A Pennsylvania man filed a complaint in U.S. district court against Air Methods on Nov. 4 claiming the air ambulance provider billed him 400 percent more than the rate competitors would have charged for the same flight.
Air Methods charged the plaintiff $47,000 for a 30-mile flight to a Pennsylvania hospital, according to the complaint.
“Instead of charging patients a uniform, customary and reasonable rate, [Air Methods] charges outrageous prices that bear no reasonable relationship to the services rendered or what is customarily charged for the services,” read the complaint, according to the article.
Air ambulance companies have argued commercial and government payers’ inadequate reimbursement rates forced the companies to hike their prices.
More articles on legal and regulatory:
California voters OK permanent hospital fee program that supports Medi-Cal
MACRA drives physicians toward value-based care
Walgreens files breach-of-contract lawsuit against Theranos
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.