How to successfully negotiate down a $3,000 ambulance bill

[nakedfrog]

In regards to the OP, we've never managed to negotiate down an ambulance transfer. Hospital invoices, those we get them reduced all the time, but ambulances we always wind up paying the full amount. I don't think ambulances need to itemize, or otherwise explain their charges, so they get free pass to charge you whatever they feel like.

I already said this in one of OP's other ambulance billing threads, but I got sent the bill from an out-of-network ambulance to the tune of something like $1200 for a 1.4 mile transfer from the hospital to a nearby facility, and eventually insurance paid them some $900 and the ambulance company seemed to go on their merry way after they called me one last time and I said "Don't you think $900 is adequate for a non-emergency transfer for 1.4 miles?". But I, y'know, actually called and talked to people at both my insurance and the ambulance billing company, I didn't just send a form letter and hope for the best.

 

[DigDog]

I already said this in one of OP's other ambulance billing threads, but I got sent the bill from an out-of-network ambulance to the tune of something like $1200 for a 1.4 mile transfer from the hospital to a nearby facility, and eventually insurance paid them some $900 and the ambulance company seemed to go on their merry way after they called me one last time and I said "Don't you think $900 is adequate for a non-emergency transfer for 1.4 miles?". But I, y'know, actually called and talked to people at both my insurance and the ambulance billing company, I didn't just send a form letter and hope for the best.

god knows what kind of flat-fee agreement the ambulance has with the insurance. As someone who works in medical insurance, US insurance THEY BE CRAY-CRAY