Am I obligated by law to pay an unreasonable amount for emergency medical transport?

Business 4 views 2 answers
My insurance company paid $32,298.80 to an air ambulance provider based upon "customary and reasonable" rates for our area. The provider billed $44,999, leaving an unpaid balance of $12,700.20.

Attorney Answers

2
Edward Kazaleh ·
Jeeeez. Please don't assume what you get on any internet site from anyone (including me) is 100% correct. Get a competent lawyer who represent your legal interests and that you trust. Then if she messes up... at least, you can sue her for malpractice. If you are on a direct contract with the insurance company (your own policy) or an employer provided policy (that is prior to the very good reforms put in with the Affordable Care Act in 2014 which helped you even more) AND the transport provider was under a contract with that same insurance company (also called in "In Network" or on their PPO provider lists) THEN your only possible (and I mean possible) obligation is the percentage of the co-pay provided in your insurance contract. Some insurance contracts with their provider require some additional amounts to be completely WAIVED and not billed to the insured. Also, if you are receiving ANY FEDERAL benefits for medical service, you also can not be legally billed for the additional amount as well. OFTEN, since Texas has such poor laws and government with the fanatics now in control, medical providers will that they are owed the balance of the unpaid amount such as I believe you are being subjected to. It is a potential violation of Texas Insurance law (even still) and Debt Collection laws. Please keep all your evidence and only communicate with them all in writing or emails. THEN, go see a consumer oriented plaintiff's lawyer. We don't have any "agenda" to impose our views on folks who suffer injury or damages and believe that the Law is also there for people.... so are businesses. Best wishes, Edward
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Teri Walter ·
You will be obligated to pay for the services you received. If you needed Life Flight, you probably didn't want to argue price at the time you needed it. If you're here to argue about it now, you're a little late., but presumably in better physical shape than you were when they picked you up. Your insurer's idea of what's "customary and reasonable" only defines what portion of the costs THEY will pay - not what you have to pay. You can call the ambulance service and see if you can cut a deal, but they're not limited to charging whatever your insurance pays.
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