Since 2010, the Cathedral City Fire Department filed at least 939 small claims cases. The Desert Sun‘s investigative team reviewed 50 cases filed since 2014. All 50 sought money for unpaid ambulance bills, according to the article.
“The ambulance industry historically has low collections rates on billing self-pay patients,” Brian Werfel, JD, a New York-based lawyer, told The Desert Sun. “It would not be unusual for a provider to collect around 10 percent on its self-pay accounts.”
The company’s collection efforts are further impacted by CathedralCity’s high uninsured rate — more than one-third of city residents under age 65 lack health insurance, according to data from the U.S. Census. This means some residents who receive ambulance services are responsible for the bill in full, which starts at a base rate of $1,225 plus $28 per mile transported.
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