I was taken to LRMC via ambulance with COPD exacerbation. I was treated and told I would be admitted so I told my husband to go home. At 2:30 am, they need a bed in ED so decided to discharge me at that time. I refused to call my husband and ask if they would pay for a cab home (they used to when I worked for TVRH) and they refused. I asked if I paid for the transportation, would they supply an oxygen tank for me to go home (on 24/7 oxygen) and they refused. Their solution: I was placed in a storage room until 6:30am and then rolled in a wheelchair to the lobby until "someone could come get me."
There is no way in hell I would go back to LRMC!

Your problem, unfortunately is not unique.

The Florida statute reads," Except as otherwise provided by law, all medically necessary transfers shall be made to the geographically closest hospital with the service capability, unless another prior arrangement is in place or the geographically closest hospital is at service capacity...."

You may have been discharged because your condition did not meet the Medicare standards for your condition so that the hospital may not have been able to be compensated by Medicare for your admission. You may get an ambulance bill, because, again, Medicare may only pay for an ambulance if you are admitted to the hospital, or there was a life-threatening condition.

In any regard, there are now over 50 active and retired teachers associations, and municipal employee associations that have come together to offer a very comprehensive ground and air emergency transport program that will pay for any ground or air emergency transport no matter where you are in the entire world. If you wish more information on this, or any of the other group programs available, you can contact me by visiting my Facebook page: Facebook