Refusing to pay for ambulance

[winston]

At present I am receiving WC benefits in Massachusetts. After I had spinal surgery I was unable to stand or walk and was sent to Inpt rehab. I was transported by ambulance. WC has denied the ambulance fee. What do I do? This is $1300 for a 15 mile ride. I think thats horribly excesive but it is what it is. I can't pay this What can I do?

[jayne]

have the hospital bill WC if you were in hospital and the doc ordered it I dont see how they could refuse....do you have a lawyer?

[katicabogar]

I believe ambulance billing is separate from hospital and probably they didn't have w/c authorization. Try to speak with claims manager or supervisor to reconsider payment. I had authorization from w/c for ultrasound, but not from my claims manager, but from someone else in the Department. My claims manager re-couped previously paid bill and ultrasound was billing me. I had to speak with supervisor who finally paid again after several months had passed.

[mistreated]

My ambulance was paid for on the day of my accident but then the claim was denied. If the ambulance was transport for a wc medically orered need, then they will have to pay. May take alot of fighting but they will have to pay in the end.

[Gayle57]

Call workmens comp and ask for someone in ombundsmen. Tell them your
problem. Submit the bill directly to workmens comp yourself. Do not worry
about these bills. Email your governor. Just don't sit back and take it.
Call a good w/c attorney and get a free over the phone consultation.
Your insurance company knows they are wrong. Remember the movie
"The Rainmaker" ? I know it was not a w/c case but it involved a greedy
insurance company and their greedy lawyers. In some states you can
even have your spouse submit bills to the insurance company for the care
they have provided. Like cleaning your wound, changing bandages, taking
your to Dr's appointments. I asked my attorney about having an ambulance
take my son to his dr's appointment and he said "they'll have to pay if they
want him there" I would love to have them charged for that ride. so
don't worry. Depression will get the best of you if you let it. But a good
cry and journaling or coming on message forums such as this is very
therapeutic. Good luck!

[sparkey]

The ambulance bills are seperate. I choked and had to have my family call one and we got the bill seperate after. It was only 300 dollars to go about 25 miles. I do not know where they got 1500 from. I live in NH, so we are neighbors. I wonder if you even got sent to the hospital i worked at for 15 yrs.

Send that bill to the WC IC. They should be the ones paying it. Was it a emergancy? If not they have other ways of transportating you that may of been cheaper also.

[ace25]

Who ordered the ambulance? If your doctor did so, they need to assist you with this. You should file an affadavit with the carrier stating that you were transported under doctors orders and instructions to the appt. Your doctor should also do this. In Massachusetts, traditional mileage reimbursement for "provisions of adequate and reasonable medical services" is only 30 cents a mile. The IC may have considered the ambulance unnecessary or an excessive expense, if other options were available (or the person making the decisons is ignorant of your condition). You should also find out why the ambulance service did not get pre-authorization. That might be at the core of your issue.