Unwanted Ambulance-Dispute or No?

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

Hi,
I got sick in May from a supplement designed to pull toxins out of your body. The doctor had perscribed too high a dose and the toxins dumped into my stomach too fast and made me throw up.
My housemate heard - I was unable to stop and it sounded very bad - so he called the ambulance. I told him not to but he did anyway. I got sick like this one time prior and it just stopped suddenly and I was fine, so I thought this would be the same (and it was, it stopped as soon as the ambulance came). Moral support was all I needed both times.
I was in the process of finding health insurance so uninsured and now I'm upset at having to pay the bill.
I gather from reading other posts that the actual CALL to 911 is the agreement to pay any and all bills incurred. I think that they should, like any other service provider, obtain my signature to agree for the cost of the service before rendering the service. I was lucid and I would have said "No thank you!" Is this the only service where they don't need a signed contract of agreement to the service before forcing the service on you? If it was a plumber, lawyer, health specialist - anyone else would have to get my permission to give me their service and get me to sign a contract before giving me the service. I'm not going to pay a plumber who just does a job without my permission and then sends me the bill. Even if I agree to the service, I wouldn't just say - "go ahead, tell me a couple weeks later what I'll owe you for it."

I did sign some papers when they left - I was agreeing to - against their advice - refuse a trip in the damn ambulance and leave them with no liability if anything went wrong later that day - but I might have also been signing some acknowledgement of their having prodded me a bit and used their instruments to make sure I was breathing etc.

Can I dispute or would that be a total waste of time? The bill is $350 so if it takes more than 3 days of hassle, or if I lose, it constitutes a complete waste of time. To me it's immoral to not have been asked my permission prior and $350 seems a bit extravagent for a 5 minute drive and a bit of prodding.
I also can't involve my housemate since I think I already traumatized him by getting sick...
(I'll probably just pay it and stop wasting my time with it since I don't remember what I actually signed so they probably have more legal grouds to administer the bill than I have to refuse payment.) It's still messed up.
Thanks!!
Heidi

heidimaria said:

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

Hi,
I got sick in May from a supplement designed to pull toxins out of your body. The doctor had perscribed too high a dose and the toxins dumped into my stomach too fast and made me throw up.
My housemate heard - I was unable to stop and it sounded very bad - so he called the ambulance. I told him not to but he did anyway. I got sick like this one time prior and it just stopped suddenly and I was fine, so I thought this would be the same (and it was, it stopped as soon as the ambulance came). Moral support was all I needed both times.
I was in the process of finding health insurance so uninsured and now I'm upset at having to pay the bill.
I gather from reading other posts that the actual CALL to 911 is the agreement to pay any and all bills incurred. I think that they should, like any other service provider, obtain my signature to agree for the cost of the service before rendering the service. I was lucid and I would have said "No thank you!" Is this the only service where they don't need a signed contract of agreement to the service before forcing the service on you? If it was a plumber, lawyer, health specialist - anyone else would have to get my permission to give me their service and get me to sign a contract before giving me the service. I'm not going to pay a plumber who just does a job without my permission and then sends me the bill. Even if I agree to the service, I wouldn't just say - "go ahead, tell me a couple weeks later what I'll owe you for it."

I did sign some papers when they left - I was agreeing to - against their advice - refuse a trip in the damn ambulance and leave them with no liability if anything went wrong later that day - but I might have also been signing some acknowledgement of their having prodded me a bit and used their instruments to make sure I was breathing etc.

Can I dispute or would that be a total waste of time? The bill is $350 so if it takes more than 3 days of hassle, or if I lose, it constitutes a complete waste of time. To me it's immoral to not have been asked my permission prior and $350 seems a bit extravagent for a 5 minute drive and a bit of prodding.
I also can't involve my housemate since I think I already traumatized him by getting sick...
(I'll probably just pay it and stop wasting my time with it since I don't remember what I actually signed so they probably have more legal grouds to administer the bill than I have to refuse payment.) It's still messed up.
Thanks!!
Heidi

Click to expand...

I have a couple of legal problems with your story.

The two sentences I bolded contradict each other.

And if you "would have" said no, thank you, then why didn't you? You say you were lucid, but apparently you were ALSO not in control of your actions.

heidimaria said:

I think that they should, like any other service provider, obtain my signature to agree for the cost of the service before rendering the service. I was lucid and I would have said "No thank you!"
Heidi

Click to expand...

I'm speechless.

"In most parts of the US you do not get charged unless you are transported. That even includes if you were treated on scene and still refuse to go to the hospital. An example is a diabetic who is unconscious. After EMS treats that person at their house, most refuse to go to the hospital. It is a very common call for EMS. Even though EMS assessed the patient, checked their blood glucose, started an IV and then gave them D50 (sugar) the patient doesnt get charged because there was no transport. I hope this helped."
5 months ago
Source(s):
Paramedic/Fire Fighter for 10 years.
I wasn't even treated on scene for anything...just saying it's not altogether fair. I don't feel all that bad since I am supporting a social service that benefits others, but it didn't benefit me at all. Canada, France...far superior to US in this department a la Sicko.

No, most parts of the country are billing for treatment, even if there is no transport. To many people are using 911 as there personal healthcare.

If you did not want EMS there, then you should have refused any evaluation by them. That is your right. You stated that you were alert and could make your own decisions. Then you signed papers, that you didn't read first. This was your decision.

Some agencies do not bill if not transported, but a lot are now going to this. Most people do not realize that it costs an average $400k a year to staff just one ambulance. Do you think this is all covered by taxes? It's not.

Your roommate was worried about you and called for help. they arrived to help you, as expected. You had the right to tell them "no thank you, please leave". You choose to allow them to examine you. So you were billed for that.

You contact the agency and request that the bill be waived. Some will do this, others won't. It is worth a phone call.

OP needs to check into the situation of no billing unless transported. In the 8 or so cities around my area, that is standard.
So, the next question is; did OP recieve any treatment or assessment (actual physical interaction)?

If OP did, and transport is not the defining action to bill or not, the OP owes the money.

OP, if lucid as claimed, had the opportunity to refuse all interaction with the EMS and could have simply refused to allow any assessment.

If friend called, then hand the bill to friend and tell them to pay it since they called and "contracted" EMS at that time.

If OP was not in any condition to refuse treatment, then OP owes. They did what they were called for and if OP was not able to make decisions, the apparently they were needed and provided the service required.