To the Editor:
When someone needs an ambulance, they should never have to stop to consider if they can afford it. But, that’s what is happening in Saskatchewan today.
The province charges people more than anywhere else in the country when they need an ambulance.
Dave Carr was sent a bill of more than $5,000 after his wife passed away. Sara Bucsis-Gunn’s family had more than $7,000 in ambulance charges on their credit card when they lost their little girl, Leandra. For many families, the ambulance bills can be devastating. The Sask. Party government is even charging huge interest rates to families who couldn’t afford to pay their bill all at once.
Patients and their families spend about $15 million to cover ambulance fees every year and around $4.5 million on ambulance trips between health facilities if they need to be transferred. Saskatchewan is the only province that bills patients for transfers, and only one of two provinces that don’t cap fees. Many families are surprised to find out that during their emergency trip into the hospital, the meter was running like a taxi, charging them more for every kilometre.
In order to make necessary ambulance trips free, it would cost the province just a fraction of what it’s shelling out for John Black and Associates and their costly Lean pet project.
It’s time to cap ambulance fees, end hospital transfer fees, and get rid of high interest charges.
After a decade of resource wealth, our ambulances should have been getting less expensive for everyday families – not more expensive. If you want to share your story or add your voice to this issue, call my office at 306-787-7388 or [email protected]
Danielle Chartier
NDP Health Critic
