Many ambulance services turn down insurance network contracts because reimbursement rates are below what the service costs. This creates situations where out-of-network charges are shouldered by patients via balance billing.
This problem led to outrage that spurred 21 states to pass laws protecting consumers from surprise hospital bills. But these protections don’t extend to ground ambulance rides, which can leave consumers with hundreds or thousands of dollars in charges.
Paying Your Ambulance Bills
Over the past few weeks, 13 HELP Team has heard from several people who say they got hit with a surprise ambulance bill. One story involves a man who took his wife to the hospital after she fell down the stairs and needed help getting up. She died two years later and now AMR is threatening him with collection for the ambulance ride. We spoke to an expert who says chasing patients after first trying to collect from insurance is a clear violation of the law.
For decades, most ambulance rides were free for anyone who needed them, provided by volunteers and town fire departments using local tax money. But today, ambulances are run for profit by private companies and venture capital firms. They often charge by the mile and for each service, like oxygen, a patient might need. It’s common for these bills to be hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Outrage over surprise medical billings has led 21 states to pass laws protecting consumers in some situations. But Congress’s bill included a big loophole: It doesn’t cover ground ambulance rides, which are more likely to be out of network and leave patients with unexpected bills. It also excludes people with self-funded employer plans, the majority of which are regulated only by federal law.
Get Started Today!
American Medical Response Billing services are available nationwide and help patients transport to hospitals from the scene of accidents and emergencies. The company offers a wide range of services including land ambulance and air ambulance transportation. Their EMS billing software allows for more accurate collections from private insurers and Medicare. doxo is the safe and secure way to pay your American Medical Response Billing bills online. doxo is free to use with your bank account and has no hidden fees. Start by connecting your bank today to begin making payments quickly and easily. The company has recently been hit with a large civil settlement over allegations of overbilling practices in Connecticut.
doxo is a secure all-in-one payment app.
A simple, secure, all-in-one bill payment app with the largest provider network. Millions of consumers use doxo to make payments to over 45,000 local and national billers. With doxo, consumers have complete bill pay independence from their banks and enjoy free, reliable payments to any service provider on any device.
Founded on transparency and empathy, doxo believes in a future where consumers are in control of their bills. Each year US households spend $4.6 trillion on recurring bills, the single biggest determinant of household financial health. But staying on top of those bills can be complicated, expensive, and stressful.
By leveraging technology, doxo simplifies the bill payment process for consumers while fostering stronger relationships between providers and their customers. With doxo, users organize all their provider accounts in one place, securely link any bank account or credit card to pay, and receive reminders and notifications. doxo ensures reliable payments are delivered on time to avoid costly late fees.
Using advanced encryption and security measures, doxo keeps personal and financial information private at all times. With a subscription to doxoPLUS, users also get access to five critical financial protections that directly eliminate fees and charges that cost the average U.S. household $500 each year: