Cost Of Ambulance Service

[MeetJohnDoe]

I am just curious if anyone has any information on what an ambulance service would cost back in Farangland (USA) if insurance or self-pay. Today I had to arrange a non-emergency pick-up of a friend for a broken ankle by Bangkok Pattaya Hospital. The cost for the non-critical care ambulance, which still comes with an MD, nurse, EMT, and driver was B 2500 (US$ 80), which I found to be ridiculously cheap. Of course, this was for basically just for transportation as no acute emergency medical care was required. I would imagine a comparable service in USA would cost from $ 700-$ 1000...is that in the ballpark?

His total bill for ambulance transport, x-rays, doctor consults and nursing services, cast-setting, a set of crutches, and 30 minutes in rehab to get the hang of the crutches was B 20k (US$ 623). [Fairly serious ankle break as they said would need cast for about 3 months.] Again, I thought that was very reasonable. Total hospital time about 3 hours (in treatment of various sorts...not waiting around).

Edited June 29, 2009 by MeetJohnDoe

[loverboy44]

And this is a very expensive hospital.

1 transport with Emergency Car from Hua Hin to Bumrungrad in Bangkok was 2200 baht.

[MeetJohnDoe]

And this is a very expensive hospital.

1 transport with Emergency Car from Hua Hin to Bumrungrad in Bangkok was 2200 baht.

That certainly is cheap...about the cost of a taxi. Did this "Emergency Car" include skilled attending medical staff? If so, was that itemized separately on the final hospital bill? My friend's hospital bill broke the ambulance service into 2 separate entries in different areas of the bill: B 1500 for "Ambulance Service" and a B 1000 charge, in the medical services area of the bill, for Ambulance MD, so the total was B 2500.

Edited June 29, 2009 by MeetJohnDoe

[yanabill1]

And this is a very expensive hospital.

1 transport with Emergency Car from Hua Hin to Bumrungrad in Bangkok was 2200 baht.

the amb cost was reasonable the other charges are about twice what they would be at any other hosp