Accident saga continues...

is it 5 miles one way? they could be saying 11 miles round trip?

just my 2 cents worth

They only charge you for the miles that you are in the ambulance. Sorry should have stated that.

ian

Fight it.
Seriously.
Fight it.

My son got seriously injured a few years back and we had quite a few ambulance rides (transporting him fo mri's, diff hospitals, etc.) and even a ride in a helicopter...( life flight helicopter ride)

We had insurance, but when we got the bills about fell out of our chair....
The helicopter was over $7,000 for a 60 mile flight....
ambulance rides were in excess of $1,000 each....for trips from the hospital to the MRI place, etc.....

They got their billing all screwed up as well...We called and complained, they told us "Sorrrrry" (i.e. "f you...pay us")

We fought them hard, they threatened collections. Finally we sicked the insurance company on them who mediated for us and got it cleared up.....

Sometimes I wonder at the kind of people that run those places. Not to put a blanket statement on all ambulance companies, but everyone I've talked to who's had to utilize the services have a horror story about the billing.

Glad you're healing well.

If you want to sick a doberman on them, call and report it to your insurance company. They'll eat 'em alive.

jesus whats going on there in US????

first of all you have insurance, but u still have to pay???

6mile ambulance ride is $1300 ... rip off

sorry but that is just ridiculous ... anyway health care should be free for all.

feel sorry for poor folk back there

man i have to say your medical system is pants,, I agree with n0gear, I am always amazed that you don't have a National Health Service that doesn't charge you, and then u have the option to use that or go private and pay...you pay your taxes...you are the richest nation in the World...you should get free health...where is all that money going?

Edited by ginger ninja 2004-08-12 4:06 PM

Don't get me started. Being English I'm with you. But as I work in Health insurance myself, if there wasn't any health insurance I wouldn't have a job...

Ian

Not to get political but I'll take the lower taxes thank you.

Hey now, did you know the government is the largest payor of health care here in the US?

First, dust off your insurance company's appeal and grievance procedures. Second, figure out which state agency oversees them, and then write them (cc the ambulance company). Third, find out the name of the national professional organization representing ambulances (I'm sure there is a National Association of Ambulances or something out there). Write them while you are at it and cc the ambulance company. Lastly, write your congressperson. This is an election year and thy should be pretty responsive. Don't know if they can do much but it sometimes scares the company.

Pay a little something while you adjudicate the bill so they don't send you to a collection agency but I think they'll be willing to renegotiate once they see how serious you are about this.

Or just file a claim in small claims court... $20 to file. That's a bunch of bull. Don't let their "policies" impact your bank account.

As to National Health Care, the government can't do anything right, I certainly don't want them to be in charge of my health.

guns, big guns . . .

One way to check how the mileage was sumitted is to ask for a review of the "run sheet" or "PCR" (patient care record). They have to put mileage on them to bill. If it's
just wrong, a letter to the ambulance company with a cc: to your insurance company mentioning fraud may help clear it up quickly also. Just keep writing everything down,
whether it be keeping copies of letters you send or notes of phone calls.

As for getting everything for free as some previous posters have said....well, there's too many people in this country who would abuse it and spoil it for the rest of us.
Ambulance rides should not be for people having earaches, needing medication refills, or who need a couple stitches in their finger. Yes, I have dealt with these people on
more than one occassion. They probably don't pay for it based on their situation and who gets their bills, so those of us who do need these services end up with $1300 bills.

Good luck on tackling the ambulance company and hope your collar bone heals without giving you any problems.

Well;
It took 3 months and the involvement of my health insurers. But the Ambulance provider has finally conceded that I was transported in the ambulance for 5.5 miles and not 11 like they said.
"We don't know how that happenned" the representative said... Yeah right.
So I can use the money I saved to put towards a new tri bike :-)

Ian

score one for the good guys Ian ...i have to admit that I thought you got hurt again when I saw this post pop back up

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