Plan to end exorbitant ‘surprise’ ambulance bills heads to Congress
Committee to recommend patients should pay no more than $100 or 10% of a bill, depending on which is less
A committee chartered to find ways to stop ambulances from sending patients exorbitant bills is set to tell Congress that patients should pay no more than $100 or 10% of a bill, depending on which is less.
The recommendation, which still relies on the convoluted private insurance industry, comes as nearly half of all ambulance rides in the US result in a “surprise bill” of often hundreds of dollars.
“America has decided to use an insurance system to spread the risk among many,” said Patricia Kelmar, senior director of healthcare campaigns at US Pirg, a consumer advocacy group.
“But when it comes to ambulances, without a surprise billing protection, that risk isn’t spread – the person who needs the ambulance is paying a lot more than anyone else who has that insurance.”
