CA law targets surprise ambulance bills after Bay Area couple paid $2,255 for 'unnecessary' trip

DIGS INTO HOW THAT WILL AFFECT YOU. >> IT WAS THE SHORTEST YET MOST EXPENSIVE AMBULANCE BILL. FRANK CHAN AND HIS WIFE, HOPE TO NEVER SEE AGAIN. >> I WAS SHOCKED BY THIS BILL. >> CHAN WAS BILLED MORE THAN $2,200 AFTER AN E.R. VISIT LED TO AN UNNECESSARY AMBULANCE RIDE. >> BECAUSE I KNOW SO EXACTLY HOW FAR THE DISTANCE IS. >> HIS WIFE AMBER, DROVE HERSELF TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, WAS ADMITTED, AND THEN TRANSFERRED TO THE MENTAL HEALTH INPATIENT CLINIC, WHICH HAPPENED TO BE THE BUILDING NEXT DOOR TO THE E.R. APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS AWAY. AMBER WANTED TO WALK, BUT SAYS SHE WAS TOLD AN AMBULANCE WAS REQUIRED. THEN CAME THE BILL. >> I WAS SO SHOCKED, THE CHAN SAID. >> THEY WERE STUCK SORTING THIS OUT FOR FIVE DAYS AS BOTH THE HOSPITAL AND THE AMBULANCE COMPANY WENT BACK AND FORTH ON WHO'S RESPONSIBLE TO PAY IT. >> I THINK IT'S VERY UNFAIR, FOR THIS WAS A STORY WE FIRST BROUGHT YOU LAST YEAR. >> SINCE THEN, A NEW LAW PASSED PUSHING FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS. ASSEMBLY BILL 716 WENT INTO EFFECT IN JANUARY AND TARGETS ANY SURPRISE AMBULANCE BILLS. SEE LAST YEAR WHEN YOU CALL 911, AN AMBULANCE WOULD SHOW UP, BUT CONSUMERS DIDN'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHETHER IT WOULD BE IN-NETWORK OR OUT OF NETWORK, OUT OF NETWORK COSTS TEND TO BE MUCH HIGHER, OFTEN TIED WITH UNEXPECTED FEES. THIS YEAR THAT CHANGED. KATIE VAN DINE SAYS A POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE ADVOCATE FOR HEALTH ACCESS CALIFORNIA. SHE EXPLAINS UNDER THE NEW LAW, PATIENTS CAN'T BE CHARGED MORE THAN THEIR IN-NETWORK COST, SO THE CONSUMER WILL WILL KNOW WHAT THAT CHARGE IS GOING TO BE WHEN THEY CALL THAT AMBULANCE. >> THERE'S NOT THAT UNPREDICTABILITY FOR THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE INSURANCE. THIS BILL ALSO CAPS WHAT THEY CAN BE CHARGED WHEN THEY CALL AN AMBULANCE AT THAT, THE MEDICARE OR THE MEDI-CAL RATE. >> KATIE SAYS THE NEW LAW ALSO HAS PROTECTIONS FOR CONSUMERS WHO ARE SENT TO COLLECTIONS BY ENSURING THERE WILL NOT BE ADVERSE CREDIT FOR UNPAID AMBULANCE BILLS POSTED FOR A YEAR, AND IT ALSO PROHIBITS WAGE GARNISHMENT ON THESE TYPES OF BILLS. MORE TRANSPARENCY MEANS SOME MORE PEACE OF MIND, AND THIS STORY IS PART OF A MULTI NEWSROOM COLLABORATION FOCUSED ON INCREASING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN CALIFORNIA BY DEMONSTRATING THE PUBLIC HARM CAUSED BY GOVERNMENT SECRECY

Channel: ABC7 News Bay Area

Views: 10,588

Keywords: abc, abc7news, surprise ambulance bills, emergency trip, ambulance cost, AB 716 Ground medical transportation, medical transport, ambulance bill, medical bill overcharged, medical emergency bill, health insurance, royal ambulance, el camino health, out of network charges, in network charges, i team

Id: LEdr6nSzKCk

Length: 2min 17sec (137 seconds)

Published: Thu Feb 15 2024