Surprise bills from ambulance rides can be a huge expense, and NJ is no exception

An ambulance ride for you or a loved one can always feel frightening, and a surprise bill can add to the stress.

An unexpected bill can occur when a person receives out-of-network care that is not covered by their insurance. Ground ambulance rides are a typical out-of-network expense, and insurance providers may cover only a portion of the cost.

In the United States, of the 3 million insured patients who ride in an ambulance each year, about half will end up with a surprise bill, according to Health System Tracker.

The amount in out-of-network fees varies depending on the state, because the federal government does not regulate ground ambulance rides.

Cost of ambulance rides in New Jersey

The median surprise ambulance bill in New Jersey is $437, a previous CBS report said.

The rates can be higher in other states, such as California, where the median ambulance ride costs about $1,200. Other states, like Maryland, however, have laws to limit balance billing for ambulance rides, resulting in a much lower average bill of $121.

Unlike 10 other states, New Jersey does not regulate ambulance transportation. A New Jersey administrative code says: "All non-emergency medical transportation services shall be provided by an independent transportation broker under contract with the Department of Human Services."

Paula Weiler, the president of the EMS Council of New Jersey, an organization that represents a majority of the volunteer ambulance agencies in the state, was shocked to hear that 64% of ambulance trips yielded a surprise bill in the Garden State. "I had no idea it was that high," she said.

Weiler explained to NorthJersey.com that volunteer ambulance agencies rarely bill their patients directly, instead going to insurance companies for expenses.

She recognizes that many insurers do not cover ambulance transportation, leaving patients "gambling with the idea that they would never need an ambulance."

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Potential changes to ambulance costs

The health care provider Anthem is an example of an insurance company that has limits on coverage of ambulances. It will cover an ambulance company's base rate but not unloaded mileage, which is the distance traveled without a passenger.

The federal No Surprises Act is meant to protect 9 million insured people from surprise bills for such things as out-of-network hospitals and air ambulances, but ground ambulances were not included.

Public Interest Research Group is pushing for Congress to add ground ambulance bills to the No Surprises Act. Weiler said she could not speak on behalf of her agency, but she personally would endorse an update to the law to include ground ambulances.

“Ambulance surprise bills are driving patients into medical debt,” said Patricia Kelmar, U.S. Public Interest Research Group's health care campaigns senior director. “We’re sounding the siren that patients need relief from these high out-of-network charges.”

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: New Jersey ambulance rides can be expensive even for the insured