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Got a bill today. My mom's memory care facility called for an ambulance (county EMS, not private) when my mom had a fall recently. They called me on the phone, since I'm her health POA, and mentally she couldn't say for herself whether to transport or not. They told me her vitals were stable and he didn't have any indication of broken bones or anything. So I refused transport.


They have a nurse on staff, the only reason they gave me that they called was because she was on "blood thinners" but she's not on prescription blood thinners, just on low dose 81 mg aspirin a day.


Anyway, Received a bill for $282 for Evaluation/Response and $104 for supplies. They zeroed out the supplies per Medicare, but said that Medicare denied the other charges.


Didn't realize that if someone else called an ambulance for you, and you said you didn't need it, you would be responsible for a bill. Thought if you didn't transport there wasn't a charge. I was involved in a car accident and EMS was called to the scene, and I never received a bill. We can pay the bill, but it was a surprise.

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When my husband had collapsed at a restaurant with a heart issue, restaurant called 911 and the City of Milwaukee EMTs responded. They transported him to the nearest hospital about 1 mile away. We received a bill for $ 1,300 from the City of Milwaukee, and his insurance through United Health Care (not Medicare) did not cover a penny of it because the city EMT service was "out of network." And none of this applied to his annual deductible or OOP maximum. I thought that was egregious. So one is supposed to shop around for the "in network" private ambulance service instead of calling 911?
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My mothers bill for EMS with advanced life support was over 4000.00
I think thats what they tried to charge medicare

I swear I am not making that up, her health insurance through the town picked it up
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My mother trotted to the hospital by ambulance once a week before Covid. She was having anxiety attacks. No hospital trips at all for her since March 15th. She’s miraculously all better! Anyway, she’s a genius. She called them and said she couldn’t afford the bill. She was literally going by ambulance once a week for months!! She didn’t have to pay any ambulance bills except for the last 2. Even then they gave her a break. 100.00 each time instead of 250.00. She talked her way out of it. Call them up and talk your way out of it. It can’t hurt. The worst they are going to say is no.
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Following a car accident that Bill would be paid by auto insurance, so apples to oranges.
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I should have added that my brother works for a private Ambulance service company. If THEY do the transport (and I don't know why city ambulances aren't always the first called...) and if they didn't charge SOMETHING for their services, they would be out of business in a month.

City run ambulances (often a firetruck combined with an ambulance bay in it) are usually cheaper, but still, they have to cover overhead, etc.

90% of my brother's business is picking up elders from off the floor, evaluating them and deciding if they require a trip to the ER. Also, transporting a person from a NH to a hospital and vice versa. There has to be a cost.

When my DH had a heart attack and we went to the closest hospital, he was ambulanced pronto to a bigger hospital which had the necessary medical equipment. A 5 mile ride cost over $2000. Insurance took care of most of that cost, but the speedy ride saved his life.
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I had a similar bill when my mother fell outside her AL facility a couple of years ago. Was told Medicare doesn't cover this cost so the supplemental also wouldn't. I paid the bill. She was with my daughter at the time and her new baby. If she had been with me I could have taken her. She was mainly bruised but also required stitches in one hand. It is sad it is so costly but that seems to be the reality.
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Ah--I'd take a look at that bill and call. The EMS didn't even come out? If they didn't, there should be no fee, or at least a very nominal one.

If they came to where she lives, yes, you're going to get charged.

Depends on what you're willing to go to the mat over. If the $282 isn't anything but an annoyance, just pay it. Some things are simply not worth the fight.
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