anyone know if ill be charged for an ambulance ride to the ER. I had too much to drink and i went to the ER?

Question

when my dad went to the ER few months ago for irregualr BP they didnt charge him extra for the ambulance...and we have the same insurance plan. Also anyone know how i can find out asap if ill be charged extra for the ambulance...the company said it needs a month to process the case and it goes in front of a board to determine how big of an emergency it was when deciding to charge me for the ambulance.

Answer 1

Yes. If the ambulance works out of the hospital it may be on the hospital bill. If it is out of the fire dept. or independently owned it will be a separate bill. Either way an ambulance is not a free ride to the hospital.

Answer 2

It depends on a lot of things. First, is it private or government run, second, what does your insurance plan say about it, and third, it may depend on why you called. Some places will charge for a non-life threatening 911 response, and others bill for all ambulance rides. If you were drunk, it is a good bet insurance won't cover that, unless there was an actual emergency.

Answer 3

It varies by your insurance, but in most cases it depends on how severe the injury/condition is. If it's determined to be a waste of the hospitals resources to have sent an ambulance you can be charged for the ride as an itemized part of your hospital bill. Your siting the fact that you had too much to drink as the reason. Alcohol poisoning / alcohol toxicity can be serious, but I can't say whether or not your case falls into the realm. Short answer is, yes they can charge you, so sadly you'll just have to wait and see.

Answer 4

I had an asthma attack and passed out so my husband called an ambulance... Our bill was $993.00. Most ambulance services don't make contracts with insurance companies, so they're out of network, that way they can charge pretty much whatever they like.

I complained to my insurance company about it a few times before they finally agreed to pay half.

Answer 5

Call your insurance company and ask them. They usually only cover it if it's a valid reason for the trip, and their definition of "valid reason" or "valid health concern" may not include that. Your dad's irregular BP wasn't because he was doing something detrimental to his health, like drinking to much. I went to the ER for a bladder infection once, didn't take the ambulance, but my insurance did not cover the emergency room costs. So, I don't know.

Answer 6

generally, the ONLY time an ambulance ride is waived is if the reason for the ambulance was life-threatening..things such as heart problems (blood pressure is associated with this),loss of consciousness,heavy bleeding,if you stop breathing or your heart stops....

things outside of that-there will be a charge and it's usually no less than 400.00

ambulances should only be used if you feel your life is being threatened by a medical condition

Answer 7

Yes, there is ALWAYS a minimum charge for the ambulance to leave the hospital.

Answer 8

I live near Los Angeles, when my husband had an anxiety attack, an ambulance picked hime up & took him 3 miles to the closest hospital. Since he didnt know his insurance info, they sent him the bill. $886.

Good luck

Answer 9

It all depends on if your life was truly in danger by your over-consumption. Bear in mind, an ambulance ride usually is about 1000 dollars regardless of distance.

All you can do is wait, and if you feel the decision is unjust, you can contest it then.

Answer 10

A friend had excellent coverage and still had to pay for a ride to the er for alcohol consumption.