Posted on 06/30/2019 7:04:10 AM PDT by BenLurkin
By 2016, two years into the expansion of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), 17.6 million previously uninsured people around the U.S. had gained health insurance coverage. But with the expansion, researchers at the University of Colorado Denver and the University of Kentucky found that ambulance dispatches for minor injuries like abrasions, minor burns and muscle sprains rose by a staggering 37% in New York City.
The authors analyzed data from all of the 911 ambulance dispatches in New York City between January 1, 2013, and July 31, 2016. In New York City, 911 calls are routed through a central dispatch to a trained EMS dispatcher, who triages the call based on type and severity of injury, alerting ambulances in one of the city's 31 zones.
In the years before and after the ACA, dispatches to more severe injuries (such as chest pain, compound fractures and unconsciousness) remained relatively the same. But dispatches to minor injuries leapt 37.2%, from an average of 20.75 dispatches per dispatch zone per month before ACA to 28.46 in the years following. The increase is equivalent to approximately 239 additional dispatches a month—or 2,868 per year—for minor injuries.
Previous research found that when Uber shows up in a city, the usage of ambulance services drop off. With the expansion of the ACA, the out-of-pocket cost of ambulances tumbled for many people. When patients bear a smaller portion of the cost, researchers argue, they will be more likely to use an ambulance for medical transportation in less emergent situations.
As a result, the medically unnecessary rides may add to city congestion, slow response time to actual emergencies and increase the risk of death for those in dire situations.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
“No one saw this coming. No one.”
Right, shocking. We need a commission to study this.
“No one saw this coming. No one”
Sarcasm? Because I am sure we all did. Combined with EMTALA it was a guarantee.
17 million dindus gained health insurance, I with a job lost mine. Since I could no longer afford it, I get to pay for the dindus.
Yeah, that’s Democrat Socialism for you.
“Since I could no longer afford it, I get to pay for the dindus.”
Our premium went from $600 a month to $1,400. And the deductible tripled.
L
I remember when Britain first socialized medicine. It was found the bums there were going to the library to read up on symptoms of various sicknesses so they could later call in sick, get a free ride to a hospital and free meals.
How did Hindus get Obamacare?
I gots a headache, i’z need a ammbuulance
Din du nothins
“Cui bono?” is, or at least used to be an important question in murder mysteries. “Who benefits?” So we now know that ambulance operators did pretty well under ObamaCare.
Saw the same thing in my teaching career. Schools went from having no computers to where every teacher and child had to have his own computer. Every year our small school would get several dozen—all paid for by grants. No money for new textbooks, but always newer computers. Required state tests are all done on computer (which may cut down on teacher marking parties). And it’s all wonderful. Except look at how much money the computer companies made.
Call an Amber Lamps.
My recent ambulance ride was necessary but the cost was unbelievable. I went 1 mile at the most and it cost 2k. They wrapped my foot up and gave me one shot of some kind of opioid. Why are emergency services not covered in my taxes?
Hmm. My 50 mile ambulance ride in 2016 cost around $1050, including joy juice. I guess that was a deal.
“Our premium went from $600 a month to $1,400.”
Was that obamacare or regular insurance?
My recent ambulance ride was necessary but the cost was unbelievable. I went 1 mile at the most and it cost 2k. They wrapped my foot up and gave me one shot of some kind of opioid. Why are emergency services not covered in my taxes?
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Sadly, in a number of situations “emergency services” serves as a way for the government to raise additional funding. I have a son who was involved in a minor traffic accident recently. The police who responded INSISTED that he be taken by ambulance to the local emergency room. The bill for that ambulance ride was ridiculously high and explains (IMHO, of course) why the cop insisted the ride be taken. I always thought that fire and ambulance services at accident sites were covered by taxes.
LOL. The expected “unexpected consequences” show up as usual. You can’t necessarily say where or when with certainty but the answer to the IF QUESTION will always be YES.
In one city that I’m familiar with, which I won’t mention the name, although it is in the Northeast, you have a choice if you need to go to the ER - either get a ride there and wait 6 hours, or call an ambulance and immediate get to the front of the line.
...simply how it works there.
I've thought about buying a van, throwing a mattress in the back with tarp over it and starting an Uber or Lyft-type service for non-emergency ambulance transportation. I'd charge a fraction of what a real ambulance costs. The only deal is the patient has to be able to enter and exit the vehicle on their own.
I'd make a mint transporting people who need to get to the hospital but don't want to be bankrupted with ambulance costs. And when I wasn't using it, I could rent it out to the "Bang Bus" guys.
Regular employer sponsored.
L
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