Mastercard or Visa?

We went to pick up a patient out-of state who needed to be transferred to a long-term care facility in Santa Rosa to be closer to family members. What was unusual about this call? Not the patient, although he was a lovely man. The call itself was long (took 12 hours of our shift to complete) and that is worth mentioning; however, that is not what stood out here.

The use of a ground ambulance is expensive. They show up without doing anything and you’ve already spent $500. So, imagine how much it cost to take an air ambulance . . . I hear those gears spinning. Yes, you’re right. Pretty darned expensive. Very expensive. Like more than $15,000 expensive. Yup! That expensive.

If it was you and I, we would be calling American Airlines or some commercial airline for tickets. What can you get me for my measly $200? Don’t worry about my lips turning blue. I’ll do a little hyperventilating in flight and I should be fine. If you could give me a discount for coughing my lungs out, that would be great.

The patient went from a long-term care facility (as in ‘nursing home’) to another long-term care facility (as in another ‘nursing home’). So, no, he wasn’t critically ill; but he needed a ride nonetheless. We were, in essence, an air taxi, know what I mean? Conclusion: no insurance in their insane minds will pay for that. So, the patient and/or his family paid for our air ambulance. How? On someone’s credit card.

So, I’m just the regular worker bee. All my credit cards together don’t even go that high. I’m totally blown away at how casually someone whips out the dollars for an air ambulance. Goodness! The family met us at the airport and followed us to the hospital on our ground transport. They had two cars – both were the most expensive models of Mercedes Benz.

Even with my open-mouthed astonishment, I was able to enjoy the patient and his family. They were such wonderful and nice people. Very rich nice people.

I know. Don’t mind me. I’m just being ignorant.