Patient fights back over $6,000 ambulance bill

MEDICAL EMERGENCY. THE AMBULANCE THAT CAME TO HELP. THE AMBULANCE THAT CAME TO HELP. AND THTHE BILL THAT LEFT. CAME TO HEHELP. AND THE BILL THAT LEFT HIM STUNNED. AND THE BILL THAT LEFT HIM STUNNED. >> Reporter: IT. HIM STUNNED. >> Reporter:r: IT HAPPENED SO FAST. >> Reporter: IT HAPPENED SO FAST. >> I WAS HERE. HAPPENED SO FAST. >> I WAS HERE PREPARING SOME BATTETER. >> I WAS HERE PREPARINING SOME BATTER FOR FRENCH TOAST. PREPARING SOME BATTER FOR FRENCH TOAST. REALLY STARTED TO FEEL. FOR FRENCH TOAST. REALLY STARTED TO FEEL UNWELL. REALLY STARTED TO FEFEEL UNWELL. I KIND OF GRABBED ON. UNWELL. I KIND OF GRABBED ON THE COUNTERTOP. THE COUNTERTOP. >> Reporter: HE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO THINK. >> Reporter: HE DIDN'T HAVE TIME E TO THINK. HAD YOU FELT ANYTHING. HAD YOU FELT ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORERE? >> ABSOLUTELY NOT. >> ABSOLUTELY NOT. NO IDEA WHAT WAS HAPPENENING. NO IDEA WHAT WAS HAPPENING. IT WAS SCARY. HAPPENING. IT WAS SCARY. >> Reporteter: NO TIME. IT WAS SCARY. >> Reporter: N NO TIME TO ASK ABOUT THE. TO ASK ABOUT THE AMBULANCE SERVICE TAKING HIM FROM HIHIS.

AMBULANCE SERVICE TAKING HIM FROM HIS CHURCH IN. TAKING HIM FROM HIS CHURCHCH IN MASSACHUSETTS TO THE. CHURCH IN MASSACHUSETTS TO THE HOSPITAL. MASSACHUSETTS TO THE HOSPITALAL. >> BY THE TIME I. HOSPITAL. >> BY THE TIME I REACHED HERE, I. >> BY THE TIME I REACHED HERE, I COULDN'T STATAND. REACHED HERE, I COULDN'T STAND ANYMORE. COULDN'T STAND ANANYMORE. I WAS LAYING FLAT ON. I WAS LAYING FLAT ON THE CONCRETE WHEN THE AMBULANCNCE PULLED IN. AMBULANCE PULLED IN. >> Reporter: THE SOURCE OF THE PAIN. >> Reporter: THE SOURCE OF THTHE PAIN LAST MAY, TWO KIDNEY. SOURCE OF THE PAIN LAST MAY, TWO KIDNEY STONES. LAST MAY, TWO KIDNEYEY STONES. THE SOURCE OF THE PAIN. THE SOURCE OF THE PAIN TODAY, A SURPRISE BILL. TODAY, A SURPRISE BILL. FROM THE NATION'S. BILL. FROM THE NATION'S LARGEST PRIVATE. FROM THE NATION'S LARGEST PRIVATE AMAMBULANCE COMPANY, AMBULANCE COMPANY, AMR, AMERICAN MEDICAL RESPONSESE. AMR, AMERICAN MEDICAL RESPONSE. >> I GOT THIS LETTER. RESPONSE. >> I GOT THIS LETTER IN THE LETTER FROM. >> I GOT THIS LETTER IN THE LETTER FROM AMR, THE AMBULANCE. IN THE LETTER FROM AMR, THE AMBULANCE PROVOVIDER, STATING MY. AMR, THE AMBMBULANCE PROVIDER, STATING MY INSURANCE PROVIDER WAS.

PROVIDER, STATING MY INSURANCE PROVOVIDER WAS DECLINING PAYMENT. I. DECLINING PAYMENT. THAT POTENTIALLY I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE. THAT POTENTIALLY I WOULD BE RESESPONSIBLE FOR A LITTLE OVER. WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A LITTLE OVER $5,800 IN AMBULANCE. FOR A LITTLE OVER $5,800 IN AMBULANCE EXPENSE. EXPENSE. >> Reporter: IT WAS A SIX-MILE RIDE. >> Reporter: IT WAS A SISIX-MILE RIDE. THAT'S ALMOST $1,000 A. SIX-MILE RIDE. THAT'S ALMOST $1,000 A MILE. THAT'S ALMOST $1,0,000 A MILE. >> THAT'S A VERY. E. >> THAT'S A VERY AGGRESSIVE RATE. YES. AGGRESSIVE RATE.E. YES. >> Reporter: HIS. YES. >> Reporter: HIS ENENSURER AGREED TO PAY. >> Reporter: HIS ENSURER AGREED TO PAY $854, LEAVING HIM WITH. ENSURER AGREED TO PAY $854, LEAVING HIM WITH A BALALANCE OF MORE THAN. $854, LEAVING HIM WITH A BALANCE OF MORE THAN $5,000 BECAUSE THE. A BALANCE OF MORE THAN $5,000 BECAUSE THE AMBULANCE COMPANY IS. $5,00000 BECAUSE THE AMBULANCE COMPANY IS OUT OF NETWORK. OUT OF NETWORK. WHAT DID YOU THINK WHEN YOU SAW THAT. WHAT DID YOU THINK WHEN YOU SAW THAT BILL?

WHEN YOU SAW T THAT BILL? >> I THOUGHT IT HAD TO. BIBILL? >> I THOUGHT IT HAD TO BE A MISTAKE. >> I THOUGHT IT HAD TO BE A A MISTAKE. >> Reporter: CONGRESS. >> Reporter: CONGRESS PASSED A LAW T TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM. PAPASSED A LAW TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM SURPRISE MEDICAL. SURPRISE MEDICAL BILLS. GROUND AMBULANCE. BILLS. GROUND AMBULANCE CHARGES WERE LEFT OUT. GROUND AMBULANCE CHARGES WERE LEFT OUT. 22 STATES HAVE MOVED. CHARGES WERE LEFT OUT. 22 STATES HAVE MOVED TO REMEDY THE. 22 STATES HAVE MOVED TO REMEDY THE EXCLUSION. TO REMEDY THE EXCLCLUSION. MASSACHUSETTS ISN'T. EXCLUSION. MASSACHUSETTS ISN'T ONE OF THEM. MASSSSACHUSETTS ISN'T ONE OF THEM. HE DECIDED TO FIGHT. ONE OF THEM. HE DECIDED TO FIGHT. >> IT'S LITERALLY. HE DECIDED TO FIGHT. >> IT'S LITERALLY TAKEN HOURS ANAND HOURS. >> IT'S LITERALLY TAKEN HOURS AND D HOURS OVER WEEKS AND MONTHS. TAKEN HOURS AND HOURS OVER WEEKS AND MONTHS TO DEAL WITH THIS. OVER WEEKS AND MONTHS TO DEAL WITH THIS. IT'S STRESSFUL. TO DEAL WITH THIS. IT'S STRESSFSFUL. >> Reporter: AMR AND. IT'S STRESSFUL. >> Reporter: AMR AND CIGNA BLAMED EACH. CIGNA BLAMED EACH OTHER. CIGNA SAID AMBULANCE. OTHER. CIGNA SAID AMBULANCE COMPANIES ARE AMONG.

COMPANIES ARE AMONG THE MOST EGREGIOUS BILLERS IN THE HEALTH. THE MOST EGREGIOUS BILLERS IN THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. BILLERS IN THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. MANY CHOOSE NOT TO. CARE SYSTEM. MANY CHOOSE NOT TO CONTRACT WITH HEALTH. MANY CHOOSE NOT TO CONTRACT WITH HEALTH ENSURERS WHICH ALLOWS. CONTRACT WITH HEALTH ENSURERS WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO CHARGE. ENSURERS WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO O CHARGE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER. THEM TO CHARGE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER RATES. SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER RATES. AMR TOLD NBC NEWS THE. RATES. AMR TOLD NBC NEWS THE SITUATION WAS THE. AMR TOLD NBC NEWS THE SITUATION WAS THE RESULT OF THE. SITUATION WAS THE RESULT OF THE COMPLEXITY OF THE. RESULT OF THE COMPLEXITY OF THE SYSTEM AND PROVED THE. SYSTEM AND PROVED THE NEED FOR PATIENTS TO ADVOCATE ON THEIR. NEED FOR PATIENTS TO ADVOCACATE ON THEIR BEHALF. ADVOCATE ON THEIR BEHALF. >> MY BILL ESTABLISHES. BEHALF. >> MY BILL ESTABLISHES A CO-PAY. >> MY BILL ESTABLISHES A CO-PAY.. >> Reporter: >> Reporter: MASSACHUSETTS STATE SENATOR MICHAEL MOORORE. SENATOR MICHAEL MOORE WANTS TO END SURPRISE CHARGES. WANTS TO END SURPRISE CHARGES. >> YOU CALL EMS, YOU.

CHARGES. >> YOU CALL EMS, YOU PAY $100. >> YOU CALL EMS, YOU PAY $100. >> Reporter: WHETHER. PAY $100. >> Reporter: WHETHER OR NOT THE AMBULANCE. >> R Reporter: WHETHER OR NOT THE AMBULANCE SERVICE IS IN MY. OR NOT THE AMBULANCE SERVICE IS IN MY HEALTH INSURANCE NET. SERVICICE IS IN MY HEALTH INSURANCE NET WORK OR NOT. HEALTH INSURANCE NET WORK OR NOT. >>>> YES. WORK OR NOT. >> YES. >>>> Reporter: WHO PAYS. >> Reporter: WHO PAYS THE REST. >> BY THE ININSURANCE. THE REST. >> BY THE INSURANCE PRIED HAHAVE VIEDER. >> BY THE INSURANCE PRIED HAHAVE VIEDER. >> Reporter: AFTER NBC. PRIED HAVE VIEDER. >> Reporter: AFTER NBC NEWS ASKED ABOUT HIS. NEWS ASKED ABOUT HIS BILL, CIGNA AGREED TO COVER THE MAJORIRITY OF. BILL, CIGNA AGREED T TO COVER THE MAJORITY OF IT. COVER THE MAJORITY OF IT. >>>> I THINK IF NOBODY. IT. >> I THINK IF NOBODY PUSHES AND PEOPLE GET. >> I THINK IF NOBODY PUSHES AND PEOPLE E GET TIRED OF CHASING, THEY. PUSHES AND PEOPLE GET TIRED OF CHASING, THEY WILL GIVE UP AND P PAY. TIRED OF CHASING, THEY WILL GIVE UP AND PAY IT. WILL GIVE UP AND P PAY IT. >> Reporter: YOU WERE. ?