In: Finance
Why taking an ambulance is so expensive in the United States
It’s an open secret among Americans that calling for an ambulance is a financial gamble.
According to a recent study, 71% of ambulance providers don’t take the patient’s insurance. That same study found that 79% of patients who took a ground ambulance could be on the hook for an average fee of $450 after their insurance paid out. By comparison, air ambulances can cost the average patient $21,700 after the insurance pays out.
These surprise bills can be a huge problem, especially when nearly four in 10 Americans would have to borrow money to cover an unexpected $1,000 emergency.
Like the rest of the health-care industry, ambulance operators are feeling intense financial pressure during the coronavirus crisis, and that’s causing many municipalities to raise service fees.