The Manitoba government is making a start at reducing ambulance fees across the province beginning January 1, 2017.
“People have told us ambulance fees in Manitoba are too high and we have heard these concerns,” said Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Kelvin Goertzen. “We are taking the first steps to reduce ambulance fees and help make this important service more affordable for Manitobans.”
Billings to Manitobans for ambulance services will be reduced to either $475 or the pre-existing base fee established by the service provider, whichever is lower. In addition, all surcharges must be removed including kilometre fees.
In Winnipeg that means a ride to hospital will cost you $475 instead of the previous rate of $522 on average.
The province already provides coverage for certain ambulance services including:
• inter-facility transfers between health-care facilities;
• the Northern Patient Transportation Program, which subsidizes medically necessary transportation for residents in the north;
• helicopter transportation to patients requiring critical and emergent care within a 250-km radius of Winnipeg; and
• the Lifeflight Air Ambulance program, which provides specialized inter-facility transport for critically ill or injured Manitoba residents who live further than 200 km from Winnipeg.
It is expected that over the next four years further reductions to ambulance fees will be implemented. The province has stated that it is their intent to reduce fees by 50%.
-News4 Staff-
