Personal finance website JustMoney.co.za has provided an analysis of ambulance costs in South Africa, including how much much an ambulance trip costs and who pays the bill if you’re unconscious.
The group cited data from the Road Accident Fund Medical Tariff document, which distinguishes between three kinds of emergency life support:
- Basic
- Intermediate
- Advanced
All three are interventions used to stabilise patients until they reach a hospital, JustMoney said. Depending on the patient’s state, emergency personnel will perform the necessary life support to ensure their safety.
The main difference between basic and advanced life support is that the former does not include invasive treatments – in other words, a patient’s skin will not be pierced, such as with a needle or a scalpel, if they receive basic life support.
The patient will be billed according to the category their life support falls under.