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Started By
Message
re: Out of network ambulance service billing advice
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:01 pm to AwgustaDawg
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:01 pm to AwgustaDawg
quote:
if a plumber blanket mailed a bunch of people for $25 they could be charged with mail fraud...not so doctors.
Wait, so you think doctors can just phantom bill you for services not performed?
1
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:01 pm to Robin Masters
The idea that an ambulance ride, or the CRNA assigned to your procedure at an otherwise in-network hospital, can be out of network is insanity. Like someone said a few pages ago, getting stuck with these shitty billing practices is ridiculous as a whole.
I look forward to the day we're all denied claims for a hurricane because our homeowners insurance only covers hurricanes that form off the coast of Africa. Hurricanes that form anywhere else are considered out of network.
I look forward to the day we're all denied claims for a hurricane because our homeowners insurance only covers hurricanes that form off the coast of Africa. Hurricanes that form anywhere else are considered out of network.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:03 pm to Mushroom1968
Less than a year ago, an ambulance ride from ER in Denham to Lady of the Lake on Essen. Cost $3,400 total. With absolutely nothing done on the trip. And the dang air conditioning barely worked.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:04 pm to tigerbandpiccolo
quote:
I actually didn’t think they were allowed to let past due medical bills impact credit anymore?
Just got reversed in court
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:06 pm to tigerbandpiccolo
Hindsight of course
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:07 pm to tigerbandpiccolo
Tell them you have no ability to pay and ask to pay low monthly payments. No interest. Make them wait for many months for full payment
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:08 pm to tigerbandpiccolo
A friend of mine was run over by a suburban on the side of the road at his hunting camp and had to be life flighted to a trauma unit. He was hit with a massive bill because insurance didn't approve it. Nor did he as he was unconscious on the side of the road. I believe he tried to fight it like you are and lost. So, he sends them the bare minimum each month to keep it from going to collections.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:09 pm to tigerbandpiccolo
Just a question to ponder as you are upset about the price paid for “minimal services provided.”
Would you have been inclined to pay more than $3500 had they had to revive you and ‘bring you back from the dead”?
Just asking because we as a society are quick to complain about costs when there is perceived lack of value.
Very rarely are the circumstances reversed.
Billing is based on the service category provided not the amount of ‘life-saving” care they provided.
Would you have been inclined to pay more than $3500 had they had to revive you and ‘bring you back from the dead”?
Just asking because we as a society are quick to complain about costs when there is perceived lack of value.
Very rarely are the circumstances reversed.
Billing is based on the service category provided not the amount of ‘life-saving” care they provided.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:10 pm to SuperSaint
quote:
find out who ordered/purchased the ambulance. Send them a bill for $2700
lol. I approve of this level of pettiness.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:10 pm to Bjorn Cyborg
quote:
The entire concept of "in network" or "out of network" for ambulances, or even ER's, is ridiculous.
There is a rule to this. Something about threat to life & limb that should over many ambulance & ERs as in-network. My basic understanding is that if there is a legitimate threat to the patient's life and/or limbs; they will be covered as in-network until that threat is resolved. I would be shocked if OP's situation does not fall under this clause and the EMT service is basically saying "I don't give a shite. I don't have a contract with your health insurance, so I am going to hound you for the balance".
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:10 pm to tigerbandpiccolo
Why didn’t you pay what you owed?
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:11 pm to tigerbandpiccolo
Look up the No Surprises Act for surprise billing for air and ground ambulance. That may help you make your case. But keep in mind, you still have a deductible and out of pocket max to meet, so your $2500 bill may be right. Emergencies aren’t cheap.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:14 pm to TheDrunkenTigah
quote:
Would you have preferred they leave you on the ground until they could figure out if you had a network ambulance provider in the state you presumably don’t live in?
My insurance treats emergency care anywhere in the world as in network, even if it isn't, up to the point you aren't considered in an emergency.
I assume all insurance was this way, presumably due to laws. Why do other insurances suck arse comparatively?
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:15 pm to tigerbandpiccolo
quote:
I actually didn’t think they were allowed to let past due medical bills impact credit anymore?
For a time they did not. Supposedly that may be changing.
Link to TD Political Board
LINK
This post was edited on 7/14/25 at 2:18 pm
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:21 pm to redneck
That’s absolutely atrocious. I really can’t believe this stuff is legal tbh.
Since apparently this stuff can now hit your credit (which I think is awful considering most people could be one major medical crisis away from bankruptcy) I may just call and offer them $5/month. Single mom of 4 kids, sorry about ya, but they take precedence and I don’t just have thousands laying around for unethical stuff like this.
Since apparently this stuff can now hit your credit (which I think is awful considering most people could be one major medical crisis away from bankruptcy) I may just call and offer them $5/month. Single mom of 4 kids, sorry about ya, but they take precedence and I don’t just have thousands laying around for unethical stuff like this.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:21 pm to Mingo Was His NameO
quote:
Wait, so you think doctors can just phantom bill you for services not performed?
I know for a certainty that they do it with regularity. My dad is 85 years old, has had cancer 4 times, is diabetic and has a host of health issues. He lives with us and gets mail at our house. At least 5-10 times a week he gets a bill from various doctors who he has never seen for services they either did not perform OR in some cases for services they did perform, have been paid in full and "accidentally" send a bill for some more. The reason I know this for a fact is I have to call them on his behalf. The ones he has never seen will be unable to provide a date for the services or will provide a date for services when we know he was somewhere else. They will not provide the date because there is no date. When we contact his insurance company they tell us until they provide a date to ignore the bill because providers do this regularly. We have been told the same thing multiple times by Medicare. Just last month about 50 provides were charged with fraudulent billing of Medicare....those types of providers will send bills to patients as well in order to establish collection attempts and legitimize the billing. When we call one of his actual providers about this attempts to collect more than they were contracted for they immediately tell us it was a mistake and not to worry about it, they have been paid in full. Some of them have told us to expect a bill and to ignore it because they bill for the amount charged beyond what they contracted for as a matter of practice....knowingly sending a fraudulent bill to a patient. They admit it on the front end, before it has happened.
So why not change providers? I am sure that is the next question. The reason is simple. It is prevalent with ALL providers. He has lived with us for nearly 11 years in 3 states and it has happened everywhere we have been. We have also had it happen to us in 5 states while we lived outside of the US and received similar bills in military post offices. It is a normal mode of operation for many providers and is not a secret....there are ample examples of it being exposed across the country.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:22 pm to zuluboudreaux
No. Ive already stated that my medical outcome played absolutely ZERO role in how I feel about this. Whether I was actually about to die or not, this is an unethical billing practice that has no place in our society.
ETA: At this time I was paying $900/month for insurance that had an individual deductible of $2000 and $3000 as a family, I believe. If I’m paying that kind of money (and my employer undoubtedly supplementing that by more than I was paying) there is no fricking excuse. This is why Americans hate insurance—it is so, so fraudulent.
ETA: At this time I was paying $900/month for insurance that had an individual deductible of $2000 and $3000 as a family, I believe. If I’m paying that kind of money (and my employer undoubtedly supplementing that by more than I was paying) there is no fricking excuse. This is why Americans hate insurance—it is so, so fraudulent.
This post was edited on 7/14/25 at 2:29 pm
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:27 pm to Vise
quote:One of the reasons why these costs are so high is on most billboards in the state of La is a personal injury attorney who wants to sue us when we hit potholes, when we have a minor accident etc,,,,,,everyone sues our industry and everyone thinks they are entitled to multimillion dollar payouts, its driving our insurance rates thru the roof,,,,we just pass the cost on to the public
ER in Denham to Lady of the Lake on Essen. Cost $3,400 total
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:29 pm to AwgustaDawg
quote:
I know for a certainty that they do it with regularity
1. I don’t believe you
2. That doesn’t mean if they actually do it’s not fraud as you said
Posted on 7/14/25 at 2:31 pm to tigerbandpiccolo
They did you a service. You’ve already gotten insurance to pay for some of it. Call them and ask for their payment remediation services. See if you can get a discount. If they say no, ask for a long payment plan
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