Doctor’s Office Requires Co-Payment from Woman Getting Into Ambulance

76-year-old grandmother Barbara Antonelli was at her doctor’s office, Staten Island Physician Practice, when signs of an impending heart attack were detected.

Staff at the practice called for an ambulance to take Antonelli to the hospital, and as EMTs were attaching an oxygen mask and getting her situated on the stretcher, the worst possible thing happened: the practice’s receptionist came out and asked for Antonelli’s $5 co-pay for the office visit.

“Is a lousy $5 more important than a human being?” Antonelli told the local CBS affiliate.

Practice management has promised to investigate the incident.

In the meantime, Antonelli has abandoned the practice and plans to have future tests on her heart at a different facility.

Antonelli said she went public with this story because she doesn’t want anyone else to have to worry about their co-pay while they are in the middle of a medical emergency.

It seems that the problem here was probably with the receptionist, who most likely felt that her job was on the line if she didn’t collect the co-pay like she was supposed to.

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