Alabama ambulance rides yield surprise medical bills. What's being done to protect people in Alabama? Nothing!

Alabama ambulance providers are now taking advantage of the "No Surprises Act" by price gouging patients.

It's time for the Alabama State Legislature to pass out-of-network protections for ground ambulances. Enough is enough. Sign this petition to bring attention to your elected officials about this ongoing price gouging affecting EVERY Alabama resident.

When people dial 911, perhaps the last thing they think about is how much the ambulance ride will cost. 

But a report released Tuesday by U.S. PIRG Education Trust shows ambulance companies routinely bill out-of-network charges. This happens when an insurance plan's network doesn't include the public or private ambulance company.

Even after an insurer pays a portion of the charges, about half of consumers are billed more. These extra charges add up to about $129 million each year, according to U.S. PIRG.

Congress passed a law creating an arbitration process as of January 2022 to protect consumers from surprise bills during emergencies or when an out-of-network doctor provides care at an in-network hospital. The federal law, called the No Surprises Act, also protects consumers from costly air ambulance bills – but it doesn't address more common ground ambulance transports. 

Progress in Addressing Surprise Billing Protections for Ground Ambulances
Several states have addressed out-of-network protections for ground ambulances. For state-regulated fully insured plans, 10 states provide some protection for consumers from surprise bills by out-of-network ground ambulance services; six provide guidance on reimbursement rates, though some use billed charges as a factor in that guidance, meaning providers can still charge insurers high rates even if the patient is only responsible for in-network cost sharing. High rates, in turn, may contribute to higher premiums for consumers.