** Nova Scotia waives ambulance fees for COVID patients
CANADA NEWS
** Nova Scotians requiring ambulance transport to hospital for COVID-19 symptoms will have the related fees waived. That is the word from CBC (Michael Gorman/May 5) which said the decision came Monday after reports of people declining to call an ambulance because of the cost involved. According to the news site, while the waiver may please some. the decision is not sitting well with others who say the fees should be removed for all other emergencies as well. Tory MLA Colton LeBlanc, a former paramedic, Â said the COVID move could usher in discussions on the subject. Current ambulance fees for residents sit at $146.55, with $13.5 million collected from such fees last year. EHS’ budget, however, was $166 million while the Health and Wellness Department sports a $5 billion budget.
