If you’ve been involved in some type of accident or need immediate medical attention for any reason, emergency medical transportation is the best way to get you to the hospital. Non-emergency medical transportation is often used for patients who are being transported from location to another, such as between a nursing home and a hospital, or who have already been treated and must be taken home. While there are two types of medical transportation companies, non-medical transportation must only service patients who do not have immediate medical needs.
Different Categories of Medical Transport
Medical transport services a variety of individuals who suffer from many different diseases, including:
- Cancer
- Kidney Failure
- General Medical
- Mental Issues
Patients who need to be transported to a specific location for treatment, such as kidney dialysis, also use this type of transport.
Who Pays for Medical Transport
Both emergency and non-emergency medical transportation companies are paid for their services. If the patient has insurance, the insurance plan will likely cover the costs of any type of medical transportation.
In some instances, the local community maintains a network of volunteer medical transportation companies that serve residents at no charge. In other cities, ambulances and non-emergency medical transporters charge the patient directly if he or she has no insurance.
We talked with New Transport Inc. about pricing for medical treatment, and they added, “The price for this type of service can vary, but some companies have attempted to charge upwards of a few hundred dollars per response to an accident or to an appointment pickup. Medical transportation companies are also compensated by the government, especially when the person receives Medicaid or Medical benefits.”
Medical Transportation: What to Know Before You Reserve
It’s important to know the difference in pricing before you decide to reserve medical transportation services.
While you’ll want to choose the provider with the lowest price, this individual might not offer the same level of service that your more expensive options will. It’s also important not to choose the most expensive ambulatory service because they might be overcharging for transporting patients.
You’ll also want to determine what kind of illness you may have. Is it chronic? Do you need to go to a special treatment center for procedures like dialysis? There are a variety of medical transportation companies that specialize in different areas of medical care and only a handful might be willing to pick you up. Call around until you’ve found three places that will take you.
In most cases, the medical transporter will be able to stay until you’re done with your appointment and ready to go home, but ask the company while you’re on the phone with them about the driver’s schedule.
Ambulance Equipment
Keeping equipment clean and up-to-date is essential to providing clean and safe transportation to the patient’s intended destination.
While you might not know the correct terminology, it doesn’t hurt to ask how up-to-date their equipment is. You should always feel comfortable when in the care of both emergency and non-emergency medical transportation companies, and the medical equipment should be ready to handle an emergency at any time.
Never Overpay for Medical Transport: Use Non-Emergency If Possible
In cases where you don’t need immediate medical assistance, reserving a non-emergency medical transporter will save you a significant amount of money because the risk of something happening to you while en route to your destination is much smaller.
