Thread: Credit Card Machines in Ambulances

Ok, this story did kind of make me chuckle in an "tight arsed fiscal" manner, but you got to admit - the Austrians have got a point - it's pretty hard to track down foreigners for payment once they've skipped the country. If only our NHS was more robust....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/sn...mbulances.html

"Excuse me sir, seeing as we've just managed to resusitate you for the 7th time, could you just be a chap and enter your PIN number here..." *Beeeeeeeeeeeeep* "Oh f**k"

Do they check the health of your wallet before your pulse now? hmmm- very worrying.

Good idea! Lets go along with it for junkies,drunks,tossers who get lost up mountains etc.,save the tax payer a few quid.

Originally Posted by countymounty

Good idea! Lets go along with it for junkies,drunks,tossers who get lost up mountains etc.,save the tax payer a few quid.

You show great ignorance by comparing junkies and drunks with people who get lost up mountains.

Originally Posted by Engineer01

Originally Posted by countymounty

Good idea! Lets go along with it for junkies,drunks,tossers who get lost up mountains etc.,save the tax payer a few quid.

You show great ignorance by comparing junkies and drunks with people who get lost up mountains.

I think he was referring to the airhead pricks who wander off up Snowdon in traners and tshirts, with no supplies - and expect mountain rescue to come and get them when the weather changes/it gets dark/they sprain an ankle.

Your NHS seems fairly good about collecting. I spent a couple of days in a NHS hospital after an ambulance trip from Heathrow due to a gallbladder attack. They clearly wanted to see my AMEX card before discharge although the price was extremely reasonable by US standards. Without AMEX I might still be in that hospital. Excellent care, nice staff but the shepherds pie was clearly made from an old and gamy shepherd.

In the US we have similar problems with the welfare moms and assorted kin equivalents who regard the fire department as an excellent no cost substitute for a taxi, thereby saving money for drink, junk food, drugs etc. They quickly learn that fever does not work and learn to mention "breathing funny" "shaking like a seisure", "lips a funny color" to ensure service by the big red-light taxi.

Originally Posted by DeltaDog

Originally Posted by Engineer01

Originally Posted by countymounty

Good idea! Lets go along with it for junkies,drunks,tossers who get lost up mountains etc.,save the tax payer a few quid.

You show great ignorance by comparing junkies and drunks with people who get lost up mountains.

I think he was referring to the airhead pricks who wander off up Snowdon in traners and tshirts, with no supplies - and expect mountain rescue to come and get them when the weather changes/it gets dark/they sprain an ankle.

MRT are funded entirely by voluntary contributions and donations.
They are nothing to do with the NHS or Ambulance Service trusts, are are not run at taxpayers expense.

Originally Posted by DavidBOC

Your NHS seems fairly good about collecting. I spent a couple of days in a NHS hospital after an ambulance trip from Heathrow due to a gallbladder attack. They clearly wanted to see my AMEX card before discharge although the price was extremely reasonable by US standards. Without AMEX I might still be in that hospital. Excellent care, nice staff but the shepherds pie was clearly made from an old and gamy shepherd.

In the US we have similar problems with the welfare moms and assorted kin equivalents who regard the fire department as an excellent no cost substitute for a taxi, thereby saving money for drink, junk food, drugs etc. They quickly learn that fever does not work and learn to mention "breathing funny" "shaking like a seisure", "lips a funny color" to ensure service by the big red-light taxi.

Why a fire engine? Read the book the corner by David Simon were he spent a year with the very sortsof people you mention and trying to get medical care/treatment grim reading.

But we should be doing something we are getting ripped off left rigth and centre with health care tourism

Originally Posted by Sundog

Originally Posted by DeltaDog

Originally Posted by Engineer01

Originally Posted by countymounty

Good idea! Lets go along with it for junkies,drunks,tossers who get lost up mountains etc.,save the tax payer a few quid.

You show great ignorance by comparing junkies and drunks with people who get lost up mountains.

I think he was referring to the airhead pricks who wander off up Snowdon in traners and tshirts, with no supplies - and expect mountain rescue to come and get them when the weather changes/it gets dark/they sprain an ankle.

MRT are funded entirely by voluntary contributions and donations.
They are nothing to do with the NHS or Ambulance Service trusts, are are not run at taxpayers expense.

I am well aware that M.R.T. ARE VOLUNTARY, however,Crab Air,and the Coastguards are not! Neither for that matter are the police,all of these people have better things to be doing than spending OUR money on idiots, I believe these people should pay for their own self indulgence.Accidents can and do happen,but for those who cause their own misfortune ---- pay! up

Originally Posted by brettarider

But we should be doing something we are getting ripped off left rigth and centre with health care tourism

Says the man whose fellow Porridge Wogs benefit from free prescriptions courtesy of English Tax Payers!

Originally Posted by MittMayo

Originally Posted by brettarider

But we should be doing something we are getting ripped off left rigth and centre with health care tourism

Says the man whose fellow Porridge Wogs benefit from free prescriptions courtesy of English Tax Payers!

We've just fee prescriptions over in N.I.,ta very much :D

Originally Posted by countymounty

Originally Posted by MittMayo

Originally Posted by brettarider

But we should be doing something we are getting ripped off left rigth and centre with health care tourism

Says the man whose fellow Porridge Wogs benefit from free prescriptions courtesy of English Tax Payers!

We've just fee prescriptions over in N.I.,ta very much :D

You need a prescription for a spell checker then! :P

Originally Posted by MittMayo

Originally Posted by countymounty

Originally Posted by MittMayo

Originally Posted by brettarider

But we should be doing something we are getting ripped off left rigth and centre with health care tourism

Says the man whose fellow Porridge Wogs benefit from free prescriptions courtesy of English Tax Payers!

We've just fee prescriptions over in N.I.,ta very much :D

You need a prescription for a spell checker then! :P

Yes and it's FREE! :D On prescription :D :D

Originally Posted by countymounty

Originally Posted by Sundog

Originally Posted by DeltaDog

Originally Posted by Engineer01

Originally Posted by countymounty

Good idea! Lets go along with it for junkies,drunks,tossers who get lost up mountains etc.,save the tax payer a few quid.

You show great ignorance by comparing junkies and drunks with people who get lost up mountains.

I think he was referring to the airhead pricks who wander off up Snowdon in traners and tshirts, with no supplies - and expect mountain rescue to come and get them when the weather changes/it gets dark/they sprain an ankle.

MRT are funded entirely by voluntary contributions and donations.
They are nothing to do with the NHS or Ambulance Service trusts, are are not run at taxpayers expense.

I am well aware that M.R.T. ARE VOLUNTARY, however,Crab Air,and the Coastguards are not! Neither for that matter are the police,all of these people have better things to be doing than spending OUR money on idiots, I believe these people should pay for their own self indulgence.Accidents can and do happen,but for those who cause their own misfortune ---- pay! up

Sounds like another Quango is required to decide who should, or should not pay, it will be based on a means test I suppose.
I still stand by my original comment as one mountain adventurer (however poorly equiped) is worth a hundred drunks or druggies.