Subtitles section Play video Print subtitles T TO GET TO THE HOSPITAL AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE COST IS HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS EVEN WITH INSURANCE? >> WHEN CONGRESS PASSED THE NO SURPRISES ACT LAST YEAR, IT GOT OVER UNEXPECTED BILLING, BUT THE LEGISLATION LEFT OUT GROUND AMBULANCE RISE. ROUGHLY 3 MILLION PEOPLE RIDING AMBULANCES BUT UP TO 85% ARE OUT-OF-NETWORK. THAT MEANS MANY AMERICANS BEING SLAPPED WITH SURPRISE BILLS. JOINING ME NOW IS THE DIGITAL HEALTH REPORTER. HE SPOKE TO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED INCLUDING A CALIFORNIA MOM. >> CALIFORNIA IS ONE OF THE WORST PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WHEN IT COMES TO OUT-OF-NETWORK THE LINK. ONE NEW MOM WHO I TALKED TO HAD A SON WHO DEVELOPED PROBLEMS BREATHING. IT IS AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. AFTER EVERYTHING KICKING INTO PLACE. AND DYLAN'S COMPANY -- THE AMBULANCE COMPANY IS SAYING THEY OWED MONEY. THE INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE NOT TALKING TO EACH OTHER, SPENDING THE PARENTAL LEAVE IN TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF THE YOUNGEST TRIAL SO SHE IS NOT LEFT WITH THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. ULTIMATELY, AFTER MONTHS ON THE PHONE, THE INSURANCE COMPANY LEFT HER ON THE HOOK SO SHE HAD TO CUT SHORT HER PARENTAL LEAVE TO PAY DOWN THE DEBT SO SHE WAS NOT LOOKING FOR AND HAD NO REAL CHANCES ANTICIPATING. >> WHY WERE AMBULANCES NOT INCLUDED? >> THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS THE ACT TACKLED, ESPECIALLY OUT-OF-NETWORK BILLING, BUT IT WAS A BRIDGE TOO FAR. IN LARGE PART BECAUSE IT IS A COMPLEX SYSTEM AND IT TOOK US DECADES TO GET HERE. >> THERE IS OFTEN NO WAY TO CALCULATE HOW MUCH AN AMBULANCE MIGHT COST. >> IN SOME PLACES YOU MIGHT HAVE FIRE DEPARTMENTS, PRIVATE EQUITY FIRMS, HOSPITALS. STATE AND LOCAL TAXES, HEALTH INSURANCE, IN AND OUT NETWORKS, SO ALL OF THOSE COMPLICATIONS MAKE IT TO WHERE NO REASONABLE PERSON CAN ANTICIPATE SOME OF THESE COSTS. >> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW MILLIONS OF AMERICANS LIVE IN AMBULANCE DESERTS. HOW IS THIS AFFECTING THIS PROBLEM? >> THEY HAD INSURANCE. THAT IS PART OF THE REASONS WHY THAT IMPLIES THERE ARE FEWER CHOICES. >> THERE ARE 13 STATES THAT HAVE PROTECTIONS AGAINST PATIENTS BEING SLAPPED WITH THESE EMERGENCY AMBULANCE BILLS, BUT ON THE BROADER LEVEL, WHAT PROTECTIONS ARE THEY LOOKING INTO? >> THE FRANKENSTEIN SYSTEM OF AMBULATORY CARE AND WHAT CAN BE DONE TO FIX IT. SEVERAL STATES HAVE TAKEN INITIATIVE TO PROTECT CONSUMERS, BUT HOW SUSTAINABLE ARE THOSE SOLUTIONS? RIGHT NOW, THE COMMUNITY IS GATHERING ALL KINDS OF TESTIMONY TO PUT TOGETHER A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO SHARE WITH LAWMAKERS IN CONGRESS AND LOCAL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT TO TRY AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO. HOW RECEPTIVE. >> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> TO READ ALL OF THE REPORTING, VISIT OU
B1 US ambulance insurance billing slapped network parental Why unexpectedly high ambulance bills are still a problem in the U.S. 6 0 happynostalgia2 posted on 2023/10/05 More Share Save Report Video vocabulary