Summary
Some states are trying to prevent unexpected bills for ambulance rides that travel by road, not air. This is because a federal law protects against surprise bills for air ambulances but not for ground ambulances. Utah and North Dakota are among the states passing new laws to address this issue, but it faces challenges from insurance companies.
Key Facts
- Ambulance rides on the ground can result in unexpected bills not covered by federal law.
- The No Surprises Act protects against surprise air ambulance bills but does not include ground ambulance rides.
- Some states have passed laws to stop surprise ground ambulance bills, including Utah and North Dakota.
- Insurance companies sometimes do not pay the full cost of ambulance rides, leaving patients with high bills.
- Concerns exist that forcing insurers to pay more for ambulance rides might increase health coverage costs for everyone.
- In Colorado and Montana, attempts to pass laws to prevent these bills have been unsuccessful due to concerns about overall cost impacts.
- Patients often cannot choose which ambulance company helps them, meaning they might get unexpected bills from out-of-network providers.
