> In short, if you call 911, the operator will call for an ambulance. You can't choose.
That is merely a procedural issue. There is certainly no reason why the 911 operator can't honor your request for an ambulance from a specific hospital, provided that it's within their range. In the absence of a specific request, the operator has a duty to look out for your interests, which should include not sending you to a hospital known for over-charging when there are other reasonable options available. (This is the same logic that says they shouldn't just send you to the hospital that pays them the most kickbacks.) Their default balance between cost and care might reasonably differ from yours, but if you have expressed a preference then they have a responsibility to honor it.
Of course, not every emergency is quite as time-sensitive as a stroke or heart attack, and depending on your location, and the locations of the hospitals, the difference in travel time may not be significant. Even if price is not the determining factor in the majority of cases, competition over the patients for whom where it is a factor can help keep costs in check for everyone.
That is merely a procedural issue. There is certainly no reason why the 911 operator can't honor your request for an ambulance from a specific hospital, provided that it's within their range. In the absence of a specific request, the operator has a duty to look out for your interests, which should include not sending you to a hospital known for over-charging when there are other reasonable options available. (This is the same logic that says they shouldn't just send you to the hospital that pays them the most kickbacks.) Their default balance between cost and care might reasonably differ from yours, but if you have expressed a preference then they have a responsibility to honor it.
Of course, not every emergency is quite as time-sensitive as a stroke or heart attack, and depending on your location, and the locations of the hospitals, the difference in travel time may not be significant. Even if price is not the determining factor in the majority of cases, competition over the patients for whom where it is a factor can help keep costs in check for everyone.