I am so grateful and aware that we are lucky to have health insurance. And C's seizures are well covered-- except for the ambulance.
C is a sweet young girl. She has a condition that no sane person could believe she brought upon herself. It is different if you are older and not as cute. If they think you cannot pay sometimes you get less compassion. I had this experience when we were dirt poor in Norfolk Va, We were Navy, but did not live on base. I woke up in the night with a rupturing ovarian cyst. Ambulance dawdled. By the time they arrived it had burst. I felt somewhat better. Then they just pitched me in the back, no bp, no history, no nothing. They assumed I was just fine. I could have been dying of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, or a ruptured appendix. They assumed I just felt ill and wanted a lift to the hospital er.
They also failed to make it in time for my friend who had a baby into my hands later that year. It turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life, but oh, it could have gone so wrong. She was very overweight, had high bp, and was carrying child number 6, at the age of 26. I guess you could say it was her fault, if you were the sort who wanted to look at things that way. She had had her first child at 14.
How does it work overseas? I know you guys out there are well covered. Do you have to pay for ambulance rides?
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/05/health/think-the-er-was-expensive-look-at-the-ambulance-bill.html?_r=0
