General Denial For Ambulance

[Laurie MacGregor]

My daughter, Samantha, is considered 70% disabled by the VA. She recently had a severe panic attack and we all thought it might be her heart. An ambulance took her to the VA and we have just received a denial letter for the ambulance from the VA. Reason: non urgent

Has anyone else been denied for the same thing?

Laurie

 

[Ruth09]

I have never been taken by ambulance to the VA.

But, have you tried to take the letter to the patient advocate's office at the VA hospital?
Perhaps, they can explain the letter.

I'm curious, too. I'm 80% disabled and I have been placed in a similar situation with a severe panic attack.
I called the ambulance. And after being checked out by the EMT, I denied the ride. I was charged $100 for the service, Tricare Prime refused to pay for the call-out.

Is she being charged for the ambulance ride?

Ruth

 

[BloomInWinter]

Contact your congressperson's office. That person should have a staffer who assists with exactly this kind of thing.

Shame on the VA.

 

[Laurie MacGregor]

I have never been taken by ambulance to the VA.

But, have you tried to take the letter to the patient advocate's office at the VA hospital?
Perhaps, they can explain the letter.

I'm curious, too. I'm 80% disabled and I have been placed in a similar situation with a severe panic attack.
I called the ambulance. And after being checked out by the EMT, I denied the ride. I was charged $100 for the service, Tricare Prime refused to pay for the call-out.

Is she being charged for the ambulance ride?

Ruth

Yes, she is being billed over $1,000. for the ambulance ride.

 

[Srain]

I've been in a position where I had been up for 2 1/2wks without any sleep, couldn't get in to see my dr due to having no money, and was having severe panic, unable to drive myself to the hospital. I called the hospital and explained to them my complete situation and they said they would send an ambulance for me. When they came they refused transport or even to touch me. They stood around about 10-12ft away from me out in the parking lot where I was waiting for them and one of the first things they said was "we aren't going to give you any drugs."

I was severely under weight, shaking, scared, and tried to explain to them that I had called the hospital and they were waiting for me, that I had been unable to get into see my doctor and not feeling well at all.

They refused transport and suggested I see my doctor. Then left.

I will NEVER tell an ambulance driver again that I suffer from PTSD or any other mental health condition. I was embarrassed, furious, and realized that a simple diagnose changes everything leaving me absolutely on my own.

 

[BloomInWinter]

((((Rain))))

They should have lost their jobs. What @$$holes!

 

[mamachick]

They should have lost their jobs, that is absolutely inexcusable

 

[BloomInWinter]

...and that meets the legal definition of 'abandonment', which is against the law.

In the US, if that ever happens, call9-1-1 and stay on the line so it is recorded. 'I need help. These EMTs are refusing to help me. Please send me help.'

You can also file a complaint with their service and against their licenses with State you are in.

I trained many EMS workers and police. There is NO excuse.

http://www.ehow.com/facts_6039777_patient-abandonment-laws-ems.html

Refuse to sign any paperwork they give you until you are safely delivered to an ER.

 

[Laurie MacGregor]

My daughter, Samantha, is considered 70% disabled by the VA. She recently had a severe panic attack and we all thought it might be her heart. An ambulance took her to the VA and we have just received a denial letter for the ambulance from the VA. Reason: non urgent

Has anyone else been denied for the same thing?

Laurie

Oddly, we took her back to ER the following day by ambulance and have not received a bill for the ambulance. If no bill arrives I think we have a very strong case.

 

[Srain]

First, I'd like to apologize for highjacking your thread, LaurieMacGregor, I guess it just upset me reading this and brought up my own crap, I'm sorry. And yes, I agree you have a strong case.

...and that meets the legal definition of 'abandonment', which is against the law.

In the US, if that ever happens, call9-1-1 and stay on the line so it is recorded. 'I need help. These EMTs are refusing to help me. Please send me help.'

You can also file a complaint with their service and against their licenses with State you are in.

Bloom, thank you for this information! I could not believe it when this happened, never thinking for a moment this could happen but I will hang on to this for the future because it has since terrified me.

 

[BloomInWinter]

This is a topic that triggers me, too...I had sveral partners try to bully me into abandoning patients if they were 'just drunk' - which in a colloege town happens. But they still weren't able to give 'consent' to 'sign a refusal of service', which is a form a patient must sign (without coercion) for the EMTs to be able to leave a patient on-scene....and/or an 'AMA' - 'Against medical Advice' form if the lead medical authority thinks the patient should be transported but the patient won't go.

Though, we'd try to convince them to go. At least...most of us would...

(((((Rain))))) I'm so sorry for what happened to you and ((((Samantha)))) - there's a lots of jerks, people with compassion fatigue, and just plain lazy workers in EMS. They don't get to decide who goes, who doesn't....unless their management creates a culture where they think they do!

Crud. Gotta face some mems breaking through. I'll do it in my diary...