A researcher discovered that medically unnecessary ambulance rides have drastically increased due to the expansion of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Dispatches for minor injuries like abrasions and muscle sprains have risen by 37% in NYC, an increase equivalent to approximately 239 additional dispatches a month, or 2,868 per year. When patients bear a smaller portion of the cost, researchers argue, they will be more likely to use an ambulance in less emergent situations.