Are Ambulance Rides Covered by Insurance?

Insurance often does not cover ambulance rides. Many individuals needing emergency transportation later find themselves with unexpected out-of-network charges. These bills can be significant, creating financial hardship for those already dealing with injury-related losses. 

If you or your loved one were hurt in an accident and have ambulance costs, medical bills, and other expenses, a liable party may owe you damages. You may be able to recover the cost of your ambulance ride and more with a Lauderhill personal injury claim or lawsuit. 

When Ambulance Rides Are and Are Not Covered

You may think that your medical insurance (or no-fault auto insurance in the case of an auto accident) will cover ambulance rides if you suffer a medical emergency. However, for many victims, this is not the case. In fact, according to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), half of ambulance rides in Florida result in an out-of-network charge for those with private health insurance. 

Whether or not ambulance rides are covered by insurance will depend on the following:

• The severity of your injuries. Health and personal injury protection (PIP) insurance plans will only cover ambulance rides deemed “medically necessary.” Usually, if you require emergency medical services before getting to a hospital, an ambulance ride is a medical necessity. Some health insurance plans will also pay for non-emergency transportation between medical facilities, though you may need prior authorization. 
• Whether or not the ambulance company has a contract with your insurer. If your insurance company has a contract with the ambulance company that transported you, it is in-network. You will still need to pay your copays and deductibles, but once you meet the limits outlined in your health insurance policy, insurance will pay for the rest of the costs. If the ambulance service does not have a contract with your insurer, it is out-of-network and, therefore, not covered. You may end up with a bill for the entire cost of the ambulance ride. 

New Laws Aim to Protect Consumers from Surprise Ambulance Charges

In January of 2022, the federal No Surprises Act went into effect. This law protects consumers from surprise medical bills resulting from out-of-network emergency services. The law prevents surprise billing for air ambulance services but not ground ambulance transportation. 

The Florida legislature aims to fill this gap in protection with the passage of SB 568: Coverage for Out-of-network Ground Ambulance Emergency Services. The law will go into effect July 1, 2024, and prohibits insurers from charging fees that exceed in-network costs for ground ambulance rides. It also specifies that insurance must cover ambulance rides requested by a first responder or medical professional. 

A Liable Party May Owe You Ambulance Fees and Other Damages

Forbes Advisorreports that the average cost of an ambulance ride ranges from $940 to $1,277. Your location, miles driven, and services received during transport will affect your fee. If insurance does not cover the ride, you could get stuck paying out of pocket. Even with coverage, you may have to meet an expensive deductible, and if you have injuries requiring emergency transportation, you likely have other medical bills, as well. 

If your injuries resulted from an accident that was not your fault, a liable party may owe you compensation for your ambulance ride and more. A personal injury lawyer with our firm can help you pursue the following damages:

• Current and future medical expenses, including ambulance fees, hospital and doctor bills, medical procedures, physical therapy and rehabilitation, and nursing services 
• Lost wages, earnings, and employment benefits and loss of your future earning capacity if you must change jobs, reduce your hours, or quit working because of a permanent or disabling injury
• Vehicle repair or replacement and the cost of any other damaged or destroyed personal property
• Pain and suffering, including stress, depression, anxiety, inconvenience, severe and chronic pain, scarring, disfigurement, and reduced quality of life
• Wrongful death compensation on behalf of a fatally injured loved one’s estate and survivors

Do You Have a Personal Injury Case?

You may have a personal injury claim or lawsuit if someone else’s negligent or wrongful actions caused your injuries and financial losses. Incidents that may give rise to a personal injury case include the following:

• Car accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Truck accidents
• Pedestrian and bicycle accidents
• Boating accidents
• Slip and falls
• Dog bite injuries
• Construction accidents

Should You Work With an Attorney?

Ambulance fees, medical bills, and other injury-related costs can add up quickly. If you have significant damages, it may benefit you to work with an injury lawyer who can fight to protect your financial stability and ensure you have the resources you need for your medical care. 

When you hire our law firm, we will do the following to secure full and fair compensation:

• Investigate the cause of your injury
• Collect evidence and build a case proving an at-fault party is financially liable
• Identify and calculate your economic and non-economic damages
• Complete and file your insurance claims and legal paperwork
• Manage case-related communications, deadlines, and “red tape”
• Aggressively negotiate for the maximum compensation possible
• Prepare a lawsuit and represent you at trial if necessary

Do not wait too long to get started on your case. Florida Statutes § 95.11 allows two years to file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit in civil court. If you do not resolve your issue before this deadline, you may be unable to obtain compensation. 

Contact Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers for Legal Assistance

Ambulance rides often are not covered by insurance, leaving many Florida injury victims with expensive surprise bills. If you have ambulance fees and other costs due to an accident you did not cause, our legal team can help you explore your options for pursuing financial compensation. 

Contact Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer from our team. We have 20 years of experience we can put to work getting the awards you need and deserve. We work on contingency, meaning we charge nothing upfront and do not collect attorney fees unless and until we win your case.