Hefty bill for child's air ambulance hits mom 17 years later

[tay]

A mother and daughter say they've been blindsided by a call from a collection agency demanding almost $5,000 for an emergency medical airlift in Ontario that happened 17 years ago.


Annette Trepanier says it took the province almost two decades to let her know about the bill from 1998. In April, she got a call from a woman at a collection agency demanding she pay $4,680.


Trepanier asked the collection agency for a copy of the file, but was told she'd have to wait 12 weeks to get it. The collection agency also couldn't provide the invoice, but said it wanted the money right away.


"She was actually very rude, very, very rude to me. She made me feel like I was hiding from them, like not paying my bills."


In 1998, Trepanier was living in Quebec with her husband and young family. They had travelled to Leamington, Ont., to visit her mother for the holidays. Trepanier's daughter Valerie was eight years old.


Valerie was taken to the local hospital, where doctors ran tests but couldn't figure out what was wrong. They decided to send the girl to the children's hospital in London, Ont. A snowstorm had closed the highway, so Valerie was airlifted.


"The decision was made by the doctors," Trepanier says.


As it turned out, Valerie had chicken pox and was released the next day.


Soon after, Trepanier says, she got a bill from the province for the cost of the air ambulance transport.


"Right away I cried," she says.


"We were a young family, I didn't have the means to pay nearly $5,000 for a decision that I had not made. They were the ones who made the decision to airlift her to London."


more

Hefty bill for child's air ambulance hits mom 17 years later - Canada - CBC News

 

[taxslave]

Way too late for collection. Collection companies work on commission, usually around 30% so essentially this is just a scam. Possibly could even be harassment.

 

[Sal]

none the less they had billed her and she ignored it: "Soon after, Trepanier says, she got a bill from the province for the cost of the air ambulance transport."


it sounds strange to get a bill that far down the road, I think there is more to this

 

[EagleSmack]

Airlifted... for chicken pox!

 

[Sal]

Airlifted... for chicken pox!

exactly...

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

And a hospital that couldn't diagnose chicken pox.

Maybe they didn't have a pediatrician on staff. Or a nurse. Or a fairly smart adult.

 

[Sal]

And a hospital that couldn't diagnose chicken pox.

Maybe they didn't have a pediatrician on staff. Or a nurse. Or a fairly smart adult.

yeah the problem with chicken pox is that the kid had likely been vaccinated. When they have been the chicken pox presents in a very different way than it would without the vaccine. Thus the kid just could have had anything from an out of control fever, to mild nausea and a dozen other symptoms that can come and go.

We had a kid keep complaining about wanting to go home for days because she didn't feel good. Lots of kids do that when they get anxious so ya love them up a bit and they go back to class all happy. She had lethargy and nausea at times but her colour was good and she was still eating. She'd been to the doctor and they could find nothing wrong with her.

finally on day three she comes down with the teacher, we closed the door and took off her top...yup the pox was finally visible...

kids can go down hill so fast they erred on the side of caution and it really wasn't so horrible but wow...a copter to take her to London..

I think there is more to the story but *shrug* the kid is alive and well so in the end, it worked out

 

[JLM]

A mother and daughter say they've been blindsided by a call from a collection agency demanding almost $5,000 for an emergency medical airlift in Ontario that happened 17 years ago.


Annette Trepanier says it took the province almost two decades to let her know about the bill from 1998. In April, she got a call from a woman at a collection agency demanding she pay $4,680.


Trepanier asked the collection agency for a copy of the file, but was told she'd have to wait 12 weeks to get it. The collection agency also couldn't provide the invoice, but said it wanted the money right away.


"She was actually very rude, very, very rude to me. She made me feel like I was hiding from them, like not paying my bills."


In 1998, Trepanier was living in Quebec with her husband and young family. They had travelled to Leamington, Ont., to visit her mother for the holidays. Trepanier's daughter Valerie was eight years old.


Valerie was taken to the local hospital, where doctors ran tests but couldn't figure out what was wrong. They decided to send the girl to the children's hospital in London, Ont. A snowstorm had closed the highway, so Valerie was airlifted.


"The decision was made by the doctors," Trepanier says.


As it turned out, Valerie had chicken pox and was released the next day.


Soon after, Trepanier says, she got a bill from the province for the cost of the air ambulance transport.


"Right away I cried," she says.


"We were a young family, I didn't have the means to pay nearly $5,000 for a decision that I had not made. They were the ones who made the decision to airlift her to London."


more

Hefty bill for child's air ambulance hits mom 17 years later - Canada - CBC News

I've always been under the impression that the Statute of Limitations says 7 years!

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

1. Collection agencies are a$$holes and expect them to be rude.
2. They got the bill and chose not to pay it in 1998. Ambulance rides are not free.
3. The doctors should have informed them of the charge but were probably not required to.
4. Its a bit late. She should tell the collectors to fruck off. She will have to accept that here credit report will look tarnished.
5. Ambulance rides should be covered under OHIP. But with the a$$wipes running this province now, don't expect anything not covered to become covered.

 

[lone wolf]

In Ontario, there's no such thing as law where feeding the province's addiction to money is concerned

 

[Sal]

1. Collection agencies are a$$holes and expect them to be rude.
2. They got the bill and chose not to pay it in 1998. Ambulance rides are not free.
3. The doctors should have informed them of the charge but were probably not required to.
4. Its a bit late. She should tell the collectors to fruck off. She will have to accept that here credit report will look tarnished.
5. Ambulance rides should be covered under OHIP. But with the a$$wipes running this province now, don't expect anything not covered to become covered.

I don't think we should cover ambulance rides because the problem lies with people who don't need them and have no common sense...when you arrive by ambulance they have to triage you differently... people would use them for transport and to jump the line...our fees don't actually cover the cost now...

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

I don't think we should cover ambulance rides because the problem lies with people who don't need them and have no common sense...when you arrive by ambulance they have to triage you differently... people would use them for transport and to jump the line...our fees don't actually cover the cost now...

As to covering stuff with OHIP, I think its a much better investment than cancelling gas plants in Lieberal ridings, or other money wasters. But the government needs to have priorities. :roll:

 

[B00Mer]

I've always been under the impression that the Statute of Limitations says 7 years!

They remove it from your credit bureau report after 7 years, and they can not sue you after 7 years.. but you still owe the money and the debt can be sold and resold to collection agencies..

Never reply to them in writing, and never admit to the amount owing.. or they can place it back on your credit bureau report.

Collection agencies have their job too.. lots of deadbeats and scammers out there.

 

[DaSleeper]

Some things are covered inter province other things are not

 

[Sal]

As to covering stuff with OHIP, I think its a much better investment than cancelling gas plants in Lieberal ridings, or other money wasters. But the government needs to have priorities. :roll:

this is not a case of one or the other...ambulances are for emergencies not a convenience ride, people abuse our health care system enough already $50.00 to $75.00 is little to pay to save a life

for non emergency situations there are cabs

 

[DaSleeper]

this is not a case of one or the other...ambulances are for emergencies not a convenience ride, people abuse our health care system enough already $50.00 to $75.00 is little to pay to save a life

for non emergency situations there are cabs

highway closed....snowstorm....

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

this is not a case of one or the other...ambulances are for emergencies not a convenience ride, people abuse our health care system enough already $50.00 to $75.00 is little to pay to save a life

for non emergency situations there are cabs

If it is an emergency, it should be covered. In this case the doctors decided it was an emergency so it should have been covered. I agree if somebody calls an ambulance for a runny nose they should be expected to pay for it.

 

[Sal]

highway closed....snowstorm....

yes they did what they had to in this situation

I agree with the nominal fee which we pay for ambulance service when we need it helps to decrease those crazies who would call an ambulance for a ride to the ER when a cab would do.

I do not believe that a conservative run ON should or would alter that policy

If it is an emergency, it should be covered. In this case the doctors decided it was an emergency so it should have been covered. I agree if somebody calls an ambulance for a runny nose they should be expected to pay for it.

it's too vague it would open things up to arguement and discussion about what is an emergency and what isn't

we don't have the money and these people didn't have coverage in ON anyway

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

yes they did what they had to in this situation

I agree with the nominal fee which we pay for ambulance service when we need it helps to decrease those crazies who would call an ambulance for a ride to the ER when a cab would do.

I do not believe that a conservative run ON should or would alter that policy


it's too vague it would open things up to arguement and discussion about what is an emergency and what isn't

we don't have the money and these people didn't have coverage in ON anyway

Just a note that $5000 is a bit more than a nominal fee. It would be a shame if somebody died because they couldn't afford the $5000.

 

[Sal]

Just a note that $5000 is a bit more than a nominal fee. It would be a shame if somebody died because they couldn't afford the $5000.

she got a copter ride because they could not diagnose her...

I look at it differently...they billed her, she chose not to pay...her child's life was not placed in jeopardy...I paid thousands out last year on a treatment that I needed that was not covered...

many cancer drugs aren't covered, dialysis at home isn't covered...lots of things aren't covered

I am grateful for the things that are