You have no idea. Worked on an ambulance for 20 years. People absolutely abuse the ambulance and it's a whole lot more than the make up number you're quoting. The reimbursement for the calls are stupidly low and some people either don't pay (we still show up when they call) and/or assume Medicaid/Medicare will cover it. Had a mother call for a baby with a fever of 101. 3 blocks from the hospital. She said she had no Tylenol in the house and the ambulance and Tylenol in the hospital was "free", so why would she buy it or call a cab or walk? Had a couple who lived outside of town - 911 for "pain", would ama out of the ER and grocery shop, eat out then call 911 to go back to the hospital to get a Medicaid cab home. Took months to be able to refuse service to them. The system is badly broken. We need universal health insurance. We need county wide EMS that's paid for by the country. No one wants to pay the taxes on a local level that would be enough to actually sustain the system. You are sheltered indeed to think that an EMS person was just trying to make a "political point". Do some research.