It was a horrific incident that shook the Millheims. Their son, Ben, had fallen 13 feet cracking his skull. The situation was serious and the need for care was immediate. The incident dates back about two years and occurred in 2016, when Ben was on a camping trip in Rural Missouri, along with his friends. After the incident, it was noticed that Ben was having seizures and bleeding. Of course, airambulance help was the only logical recourse and was immediately called for. The nearest viable hospital, considering the extent of his injury, was over a 100 miles by road – not an option if the chances of survival were to be real.
The Airambulance was a Life-Saver
There’s no doubt that Ben’s condition warranted airambulance service and he was fortunate enough to get it on time. His parents had breathed a sigh of relief when they found out he was out of danger but another surprise – not so pleasant one – was going to unveil itself soon. When the parents were thinking nothing could go wrong from ‘here’, when they were slapped with a $32 thousand bill for air ambulance expenses; it goes without saying that their health insurance provider had refused to foot the bill.
Insurance was not of Great Help
Their health insurance carrier, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, only agreed to cover $11,787. The rest of the amount owed to the airambulance service remained uncovered. The reason: the airambulance service that the Millheims had sought was out of their insurance network and they were slapped with the ‘balance billing’ of $32,445.
The incident brings to light the debate that has dotted the airambulance industry in recent times. Many state governments are actively trying to pass laws that regulate the industry but all in vain, as federal regulations prevent any government interference in the affairs of the airambulance industry.
