1. Emergency → out-of-network ride
In most cities, the ambulance that responds is determined by dispatch, not by you. Many of those providers are not in your insurance network, even for people with solid coverage.
Public-interest project
End surprise ambulance bills in the United States.
We are a grassroots effort to stop patients from being hit with massive, out-of-network ambulance charges after calling 911. Emergency care should save your life — not wreck your finances.
This is an early-stage project. Content, data, and tools will be published here as the campaign grows.
What is ambulance balance billing?
You don’t get to choose which ambulance shows up when you dial 911. But if that ambulance is out-of-network, you can still be billed for the difference between what the company charges and what your insurer decides to pay.
2. Insurer pays part of the bill
Your insurer pays what it thinks the ride should cost — often far less than the ambulance company charges. There is no standard pricing, and billed amounts can be thousands of dollars.
3. You get the “balance bill”
The ambulance company then bills you for the rest: the balance. Patients are left with huge, unexpected invoices, aggressive collection tactics, and damaged credit — all for doing the right thing in an emergency.
Help us stop ambulance balance billing.
We are building a public-interest resource with stories, data, tools, and policy proposals to eliminate surprise ambulance bills nationwide. You can help by sharing your experience, contributing research, or pushing lawmakers to act.