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SINGAPORE - All they wanted was a way to send their 92-year-old mother to the hospital. The Chngs called the 1-777 Non-Emergency Ambulance Service (NEAS) last month. An ambulance operator quoted them $180 and some additional charges for the trip. But at the end of the 30-minute ride from their home in Choa Chu Kang to Singapore General Hospital, the family was hit with an $800 bill. Some of the add-ons on the bill included $150 for oxygen, $80 for bandages and $200 for painkillers. The private ambulance operator, Singapore Medical Care Training and Services (SMCT), has since been suspended by the NEAS Quality Committee. The Ministry of Health said it had received eight complaints, including the Chngs', since SMCT joined the NEAS network on Feb 8. It is understood that most of the complaints were about overcharging. The Chngs' mother, Madam Lim Soon Oh, had a fall at home the day before and the pain was causing her to skip her meals and medicine. Worried, her three sons decided to send her to the hospital for a checkup on May 10. Mr Edwin Chng, 56, an engineer, needed an ambulance as his mother could not get into a car or taxi as her fall prevented her from bending her knees. When the vehicle arrived, the paramedic told the family that the mother needed painkillers. On the ride to the hospital, paramedics put her on an intravenous (IV) drip and administered oxygen. They also placed two bandages on her knees. One of her sons, Mr Jason Chng, 53, said he did not think of questioning the ambulance attendant or to find out the cost of the various treatments. Their brother, Mr David Chng, 66, a chauffeur, went along with the ambulance. He said: "They showed me a list, everything was a minimum of $10, $20. We thought that since they are professionals, they should know what they are doing. We didn't want to stop them... After all, we want the best for our mother. I thought that at most, it would cost $400." Despite the shock of the bill, they decided to pay up because Mr Edwin Chng's and his mother's identity cards were with the ambulance staff. "All we wanted was to transport my mum to the hospital, any additional treatment she needed could be provided by our family doctor, or even the hospital," said Mr Jason Chng. When The New Paper contacted SMCT in early June, its spokesman said: "We are a private emergency ambulance operator with no subsidy or third party support or funding. Our charges may appear to be high as they are non-subsidised... In our view the charges are most reasonable. "Other operators may be cheaper as they have low overheads and low expenses." Besides ambulance services, SMCT provides home nursing services and is an accredited training centre, which provides first aid and medical training for medical personnel and the public, according to its website. They have a total of five ambulances, according to the Singapore Civil Defence Force's (SCDF) website. The 1-777 scheme was started in 1998 for those who require ambulances for non-emergency cases. There are 20 private ambulance operators registered in the scheme. There is a list of the operators and charges on the SCDF website. Mr Jason Chng felt that his family has been penalised for being considerate. "We saw our case as non-urgent and called 1-777. The price is ridiculous for a transport of a non-emergency patient to the hospital." The Chngs' $800 bill Emergency call $180 Oxygen $170 IV drip $150 Bandages $80 Painkillers $200 Miscellaneous $20