Can you be charged for an ambulance you didn't call, from a volunteer rescue squad?

[swagmonkey]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Vermont

Mary was in an auto accident a couple years ago. She was unconscious, and a bystander called an ambulance for her, from a volunteer rescue squad. She says that, in Vermont, a volunteer rescue squad isn't allowed to charge for services, especially since she didn't call them. Yet, there's a $990 bill from them still listed on her credit report two years later. She has been advised not to pay, because they didn't have the right to charge her in the first place.

So is this correct? If they were not legally able to charge her for this in Vermont to begin with, then she should be able to fix her credit report. If the charge was legal to begin with, then it will take years for this to leave her credit report even once she pays. We live in MA now, but she was in Vermont at the time of the accident, so their laws should be the only ones relevant.

 

[Ohiogal]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Vermont

Mary was in an auto accident a couple years ago. She was unconscious, and a bystander called an ambulance for her, from a volunteer rescue squad. She says that, in Vermont, a volunteer rescue squad isn't allowed to charge for services, especially since she didn't call them. Yet, there's a $990 bill from them still listed on her credit report two years later. She has been advised not to pay, because they didn't have the right to charge her in the first place.

So is this correct? If they were not legally able to charge her for this in Vermont to begin with, then she should be able to fix her credit report. If the charge was legal to begin with, then it will take years for this to leave her credit report even once she pays. We live in MA now, but she was in Vermont at the time of the accident, so their laws should be the only ones relevant.

Why do you believe they wouldn't be able to charge her? (i.e. under what law do you think she gets to ignore the debt -- please quote statute number) She didn't call them but she also didn't refuse them. Therefore, she utilized their services. What did she do when she received the bill to begin with? Did she ignore it? Or did she call them? Or did the mysterious person who advised her not to pay supercede her own responsibility?

 

[ecmst12]

She was given some bad advice.

 

[swagmonkey]

The "mysterious person" was her father, who worked for a volunteer rescue squad in her town, and informed her that volunteer services such as this one were not allowed to charge for their services in Vermont. Their costs are supposed to be covered by taxes and donations instead. But, I don't even live in this state, and I've never heard such a law. Mary couldn't quote a statute number or anything, and we failed to find the law searching online, so I asked here.

She says she disputed the charge a couple years ago, and got something back from the credit reporting agency that said they would be blocked from reporting this on her credit report for a year...but of course, more than a year has passed, and no further action has been taken, so I guess it went on her report a year later instead. I imagine she was supposed to address it some other way during that year, and the dispute was just to prevent it affecting her credit score in the meanwhile. We were checking her credit report, for no connected reason, and were surprised to see that she had an account in collections. The collecting agency listed has never, ever contacted her about the bill, so one wonders what exactly their job is in "collecting" it.

 

[Ohiogal]

The "mysterious person" was her father, who worked for a volunteer rescue squad in her town, and informed her that volunteer services such as this one were not allowed to charge for their services in Vermont. Their costs are supposed to be covered by taxes and donations instead. But, I don't even live in this state, and I've never heard such a law. Mary couldn't quote a statute number or anything, and we failed to find the law searching online, so I asked here.

She says she disputed the charge a couple years ago, and got something back from the credit reporting agency that said they would be blocked from reporting this on her credit report for a year...but of course, more than a year has passed, and no further action has been taken, so I guess it went on her report a year later instead. I imagine she was supposed to address it some other way during that year, and the dispute was just to prevent it affecting her credit score in the meanwhile. We were checking her credit report, for no connected reason, and were surprised to see that she had an account in collections. The collecting agency listed has never, ever contacted her about the bill, so one wonders what exactly their job is in "collecting" it.

It went on her credit report because she didn't dispute the account with the creditor -- the ambulance service. her father was wrong. She received services and therefore she must pay for said services. the fact that she did not is her fault.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

$990 is about standard for an ambulance call from what I've seen. OP's argument falls apart because she used the service. It is actually a bit difficult to argue she did not need the service either.

 

[swagmonkey]

This is Mary: (The woman who had the car crash)

The volunteer rescue squad is by people who volunteer out of their own free time. The supplies is donated for free from Fletcher Allen Hospital. The Jaws of Life, which was used on the car is from the fire department - NOT the volunteer rescue squad. The rescue squads in Vermont are paid by taxpayers, donations, and fundraisers only. All they can ask after is a gratitude donation.

When they contacted me after I came home from the hospital, they demanded that I pay them $500.00. They then called a week later saying that I owe them $800.00. A third week later, they demanded that I pay them $1,000.00 dollars or they would place the collection agency on me. I told them by phone that I was unemployed and that I couldn't afford that much. I refused to pay for their rapidly increasing 'debt' they so thought I needed to pay over a short course of time.

I believe that this policy varies from state to state with Volunteer Rescue Squads. In the state of Vermont, Volunteer Rescue Squads revenues is from fundraising, charity and donations (both money and by free medical supplies from nearby hospitals). After assisting a patient they can contact them for a courtesy donation for helping them.

 

[xylene]

This is Mary: (The woman who had the car crash)

The volunteer rescue squad is by people who volunteer out of their own free time. The supplies is donated for free from Fletcher Allen Hospital. The Jaws of Life, which was used on the car is from the fire department - NOT the volunteer rescue squad. The rescue squads in Vermont are paid by taxpayers, donations, and fundraisers only. All they can ask after is a gratitude donation. When they contacted me after I came home from the hospital, they demanded that I pay them $500.00. They then called a week later saying that I owe them $800.00. A third week later, they demanded that I pay them $1,000.00 dollars or they would place the collection agency on me. I told them by phone that I was unemployed and that I couldn't afford that much. I refused to pay for their rapidly increasing 'debt' they so thought I needed to pay over a short course of time.

I believe that this policy varies from state to state with Volunteer Rescue Squads. In the state of Vermont, Volunteer Rescue Squads revenues is from fundraising, charity and donations (both money and by free medical supplies from nearby hospitals).

I sincerely suggest you google a few keywords on this and you will see that this changed, and that emergency services are allowed to bill directly for services rendered.

 

[Proserpina]

This is Mary: (The woman who had the car crash)

The volunteer rescue squad is by people who volunteer out of their own free time. The supplies is donated for free from Fletcher Allen Hospital. The Jaws of Life, which was used on the car is from the fire department - NOT the volunteer rescue squad. The rescue squads in Vermont are paid by taxpayers, donations, and fundraisers only. All they can ask after is a gratitude donation. When they contacted me after I came home from the hospital, they demanded that I pay them $500.00. They then called a week later saying that I owe them $800.00. A third week later, they demanded that I pay them $1,000.00 dollars or they would place the collection agency on me. I told them by phone that I was unemployed and that I couldn't afford that much. I refused to pay for their rapidly increasing 'debt' they so thought I needed to pay over a short course of time.

I believe that this policy varies from state to state with Volunteer Rescue Squads. In the state of Vermont, Volunteer Rescue Squads revenues is from fundraising, charity and donations (both money and by free medical supplies from nearby hospitals).

Evidently that's not quite accurate:

http://cvfrs.com/?page_id=2

 

[ecmst12]

If you can find the law that says they can't charge you like any other healthcare provider, feel free to present it in court if you are sued.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

We have no way of knowing who transported you. We only have the info you gave us.

 

[Ohiogal]

This is Mary: (The woman who had the car crash)

The volunteer rescue squad is by people who volunteer out of their own free time. The supplies is donated for free from Fletcher Allen Hospital. The Jaws of Life, which was used on the car is from the fire department - NOT the volunteer rescue squad. The rescue squads in Vermont are paid by taxpayers, donations, and fundraisers only. All they can ask after is a gratitude donation.

When they contacted me after I came home from the hospital, they demanded that I pay them $500.00. They then called a week later saying that I owe them $800.00. A third week later, they demanded that I pay them $1,000.00 dollars or they would place the collection agency on me. I told them by phone that I was unemployed and that I couldn't afford that much. I refused to pay for their rapidly increasing 'debt' they so thought I needed to pay over a short course of time.

I believe that this policy varies from state to state with Volunteer Rescue Squads. In the state of Vermont, Volunteer Rescue Squads revenues is from fundraising, charity and donations (both money and by free medical supplies from nearby hospitals). After assisting a patient they can contact them for a courtesy donation for helping them.

Actually not true. Not true. Not true. You think it is but that is your issue. I and others have told you that you are wrong. They can charge.

 

[mmmagique]

Wow. I wish we had subscription ambulance service here. $40. per year to cover your entire household "just in case" is a great idea.