Should Binge Drinkers be billed if they use the emergency services!?

Question

A growing number of binge drinker including young teen kids are clogging up the already overstreched NHS and Police networks. Would you bill them?

Answer 1

Yes. Absolutely they need to learn from there stupid mistakes somehow, society just keeps letting them off

Answer 2

If not a bill then maybe name and shame in their local paper or some such deterrent. On the otherhand, maybe that would encourage even more . . .

MLaw - in the UK we are not billed for emergency services as the NHS is a long standing national institution that provides free medical care to all people. It is paid for from the tax collected via people's salaries. Clearly some citizens are tired of 'footing the bill' for self induced sickness/injuries and want an end to it!

Answer 3

I used to be a binge drinker till I turned alcoholic now I gave it up.

Answer 4

Everybody IS billed for using emergency services. If you use the services of an ambulance or paramedics you will get billed for it. Most group med policies & medicare cover it. Same if you call the fire department to put out a fire: The property owner will get a bill.

Answer 5

No but only because recovering the money from them would be vitually impossible and would cost god knows how much for the government to implement a scheme like that. Why don't we just not allow them any treatment at all if they are over the age of 18 / 21..... people should know that they should drink responsibly by then. Or maybe just bar them for their local pubs / off licenses?

Answer 6

Absolutely. It may be that they have insurance that will cover their medical expenses, but the costs of the police time and so forth should be part of their fines when they are found guilty. In my opinion, there should be no such thing as defense of diminished capacity for drunks. They drink it, they take the consequences. Perhaps the judge will sentence them to a alcohol treatment program, but it should be a residential one, and they should spend as long in it as they would in a jail.

Answer 7

Wow, what a great question. Yes this goes for the same for people that elude police and hurt themselves. They should also be billed. Just because you ran away from a cop 100 mph in a 35 we shouldn't have to pay for your injuries.

Answer 8

yes, absolutely.... i also think that people who are obese or alcoholics or drug addicts, should also be held accountable for the cost of their depravity.
in in general i would think anyone who is not responsible about their health as a matter of choice needs to pay something when their health fails as a reuslt of that choice.
however, before all this, i would like to see a full audit done on the NHS as i think there is more money leaking out of it than water through a colander... i'm sure that accountability measures would not be neccessary if first the NHS was held responsible for irresponsible spending.

Answer 9

yes - and if underage then bill the parents xx

As for saying 'If you bill them - people doing DIY and falling off a ladder will have to be billed as well' - what a load of twaddle. There is a difference - DIY accidents are just that - ACCIDENTS. Those in hospitals clogging up the A & E through binge drinking are there because it is self inflicted.

Answer 10

Yep, in a heartbeat! There are people who come to the emergency room with actual emergencies that they did not cause themselves. They shouldn't have to wait while some stupid kid decides to drink him/herself into an early grave just for fun!

Answer 11

No. The NHS should be free for all or free for no-one. If we go down that road, where does it end? If you don't exercise, no treatment? If you don't eat your 5 portions of fruit a day, no treatment? The NHS, with all its faults, is still something to be proud of.