Men are often discouraged by society from seeking first aid or admitting any sort of ailment or weakness.
Plus Emergency Rooms are known for very long wait times, especially if you are otherwise looking in good health. (triage favors the folks bleeding out).
If you are presented a bill, it's not just an ER charge but a charge from the ER, from the doctor, the anesthetist, and seemingly everyone staffing the ER seems to have their own bill and billing agency.
> No I agree and do plan on going - was going to try and get in today. I probably should have just cruised with the guys yesterday but they were so nonchalant about the whole thing I was like "welp, guess only losers see the doc when struck by zeus".
I think he misread the situation. If you're an EMT it is clearly in your best interest to remain calm and project an air of calmness to others because you're going to be in situations where the shit is hitting the fan and keeping your cool is the difference between someone living and dying.
An EMT calmly telling you that you really should go to the ER with them is likely not being "nonchalant", just level-headed. I'm sure this guy is sick of hearing it by now but he made an unwise decision, even if it turns out he's fine after all.
I'm a pretty 'man the f* up' guy but there are certain things where I don't apply this philosophy. Being struck by a lightning is certainly one of the things where I wouldn't care if the EMT thinks I'm a sissy.
yep, as someone who had to go to the ER earlier this year I can attest to the high bills. I spent more time in the billing office than I did being attended by medical staff.
Tip: if you so much as bumped your head (such as falling over when hit by lightening) emphasis this. A head injury will bump you to the top of the queue (most of the people queuing should not be in the ER in any case, but are for a number of reasons)
Plus Emergency Rooms are known for very long wait times, especially if you are otherwise looking in good health. (triage favors the folks bleeding out).
If you are presented a bill, it's not just an ER charge but a charge from the ER, from the doctor, the anesthetist, and seemingly everyone staffing the ER seems to have their own bill and billing agency.
That's above and beyond the high cost of ER care.