Virginia family received $ 40 000 bill for ambulance services for a child

While American lawmakers are trying to rid the country of unaffordable medical bills, people continue to struggle with huge bills on their own. This also applies to the cost of emergency care, especially air ambulance, which can cost the patient and his family tens of thousands of dollars.

Фото: Depositphotos

When the son of Joseph Penrod accidentally swallowed a bunch of prescription pills, the boy's mother panicked and called the poison control center, says the boy's father CBS News. There they explained to her that he needed to be taken to the emergency room as soon as possible.

There was no need to think twice - the child was taken by air ambulance helicopter to the best hospital, which specialized in working with children in such situations.

"They thought they weren't properly equipped to deal with a child of that age and in that particular condition," the father says.

The boy’s condition was stable, and his father’s insurance covered emergency services. But for emergency ambulance services, he received a bill for $ 40 000.

“I didn’t have $40. It would have destroyed us financially,” Penrod says.

Ambulance helicopters are often not part of the insurance network, because they are independent contractors and agree on the cost separately. The aeronautical ambulance service has become a growing profitable business that receives revenue mainly from work in rural areas.

“The air transport industry is driven by private equity. The model is very simple. There are people in emergency situations, they have resources, and we can take them,” says Doug Gray, executive director of the Virginia Association of Health Plans.

Gray said that the state's new law, which came into force on March 1, gives patients the right to choose whether they want to use air ambulance services in non-emergency situations. The law also requires hospitals to disclose additional information about the cost of services.

“An accident can happen at any time and anywhere. You may find yourself in a situation where the decision is made for you. Your livelihood, your savings could be at risk,” Gray said.

Penrod spent nearly a year fighting the huge bill. Finally, he offered to pay $1000 - and they agreed to meet him halfway. The matter was settled.

“If you're rich, you can hire a lawyer, which is great. But if money is tight, then you need to be able to fight long enough to understand how to get out of such a situation,” adds Penrod.

Last year, many Americans could not afford to pay medical bills, so took loans for 88 billion dollarsto pay the part for which they did not have enough money. Besides, in 60% of cases as a reason for bankruptcy US residents today indicate unbearable bills from medical institutions and services. This is a more frequent reason than bankruptcy due to loans for housing or study.

According to a survey by the University of Chicago, at least 57% of Americans received an unexpected bill for medical services. We are talking about "accounts-surprises" for medical aid, which was not covered by insurance. At the same time, the patient is not guilty of anything, but he has to pay money — sometimes it is tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. What if such an account came to you? Read our detailed instructions.

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