Why an ambulance ride can cost $12,873 – blame the hearse

An ambulance ride in America can cost twelve thousand eight hundred seventy-three dollars—and Boing Boing traces that price tag back to an unlikely source: funeral homes. For most of the twentieth century, funeral homes operated ambulances, since hearses were the only vehicles designed to carry patients lying flat. These funeral homes charged minimal fees because they expected families to become funeral customers later. That century-old business arrangement has left a lasting impact on emergency services pricing.

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