A horrifying image shows the injuries of a hiker who walked 10 miles with a trekking pole through his body instead of paying for a helicopter evacuation.
  • benjirenji@slrpnk.net
    59·
    2 months ago

    In Switzerland I pay 40CHF (~49USD) yearly to get a free helicopter evacuation in case of an accident. Never needed it, but I know people that have. Absolutely worth it. While it’s “just hiking” in most cases, being out in nature in the middle of nowhere can get dangerous fast.

      • Obi@sopuli.xyz
        12·
        2 months ago

        In Switzerland they deal with an endless line of brain-dead tourists that put themselves into stupid situations where helicopter evacuation is the only option, so I can kinda understand that they’d put some stuff in place to prevent people from abusing that.

        • Doc_Crankenstein@slrpnk.netEnglish
          5·
          2 months ago

          Tourists are human and all humans deserve free and ready access to healthcare or other emergency services, regardless of if they were born within the arbitrary bounds of your nation or otherwise.

          There is no understanding that justifies requiring payment for emergency services behind a paywall.

          • Obi@sopuli.xyz
            2·
            2 months ago

            The relevant part isn’t that they’re tourists, it’s that they willingly put themselves in dangerous situations they aren’t prepared for that require dangerous and expensive evacuations by the bucket-load. High mountain evacuations are a very different beast from regular healthcare service. They need the guardrails, I think it’s totally fair to pay your 40 bucks as insurance if you’re going to go into these places.

              • Obi@sopuli.xyz
                2·
                2 months ago

                Ok then they’ll close access to the mountains… Is that better? If it was your son dying from having to rescue some idiot who went up there with no prep during a snowstorm I wonder if you’d think the same.

                • Doc_Crankenstein@slrpnk.netEnglish
                  3·
                  2 months ago

                  Or they could just not and provide the service, since that is always an option.

                  Nah, I’d be damn proud of them for risking their life to save another in need, not irrationally blame the one who had the need, regardless of why they needed it, because I’m not some jaded, misanthropic twit who just assumes the worst in everyone.

                  so you can pack up your little strawman and fuck all the way off with it.

          • Thorry@feddit.org
            11·
            2 months ago

            If you want to be pedantic, at least be extra pedantic about it.

            It’s all about the meaning of the word get. They aren’t literally getting a free ride, since the fee is not for the ride. They pay the fee to be eligible for the free ride. So they are actually paying to be on the list, not to use the service.

            But if you want to go one level deeper, in a world running on a capitalist system, nothing can ever be truly free. In the end everything is funded from the economy and we all contribute to the economy in some way.

    • ExLisperA
      7·
      2 months ago

      I once went on a trip to Atacama and as a responsible person got insurgence that specifically covered rescue above 5000m. When I got there locals told me that there are actually no rescue teams there or anything.

      • Gordon Calhoun@lemmy.world
        7·
        2 months ago

        I once went on a trip to Atacama and as a responsible person got insurgence that specifically covered rescue above 5000m. When I got there locals told me that there are actually no rescue teams there or anything.

        Not sure i would trust insurgents with that task…

    • Bixcut@lemmy.world
      1·
      2 months ago

      2 different companies cover the area I live in. I pay the annual fee for both. Just in case I have an accident while sitting at my computer that requires an air lift.

  • HubertManne@piefed.socialEnglish
    45·
    2 months ago

    He was a nurse to. Which just makes him more aware of how things like that can just ruin a person in the us. Remember when that hospital took away healthcare benefits from its janitorial staff. That to me is peak us explanations. A hospital can’t afford to give its staff health insurance. ugh.

        • Bilb!@lemmy.mlEnglish
          1·
          2 months ago

          From what I can tell, in Germany it’s largely a “hope your medical insurance covers it” situation. Apparently, around 99.9% of people in Germany have health insurance in some form.

          • uniquethrowagay@feddit.org
            1·
            2 months ago

            Only edge cases where people acted exceptionally recklessly wouldn’t fully be covered by insurance, as far as my experience goes.

            • TimmyDeanSausage @lemmy.world
              1·
              2 months ago

              It’s very different here. I was paying $400+ a month for united Healthcare and they denied everything. Couldn’t see specialists, every treatment denied. They wouldn’t even give me a 90 count supply of my meds. Only 30 counts.

              I’ve had health issues that have gone unresolved for years… Years! I work constantly and get almost nothing in return.

  • Crashumbc@lemmy.worldEnglish
    12·
    2 months ago

    I’m all for universal health care. But at the same time being outdoors/hiking/fishing most of my life.

    Some of the insanely stupid shit I’ve seen people do in the middle of fucking no where…

    I mean accidents happen, but if you’re that idiot that ignored four warnings and got gored trying to pet a bison, part of me thinks you SHOULD have to pay for that helicopter ride

    • sunstoned@lemmus.orgEnglish
      21·
      2 months ago

      There should be consequences, sure, but life long financial ruin isn’t exactly a punishment that fits the crime here.

      • Aeao@lemmy.world
        1·
        2 months ago

        They have to cut off their own finger and hand it to the rescue crew. After the filth time the take a hand. Then just keep going until the decide to stop being stupid.

  • Pyr@lemmy.ca
    12·
    2 months ago

    That’s stupid, emergency services should not come at a cost. If it were a hiker needing to be rescued because they were stupid and didn’t prepare properly charge them. If it’s an unforseen emergency than provide it as a service.

    I’m surprised the cops don’t charge money for showing up to calls, or the firefighters. Why is the medical field so different?

  • greedytacothief@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    9·
    2 months ago

    Where I am in New York it’s a little weird. There’s one private helicopter that costs a lot for rescue and a police helicopter that’s free. Also if it’s just the rangers that come up to save you, that’s also free. But the ambulance ride will bankrupt you.

    I’ve even heard of a guy who will hike up a mountain, call 911 saying he’s dehydrated and will wait for the rangers to carry him down, only to be fine at the bottom. (He’s done it twice)

  • ExLisperA
    7·
    2 months ago

    Not that gruesome but don’t try that at home. Call an Uber.

  • FlyingCircus@lemmy.world
    6·
    2 months ago

    This article reads like health insurance propaganda. It’s all about how selfless this guy is, and never talks about how insane it is that he had to risk death to avoid crippling medical debt.

  • switcheroo@lemmy.worldEnglish
    6·
    2 months ago

    Welcome to the US.

    If I’m conscious, no matter what happens, I will always have the thought: can I make it to the hospital on my own.

    Disgusting dystopian hellhole…

      • arsCynic@piefed.socialEnglish
        2·
        2 months ago

        What gymnastics? Have you caught even a glimpse of the topsy-turvy state of the USA the past few years? Anything normal requires mental gymnastics.