When you go through something as traumatic as an ambulance ride, the last thing on your mind is whether or not it’s covered under your insurance plan.
So, when 6-8 weeks later you receive a gigantic bill in the mail stating that insurance will not pay for your ambulance services, it can be a bit frustrating!
Believe it or not, this a common occurrence!
Typically, ambulatory services are considered “out of network”. Ambulance providers are usually independent contractors who do not work with any insurance companies. This means that when they bill you, there’s no limit for “reasonable and customary” charges.
Therefore, they can bill you however much they want because they’re not contracted with an insurance company that tells them what’s reasonable and customary to charge you!
The best thing you can do once you receive that bill is to call the provider and negotiate the bill down. Make sure to explain to them that it was a true emergency situation and that you can send in your Explanation of Benefits from your insurance company showing that they coded it as an “in network” claim due to the nature of the true emergency.
If you have any questions regarding ambulatory services and your insurance, give Clevenger Insurance a call today at 574-267-2181.
