Should You Refuse to Pay Your Ambulance Bill? An In-Depth Look at Your Options

Getting hit with a massive ambulance bill can be a huge shock. Especially when it comes after an emergency when you had no choice but to call 911. But does this mean you should refuse to pay it? Here’s an in-depth look at your options when facing an unfair ambulance bill.

I recently had a health scare that landed me in the hospital for several weeks. When I finally got home, I was greeted by a stack of medical bills – including a whopping $3000 charge for the ambulance ride to the ER.

My insurance only covered $1,200, leaving me with a $1,800 bill I was stunned In my distressed state, there was no way I could have shopped around for an in-network ambulance provider. And with my life on the line, who cares about networks anyway?

I’m far from alone in this experience. A recent study found a shocking 79% of ambulance rides can result in surprise out-of-network bills.

So what can you do when facing this kind of outrageous and unexpected charge? Should you refuse to pay your ambulance bill as an act of protest? Here’s what you need to know first:

Why Ambulance Bills Are So Problematic

Unfortunately, ground ambulances are a huge source of surprise medical bills. This is thanks to a few key factors:

• Fragmented industry – Ambulance services range from municipal government programs to private companies. This makes regulations complex.

• Lack of choice – In an emergency, you simply can’t shop around for an in-network ambulance provider. You have to use whichever service shows up.

• Billing incentives – Ambulance companies can charge whatever they want if they’re out of network, since patients can’t refuse transport in an emergency.

• Expensive operations – Emergency services need to be available 24/7. This requires significant infrastructure and labor costs.

• Insurance reimbursement issues – Insurers often deny ambulance claims if no transport to a hospital occurs. But ambulances still need to cover operational costs for showing up.

• Limited regulation – The recent “No Surprises Act” bans surprise billing for air ambulances but not ground transportation.

This broken system passes outrageous costs directly to patients – even though we have zero power to prevent or contest them.

As you can imagine, this regularly leaves people in financial distress and understandably furious about ambulance bills. But is refusing to pay the best course of action?

Key Considerations Before Refusing an Ambulance Bill

While it may feel justified to dig in your heels and refuse an unreasonable ambulance charge, it’s wise to fully consider the implications first:

Can it damage your credit?

If you simply ignore a bill, it will likely get sent to collections and harm your credit score. Medical debts can stay on credit reports for up to 7 years. A poor credit score makes it hard to qualify for loans, mortgages, credit cards and more.

Will you face legal action?

If you have the assets, ambulance companies can sue you to recoup unpaid bills. This forces you to deal with legal expenses on top of the original debt.

Do you actually owe the amount billed?

Elevated “chargemaster” prices on medical bills often get negotiated down by insurance companies. You may not legally owe the full amount. More on this shortly.

Are you eligible for financial assistance?

Many ambulance providers offer financial hardship programs, including sliding-scale payments and bill forgiveness. But you usually need to apply separately.

Will you need ambulance services again?

Like it or not, refusing to pay could cause the provider to deny future services over unpaid debts. This poses serious risks.

As you can see, blindly refusing ambulance bills is not necessarily the wisest idea. But that doesn’t mean you have to quietly accept them either. You have options.

How to Fight an Unreasonable Ambulance Bill

Here are some effective strategies for contesting surprise ambulance charges:

• Negotiate – Call the provider and inquire about financial assistance. See if they can lower the charges or set up a payment plan. Don’t hesitate to negotiate firmly but politely. You can often get bills reduced substantially.

• Dispute – Contact your insurer and dispute the processing of the ambulance claim. Specifically ask them to cover more of the out-of-network cost. File a written appeal if needed.

• Compare – Research the average cost of ambulance services in your area to gauge if the charges are unusually high. Use this data to bolster your case.

• Investigate – Check if the ambulance company received federal CARES Act funds. If so, they technically can’t balance bill you for COVID-related services.

• Report – File complaints with your state insurance regulator and attorney general regarding excessive billing practices. This can strengthen your appeal.

• Review – Check your state’s surprise billing laws. A few states like New York provide some protections against out-of-network ambulance bills.

• Join – Look into ambulance membership programs that eliminate out-of-pocket costs for an annual fee. This provides peace of mind.

• Ask – For non-emergencies, call your insurer ahead of time to request an in-network ambulance provider. This prevents surprise bills.

With the right approach, you can successfully reduce or eliminate unfair ambulance charges. But refusing payment altogether is generally not the wisest decision. Protect both your finances and your health by handling the bills strategically and legally. You deserve affordable care – especially in an emergency.