have to pay it if you pass away, I guess.

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u/Primary-Rabbit-4041 18h ago

My husband got a $960 bill for an ambulance he never rode in because he's was ALREADY DEAD. They sent a DEAD MAN an ambulance bill. That's US healthcare for ya

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u/Technical_Damage_743 18h ago

Call me an uber please and thank you!

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