Teen lifeguard gets $2,600 bill for saving drowning boy's life

Wait isn't a human life priceless? I never knew it only cost $2600 dollars.

Originally posted by Blackmarketeer

The emergency room bill came to $449. The physician's bill was $227. The 15-mile ride in the ambulance to Tillamook: $1,907. The total bill for saving a young man's life? Nearly $2,600.

Who hires lifeguards and doesn't provider medical insurance? Two anonymous people step up and pay it for him. Because the lifeguard was off-duty, he get's stuck with the medical bill for rescuing a drowning 12-year old. Next time you see someone drowning, ask yourself this - can I afford to rescue them?

Only in America - home of the "best" health care in the world.

now.msn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

romney and the republicans wants this type of "healthcare" to continue, while, with Obamas healthcare plan, this would never happen...america proves that the advertising line "got milk?" should be changed to "got stupid?"

If I was that lifeguard.

I would quit my job.

And hope I would get a reality TV show.

Originally posted by Myendica
reply to post by Juggernog

 

just cause you are superman, and never got a head injury swimming in the ocean, doesnt mean it cant happen. Yawn.. What ignorance.

Not just in the Ocean, its anywhere. I almost died at my local pool when someone dived into the pool and landed on my head. In the "shallow" section.

All I remember is waking up and someone giving me CPR. I am extremely grateful though and even though I never remembered her saving me, I still remind myself that she is the one who I owe my life to.

Originally posted by Juggernog
reply to post by Blackmarketeer

 

link

John Clark is a lifeguard at the Firstenburg Community Center pool and the Marshall Community Center in Vancouver. He's the youngest of nine kids; his family is trying to make arrangements to get the bill paid.

He wasnt a hired lifeguard at that beach, he is a lifeguard at the city pool. He jumped in on his own accord, yes it was a brave thing to do but it wasnt his job.
It says that he had a "headache", who takes an ambulance to the hospital for a headache?

Secondary drowning is just as dangerous as drowning is.

Secondary drowning - Inhaled fluid can act as an irritant inside the lungs. Physiological responses to even small quantities include the extrusion of liquid into the lungs (pulmonary edema) over the following hours, but this reduces the ability to exchange air and can lead to a person "drowning in their own body fluid". Certain poisonous vapors or gases (as for example in chemical warfare), or vomit can have a similar effect. The reaction can take place up to 72 hours after a near drowning incident, and may lead to a serious condition or death.

Link

Sorry United States, your country is seriously messed up in its morals and simple common sense.
Events like this show the lack of common sense in both your health system and quite simple people (making the decisions).

I'm sorry, this is coming from an Australian where EVERYONE is entitled to healthcare and saving someone from drowning is regarded as work of a hero. I just simply cannot imagine a person and system so screwed on sucking money they neglect basic humanity and punish those helping.

If anything this person should be given a medal and sorry letter from the city, the hospital should absorb this fee without question. This is an example of how capitalism has failed in your nation and people when you expect children to drown in they can't pay.

Originally posted by TKDRL
reply to post by Blackmarketeer

 

Almost 2 grand for an ambulance is outright ridiculous. Extortion even. WTF does it run on, jet fuel?

I hope not. Imagine every EMT being a potential terrorist because if they crash their ambulance into a skyscraper, it will cause it to collapse.

Frightening possibility.

Yea, and then think about tow truck companies. Same scam. Outrageous charges. They get away with all that in the name of generating taxes for the city. Same with those stupid tickets and then locking your wheels. I might understand in some cases, but the fees are outrageous.

Why do so many people think that Obama's health care plan is Free???
There is a hefty fee involved.

As to billing this boy.....he is underage and not responsible.
They should be billing his parents.

What a load of crap, and you people saying he should just pay the bill should be frickin ashamed. What do you think the bottom line will be of all this to most people? Just don't make the effort of trying to save someone because it will cost you, that's the spirit Truly disgusting, on a normal planet with normal humans everyone would applaud this and the hospital and doctors, there to HELP people as well, would refuse to accept the money. However, on this planet, that's not how it works anymore, money is GOD, nobody gives a # about whether you saved a life or not, all they care about is what's in those pockets of yours, and how they can get as much of it out of them.

What disturbs me even more is how society nowadays is all too eager to point fingers towards the younger generations, yet when something like this happens, it's like the boy is not part of his generation, rather an exception. Perhaps he is, but is that really how we are going to encourage young people?


And a $1900 ambulance, sounds like you're better off hiring a helicopter wtf

reply to post by ThisIsNotReality


Check this out

What the hell....... For profit medical industry sucks major donkey nuts.

Every year, an estimated 550,000 patients in the United States are flown by medical helicopters and small airplanes for emergencies that include car wrecks, hiking accidents and heart attacks, according to the Association of Air Medical Services.

The average distance of the trips is 52 miles, but the costs vary widely. There's no national requirement to track or report fees, but they can range from less than $12,000 to as much as $25,000 per flight, according to Craig M. Yale, vice president of corporate development for Air Methods Corp., the nation’s largest provider of air medical transport systems.

Lets say 10 grand per ride, that means 5,500,000,000 bucks a year made for helicoptor medical evacs.

reply to post by ThisIsNotReality

What a load of crap, and you people saying he should just pay the bill should be frickin ashamed. What do you think the bottom line will be of all this to most people? Just don't make the effort of trying to save someone because it will cost you, that's the spirit Truly disgusting, on a normal planet with normal humans everyone would applaud this and the hospital and doctors, there to HELP people as well, would refuse to accept the money. However, on this planet, that's not how it works anymore, money is GOD, nobody gives a # about whether you saved a life or not, all they care about is what's in those pockets of yours, and how they can get as much of it out of them.

Seriously, that is WRONG. When a life is counting on you and you know you are the only one who can save a life, then you can talk about the how you feel about the "cost" after the fact.

What disturbs me even more is how society nowadays is all too eager to point fingers towards the younger generations, yet when something like this happens, it's like the boy is not part of his generation, rather an exception. Perhaps he is, but is that really how we are going to encourage young people?

Wtf does that even mean??

And a $1900 ambulance, sounds like you're better off hiring a helicopter wtf

No, you are better off saving a life life then thinking about any monetary value, ever.

It IS unfair that this HERO had to pay for ANYTHING as result of his actions. But I GUARANTEE you that he was more concerned about life than he is about money.

reply to post by ThisIsNotReality


Okay, I misread your statement.

Just don't make the effort of trying to save someone because it will cost you, that's the spirit Truly disgusting, on a normal planet with normal humans everyone would applaud this and the hospital and doctors, there to HELP people as well, would refuse to accept the mone

I agree with you. I see you agree with me and I will leave leave my original post up as a testimony to my shame

I am sorry.

Well I see that the focus of saving lives today is how much some can profit.
Total garbage and disgustingly putrid acts of greed.
No matter the price, a saved life is a saved life.
And how are they going to charge two people for the same ambulance ride?

I remember being around 17 and calling 911 when a friend broke his leg.
I didn't know or care how much it cost, because I was worried about my friend.
After the ambulance came, his mom was so mad at me, saying, "Do you know how much that cost?"
No, I did not, and didn't realize how expensive a ride to the hospital was. Why should I?
Nor did I even think about those costs...again...not important to me at the time.
Why? Because getting medical attention was more important than any costs incurred.

It shouldn't be this way.
We shouldn't have to think, "How much is this life worth?"
Or, "I can't afford the ambulance so I better not goto the hospital".
Pathetic.

But then again, alot of things in America are pathetic today.
This is just one instance of a plethora of happenings that should outrage us.

But nooooo...we are too worried about petty arguments that solve nothing.
Keep watching that propaganda box, America...its programming you well.

We are too distracted from the real problems in America.
Healthcare corruption and BigPharma greed are just a few.

Originally posted by phantom150
Sorry United States, your country is seriously messed up in its morals and simple common sense.
Events like this show the lack of common sense in both your health system and quite simple people (making the decisions).

I'm sorry, this is coming from an Australian where EVERYONE is entitled to healthcare and saving someone from drowning is regarded as work of a hero. I just simply cannot imagine a person and system so screwed on sucking money they neglect basic humanity and punish those helping.

If anything this person should be given a medal and sorry letter from the city, the hospital should absorb this fee without question. This is an example of how capitalism has failed in your nation and people when you expect children to drown in they can't pay.

hey...there are alot of americans here that agree with you....unfortunatly the wealthy rule america as did the tzars of russia once did, and 90% of us citizens are clinging onto what ever pittance of assets we have left. it simply is amazing how much poverty there is in america, and the massive amount of working poor living paycheck to paycheck...don't let the flag-waving, comfortable-lifestyle-living MSM commercials fool you, there are millions of people in deep poverty that our corporate media keeps quiet about. the american dream is just that...a dream, only possible when you are sleeping.

Just curious...

The ambulance was heading to the hospital anyway with the boy he saved from drowning. Why would he get charged $1,950 just because he went along on the ride?

Did they also charge the 12 year-old $1,950...so a total billing of $3,900 for a 15 mile trip?

Let's say that they drove at 30 mph, so the trip would have taken 30 minutes. If the (assuming two) EMS workers were getting paid $15/hr...that's about $15 in wages. The ambulance might have used a gallon of gas on the trip...so, what, another $3.50?

Double that up for a round trip...now up to a whopping $37. Double it again for indirect costs...so call it $75...double it one more time, to pay for the capital costs of the ambulance, insurance, etc....$150.

Wow...somebody, somewhere is making a lot of money if every ambulance trip makes a profit of from $1,600 to $3,750. Where can I buy a good used ambulance?

reply to post by mobiusmale


I can tell you right now, I used to be an EMT we made MAYBE $7.50/hr, paramedics made just about $10.00/hr, they don't make money from the calls.

15 mile ride, $1,907, wtf.

he should have taken a cab, at $2.00 per mile, it would have cost the kids 30 bucks.

you gotta love non-socialist healthcare.

at least they can all sleep well that none of the emergency or hospital staff are going to be called socialists any time soon, so big brother will pleased.

This would have never happened in Europe, we all have here medical insurance, everybody pays towards it proportionate to their income and we do not have to think in an emergency situation if calling an ambulance is convenient.

American health care is a joke... A sick sick sick sick joke. Your social system pisses on the lower and middle class. Why the f*** do you insist on people paying for healtcare themselves?! Are you all still under the naive impression that you'll never need it and therefore wont pay for it over taxes?

I live in Denmark... For all my life I been able to go to the doctor for free, go to the hospital for free, get medical equipment for free... I even went to the dentist the first 18 years of my life for free. I would NEVER trade that for a few measly dollars here and now.

American health care is pathetic and based on greed and the assurrance that peopple in fact gets sick.

Had this episode taken place in Denmark that life guard, regardless of his post or on/off duty or experience he would have gotten a medal and the bill would have entirely been paid by the state.

Human life > money.... But I guess Americans hang themselves too much in all that land of opportunity bs that caring for your neighbour gets waaaay down the list. I have NO respect for that.

Originally posted by ThisIsNotReality
What a load of crap, and you people saying he should just pay the bill should be frickin ashamed.

And a $1900 ambulance, sounds like you're better off hiring a helicopter wtf

I don't know what you're objecting to....but, you do realize that he chose to go in an ambulance for himself, right? And, that that is what he is being charged for...?

Are you saying that teenagers should get free ambulance rides? Or, are you saying if you do a good deed, that you should get a free ambulance ride?

I mean, this site is about denying ignorance. He's a year or so (if that) away from being an adult and graduating high school. Does he not realize that hospitals and ambulance rides are expensive? Hasn't he heard about insurance and what it means not to be insured? Has he never gotten sick until now and been explained the basics of what insurance is and how bad it is to be without it? Lucky guy if he's never had to go to a doctor.

If he didn't know that, he'd better get a clue. He'll be able to vote soon. He can't vote intelligently if he thinks healthcare or ambulance rides are cheap or should be free to people who do good deeds.

Great for him for saving someone, but he must be held accountable for his decisions. "I didn't know." isn't a fair excuse if you ask me. I'm sure he could have (long before this) looked up this information online, or I would expect maybe he had come across someone who complained about the high costs of care. If you don't know, ask. Call your parents or a relative. Don't hop in like it's one of your friend's vehicles. It's obvious the people are there to make a profit.

I'm disgusted with the high costs of healthcare too, and the profit model is disgusting to me too. Perhaps it can be changed if people are educated, especially young people. This guy is lucky people chipped in to help him. I hope he learns something from this.