WHILE ambulance services in the UK are free at the point of use, it still costs the NHS and taxpayer money to fund.
Every year, millions of people across England, Scotland and Wales rely on ambulances to provide urgent medical care while getting them safely to a hospital.
If you're interested in learning how much it costs the NHS to send out an ambulance, look no further.
How much does it cost the NHS to call out an ambulance?
According to Hudgell Solicitors, it costs the NHS around £7 to make a call to the ambulance emergency room and a further £252 if an ambulance is required to attend a scene and transfer someone to a hospital.
How much does it cost to go to A&E in the UK?
It was also found that the cost of a single trip to A&E in the UK is around £419 for the NHS before any specialist treatment is carried out.
If the patient requires a bed for the night, the price rises by nearly £300 to £722.
How much does it cost to call out an ambulance in America?
In the United States of America, a universal healthcare system is not in operation with those living across the pond needing to rely on private medical services as well as health insurance.
While many may be covered by their insurance policy, those who need to fork out money for an ambulance trip can expect to pay over a thousand dollars.
According to Forbes, the average ambulance ride can cost anywhere between $940 to $1277 per ride.
The cost of a ride depends on a few factors such as the location of the person, the miles driven and whether or not the ambulance has provided advanced life support.
From 2017, the cost of a ride has increased significantly in the United States with the average cost for advanced life support rising by around 23%.
Most ambulance firms charge a base fee as well as an additional fee determined by the miles travelled.
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