SINGAPORE: A man who arranged for a private ambulance to transport his father to Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) was left surprised and frustrated when he was billed $300, despite being quoted $220 during the initial phone call.
The man, who identified himself as Patrick, told Stomp that he had called the 1777 non-emergency ambulance hotline on May 29 to request a private ambulance to ferry his father from their home at Upper Boon Keng Road to TTSH. The journey is about 5km and typically takes just 10 minutes.
Patrick said that he turned to 1777 after a previous experience with the 995 emergency hotline left him concerned about hospital destinations.
“I just had an experience with 995 that the ambulance will only go to the nearest A&E, even if it is a private hospital that is closest,” he explained, “My question is, what happens if a person cannot afford a private A&E?”
995 is run by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and does not charge for emergency cases. SCDF charges $274 for each non-emergency case conveyed to a hospital. 1777, meanwhile, is a private service operated by Connect Centre, a company that provides customer service outsourcing.
In Patrick’s case, Raffles Hospital is geographically closer than TTSH and calling 995 would mean his father would be taken there, despite the fact that it is a private hospital. “It’s quite ridiculous that he can’t use 995, which can be free, because they will take him to Raffles Hospital,” he told Stomp.
To ensure his father could be taken to TTSH, a government hospital, Patrick opted for 1777. “During the 1777 call, the person on the phone quoted $220,” he said.
But upon arrival at TTSH, Goodwill Ambulance Services stunned him and produced an invoice for $300.
“I informed the ambulance attendant that I was quoted $220 and asked why it was now $300,” Patrick recounted, “He told me to clarify with 1777, which in turn pushed me back to Goodwill.”
Not wanting to create a scene at the hospital’s A&E department, Patrick paid the full amount but later emailed Goodwill to question the charge. “How do you justify $300 for such a short distance between Upper Boon Keng to TTSH?” he wrote.
In response, Goodwill Ambulance Services’ managing director, Merrill Mathew Babu, indicated that the issue could have stemmed from a miscommunication by 1777. He told Patrick: “For this issue, you will need to clarify with 1777 as the call centre is on 1777’s end. Our charges are standard to 1777, which is $300 including GST for every case.”
He added, “This was what we have quoted 1777 for the transfer. We are unsure how 1777 has conveyed the information to you. We will bring up this issue to 1777 to ensure they inform the caller of the pricing accurately. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.”
The situation has left Patrick questioning the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) involvement in the 1777 service.
“My main issue is why the Ministry of Health is promoting 1777 when it’s fully private,” he said, “and worst of all, you can’t direct the 995 ambulance to the nearest government hospital, but instead, they will take you to the nearest hospital even if it is a private hospital.”
In 2021, the MOH published a list of fees charged by various private ambulance operators to help ensure greater transparency. A similar list can also be found on the Connect Centre’s website.
According to SCDF guidelines, emergency ambulances will only transport patients to the nearest MOH-designated hospital with appropriate medical facilities based on travel time, regardless of whether the hospital is public or private.