The $2,723.60 “Christian” Ambulance Ride
My health insurance company said it should have only cost $362.36 initially for the 13 mile ride so that’s what they paid Priority EMS.
In November 2019 I had to ride in an ambulance between two Atlanta Metro hospitals. It was not an emergency. They only strapped me on to the quite uncomfortable gurney. The Paramedic checked my blood pressure but no other procedures or medications were given.
For comparison, an Uber Black SUV runs about $71 for this same ride.
The EMT and Paramedic were very nice and efficient. I did notice as they were loading me in to the rig there was a Christian fish symbol. “Just having the Christian fish on a shirt, on your business card, or at the end of your email is not enough to take the place of a relationship with Jesus that you can have through faith” one website says.
Apparently I’m not alone here. A gentleman rode two miles in an ambulance back in 2017 and received a bill for $2,700.
The sending hospital didn’t give me any choice in the matter, the ambulance showed up to take me.
I searched all over my health insurance website for a list of ambulance providers as I was dealing with the aftermath and could not find a list of in network providers.
To give my health insurance company credit, they did have a proactive third party company who tried to work with Priority EMS and settle as they were not in network. I received a letter back from them stating they were unable to negotiate any difference. As I’m writing this it appears my health insurance did end up paying Priority EMS $2,361.24 more as I logged in to get these figures and just so happened to find this (hopefully) good news.
This is clearly not sustainable. Why do Americans and the companies we work for continue to put up with this unsustainable cost of healthcare?
Maybe Priority EMS needs to take those fish off their ambulances. I don’t see anything here that justifies these exorbitant made up prices. This is no different than booking a plane ticket but when you show up there are undisclosed fees you had no clue about demanded before you board.
