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Ambulance billing is one area of medical billing that gets overlooked by the average patient / consumer, at least until their bill shows up. Then it’s a matter of consternation for many, especially those who either aren’t covered by insurance, or have substantial deductibles for riding in the big van with the flashing lights. Here is how you can avoid being overcharged for one of these lifesaving rides.

The fact is that a relatively short trip in an ambulance can result in a substantial bill, and one that you may be completely unprepared for. I found this out the hard way when my wife required a journey in the siren express a few months back. The bill was about $500, and we live only a few miles from the hospital. Thankfully our insurance covered a large percentage of the bill, but it came as a bit of a shock nonetheless. An ambulance ride is one of the things that the average person doesn’t really think about, even in the context of medical procedures. If you live a long way from a hospital, an ambulance ride can set you back upwards of $1,000.

The fact is that many people are not covered at all for ambulance bills, even if they have medical insurance. It just results in one more large bill at a time when there can be so many of them. The first thing you can do is examine your medical insurance plan to see if it covers ambulance services, and if there are any restrictions. That can be important. Failure to follow the stipulations of your insurance can result in your being responsible for the entire bill, rather than just a portion of it. In addition, when you are selecting medical insurance plans, if given the option, check to see how the coverage varies with regard to ambulance services.

The next thing is to see who you’re riding with. In our case there were two options; the county funded ambulance and a private ambulance service. Both showed up in response to the call. We were unaware of the difference and in the furor of the moment failed to ask for the distinction between the two. It makes a big difference when it comes time to pay the bill. The county service is paid for by tax dollars, meaning we already paid for it through a special property tax. Had I been aware of the difference I would have chosen the county ambulance, which I’m sure is just as fast, and staffed by excellent EMTs, just as the private service was.

You have to check, because the name on emblazoned on the side of both ambulances looks similar. In our case, the county funded vehicle didn’t have the equivalent of “County Ambulance Service” or other such thing on the side. Both names looked like private companies, especially in the heat of the moment, so be sure to ask if you find yourself in a similar situation.

If you have Medicare you can’t be billed separately for ambulance calls after 7:00pm. This used to be a standard practice in many jurisdictions but was changed by federal legislators in 1995. Check for this, although such billing mistakes aren’t common anymore.

In some locations you may be billed even though you are transported in a city or county ambulance. If that is the case and you aren’t covered by Medicare, state health insurance, or private health insurance, you can usually apply for some sort of hardship assistance if you are having trouble paying the bill. In other areas the county or city will accept any insurance payment as payment in full, so if you receive a bill for the ambulance service, check with your insurance provider or Medicare. If they have made a payment to the ambulance service, you should not be liable for any other charges.

Separate billing for ambulance services is relatively recent in many areas throughout the U.S. For example in Fairfax County, VA, such separate bills began in 2005. One thing to check on such separate bill is the mileage charge. Make sure it’s accurate, especially because it can be up to $10 a mile, depending upon where you are. It doesn’t take much of an error in such cases to add up to a substantial overcharge.

Another thing to check is the accuracy of the procedures and medications on the statement. While you may be in a relatively poor position to determine the accuracy of this, some things will be obvious. For example if you had a heart attack, you probably weren’t given a topical antibiotic enroute to the hospital. Similarly, if you had a broken leg, you probably didn’t need a defibrillator zap. In many cases the data entry for the bill is done on laptops located in the ambulance and mistakes can be made. Actually, mistakes can happen at any point in the billing chain, so be vigilant.

Hopefully a ride in an ambulance is not something that you or a family member will need, but if you do, you shouldn’t have to pay any more than necessary. Make sure when the bill shows up that no more of your money gets mailed back than is warranted.

Have a great, Debt Free, weekend.