Transportation
The Case for Free Hospital Parking
Not all parking fees are created equal, and some may amount to a hidden medical cost
Hospitals are, by definition, a distressing destination. There are the waiting rooms, the gowns, the needles and, for many patients – once they’ve gotten through all of that, and worse – the final indignity: the $5, $10, $15 bill to exit the parking lot.
Parking critics have made a strong case (including in Atlantic Cities) for charging people what society really pays to pave parking spots. But maybe the hospital is the exception. People don’t really have a choice about when to go there. And often, they don’t have a choice about how to get there either, as many hospitals are located beyond the reach of public transit (especially for patients who must travel great distances to get there).