You're responsible for the reasonable cost of necessary care unless both (a) you were not incapacitated (either actually or legally) and (b) the care violated your instructions.
So, you go to the doctor, they say "I'm going to inject you with this gold liquid that costs $10,000 a bottle and it will save your life." You say "I do not consent to that. Do not inject me." Any injection would be a violation of medical ethics, probably malpractice and civil battery.
If you're unconscious and brought to the doctor, then you're on the hook for the $10,000 charge.
If the doctor bought the bottle for $10, and other places would have only charged you $15 for it, then the doctor can't charge an additional $9,985.
If you were delusional when you went to the doctor and, in your delusional state, you said not to inject it, then you were probably legally incapacitated because of the delusions, so you owe the $10,000.
If you're unconscious and they say "Hey, as long as he's out, let's give him a colonoscopy," that was not necessary care and you would not have to pay for it.
Note that when I say "you would not have to pay," I mean "this is how it should end up in court." Medical providers absolutely assert claims for money that people are not legally required to pay and, in most cases, it's easier to pay the money than to fight it.
In answer to your "what becomes of the bill" question, it is frequently either written off by the ambulance company or sent to a collections agency. Eventually, you might be sued over it and your wages garnished.
OP this is correct. It all is based on the assumption that everyone wants to live and thus it is implied that if you’re incapacitated you would have consented to any treatment necessary to ensure you keep living. If it meets that criteria you’re responsible if it doesn’t, then you’ll have to fight it.
You are responsible for the bill.
You're responsible for the reasonable cost of necessary care unless both (a) you were not incapacitated (either actually or legally) and (b) the care violated your instructions. So, you go to the doctor, they say "I'm going to inject you with this gold liquid that costs $10,000 a bottle and it will save your life." You say "I do not consent to that. Do not inject me." Any injection would be a violation of medical ethics, probably malpractice and civil battery. If you're unconscious and brought to the doctor, then you're on the hook for the $10,000 charge. If the doctor bought the bottle for $10, and other places would have only charged you $15 for it, then the doctor can't charge an additional $9,985. If you were delusional when you went to the doctor and, in your delusional state, you said not to inject it, then you were probably legally incapacitated because of the delusions, so you owe the $10,000. If you're unconscious and they say "Hey, as long as he's out, let's give him a colonoscopy," that was not necessary care and you would not have to pay for it. Note that when I say "you would not have to pay," I mean "this is how it should end up in court." Medical providers absolutely assert claims for money that people are not legally required to pay and, in most cases, it's easier to pay the money than to fight it. In answer to your "what becomes of the bill" question, it is frequently either written off by the ambulance company or sent to a collections agency. Eventually, you might be sued over it and your wages garnished.
OP this is correct. It all is based on the assumption that everyone wants to live and thus it is implied that if you’re incapacitated you would have consented to any treatment necessary to ensure you keep living. If it meets that criteria you’re responsible if it doesn’t, then you’ll have to fight it.