Getting an ambulance ride can be a scary and stressful experience. The last thing you want to worry about is how you’ll pay the bill. Ambulance services are very expensive, with the average cost being anywhere from $200 to $2,000 depending on the level of care needed. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to pay your ambulance bill in an affordable manner.
Understand Your Ambulance Bill
The first thing to do upon receiving your ambulance bill is carefully review it, The bill should itemize the services provided during transport, Common fees include
-
Base rate – This covers basic services like being transported and monitoring of vital signs. Rates range from $300-$700 on average.
-
Mileage fee – Most ambulance companies charge per mile transported, usually $10-$20 per mile.
-
Supplies – Any medical supplies used like oxygen masks or bandages. These range from $20-$500.
-
Medications – You may be charged for any medications given by EMTs during the ride.
-
Level of care – Advanced life support services cost more than basic life support.
Understanding all the charges will help you determine if there are any errors or unreasonable fees you may be able to dispute.
Check With Your Health Insurance
The next step is to contact your health insurance company to see how much coverage they will provide. Most health insurance plans cover ambulance services for medical emergencies. Coverage varies but plans generally pay 70-80% of the cost after you hit your deductible.
Ask your insurance about their specific coverage for ambulance services. Also find out if your ambulance provider is in-network or not. Using an out-of-network ambulance service may reduce the coverage you receive.
Be sure to submit an itemized copy of the ambulance bill to your insurance company. This will activate the reimbursement process. Collect documentation of any reimbursement your insurer provides to help pay the remaining balance.
Negotiate With the Ambulance Company
If you are left with a high balance after insurance, try negotiating directly with the ambulance company. Many ambulance companies inflate their rates anticipating negotiations.
Call the billing department and politely ask for a reduction in your charges. Explain your financial hardship and limited insurance coverage. Provide documentation if relevant. Ask about any financial assistance or prompt payment discounts they offer.
If this fails, submit a formal written appeal asking for a rate adjustment. Ambulance companies would often rather receive some payment than force collections. Negotiating a settlement may substantially reduce your overall costs.
Set Up a Payment Plan
If you are unable to fully pay your ambulance bill right away, request to pay in installments over time. Most ambulance companies and medical providers will work with you to establish an affordable payment plan tailored to your budget.
A typical payment plan involves relatively low monthly payments, often interest-free, until the balance is paid off. This spreads the financial burden out over a longer timespan. Just be sure to get any payment plan agreement in writing.
Apply for Financial Assistance
Many ambulance companies have financial assistance programs to help lower costs for patients in need. Eligibility criteria commonly involves having low income, being uninsured, or excessive medical bills.
First check if your state has an ambulance financial assistance program you qualify for. Then contact the ambulance company and explain your financial situation to apply for their assistance program.
This may involve submitting income documentation and/or completing an application form. If approved, you may receive reduced pricing, discounted rates, or even waiver of your entire ambulance bill.
Use Medical Bill Credit Cards
Signing up for a medical credit card can provide flexible financing to pay off ambulance bills and other medical expenses. These credit cards tend to have lower interest rates and more favorable terms compared to regular credit cards.
Cards like CareCredit and MediCredit have no interest promotions if balances are paid off within 6-24 months. This essentially functions as an interest-free loan, allowing you to pay your ambulance bill off gradually without accruing interest fees.
Just be sure to make payments on time to avoid deferred interest getting applied down the road. Using medical credit cards strategically can save you a lot on ambulance services and other medical bills.
Tap Into Community Resources
Check with community organizations in your area to learn about any resources available for ambulance bill assistance. Some options to explore include:
-
Local churches or religious centers often have benevolent funds to help pay urgent medical bills for community members in financial distress.
-
Non-profit organizations like Modest Needs provide ambulance bill grants for individuals who do not qualify for traditional assistance programs.
-
Crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe enable you to fundraise for ambulance bills. You never know what family, friends, and strangers may be willing to contribute.
-
Local service organizations like the Lions Club or Rotary Club sometimes provide grants or funding for individuals facing unaffordable ambulance bills.
Avoid Ambulance Membership Fees
Some municipalities offer ambulance membership programs that allow you to pay an annual fee, usually $50-$100, to avoid ambulance charges. This may save money if you anticipate needing multiple ambulance rides in the coming year.
However, for most individuals this is an unnecessary extra cost. Your locality likely has financial assistance options that are a smarter choice if you cannot afford ambulance services. Paying a membership fee provides little actual financial benefit for a single ambulance ride.
Seek Legal Remedies as a Last Resort
If all other attempts to get your ambulance bill reduced or paid off fail, you may need to get legal help. Consult with an attorney who specializes in medical billing issues to review your rights.
In some cases, you may be able to file an appeal, sue the ambulance company for unreasonable rates, or even declare bankruptcy as a last option if your debts are overwhelming. While legal action should be a final recourse, it provides options if you have exhausted all others.
Paying off an ambulance bill can be challenging, especially when insurance coverage falls short. But following these key steps – understanding your bill, negotiating rates, setting up payments plans, seeking financial assistance, and tapping community resources – can help you handle this major expense. With proactive effort, you can reach a reasonable solution to pay your ambulance bill in a manageable way.
Search CMS.gov Search Search
- Physician Fee Schedule
- Local Coverage Determination
- Medically Unlikely Edits
- Telehealth
- Covid-19
The Medicare Part B Ambulance Fee Schedule (AFS) is a national fee schedule for ambulance services:
This webpage is for ambulance services providers and suppliers. If youre a person with Medicare, learn more aboutyour coverage for ambulance services.
Payment under the AFS
The fee schedule applies to all ambulance services provided by:
- Volunteer, municipal, private, and independent ambulance suppliers
- Institutional providers, including hospitals and skilled nursing facilities
- Critical access hospitals, except when they’re the only ambulance service within 35 miles
Ambulance providers and suppliers must:
- Accept Medicare allowed charges as payment in full
- Only bill beneficiaries for Part B coinsurance and deductible
How to fight surprise ambulance bills
FAQ
How does ambulance billing work?
How much is an ambulance ride without insurance in Kansas?
|
Service
|
Rate
|
|
Advanced Life Support (ALS) Emergency
|
$700
|
|
ALS Non-Emergency
|
$600
|
|
Basic Life Support (BLS) Emergency
|
$515
|
|
BLS Non-Emergency
|
$425
|
Who pays for an ambulance?
The insurance company and the ambulance company agree on payment. The ambulance company bills your insurance company, which pays its part of the bill. You pay your copay, deductible and coinsurance. Since the insurance company has a contract, in-network providers generally cost less than out-of-network ambulances.
Do you pay for an ambulance ride if you’re out-of-network?
A Kaiser Family Foundation report found that 51% of emergency ambulance rides for privately insured individuals included an out-of-network charge that can lead to a surprise medical bill. Even if you’re transported for an emergency, you will likely pay for a portion of the ambulance ride through a copayment, deductible and coinsurance.
How do you get patients to pay for ambulance services?
Negotiate. It can be hard to get patients to pay for ambulance services, so if a person is willing to cover even a portion, some companies are willing to bargain. “Talk about your financial situation, tell them, ‘I’m on this kind of budget, that I’ve been out of work X number of days’,” she said.
What should you do if your ambulance bill is out-of-network?
Ambulance providers are often willing to cut a deal, such as 40% off in a person pays by the end of the day, said Kelmar, who advised putting such charges on a high-interest credit card. 3. Make sure the bill went through insurance. Even out-of-network, insurance plans would pay a portion akin to a negotiated rate, so make sure that has occurred.
Do ambulance patients get a surprise bill for out-of-network services?
One study found that between 2010 and 2016, 85% of ambulance patients were hit with a surprise bill for out-of-network services, also known as a balance bill. The size of the bill can vary tremendously among states.
Could a no surprise bill still be a problem for ambulances?
It may still happen: The No Surprises Act called for an advisory committee with government officials, consumer advocates, insurers, and ambulance providers to study how consumers could be better protected from surprise bills for ground ambulances. Medicare and Medicaid, which already ban balance billing on ambulance services, may also play a role.