A California law will go into effect Jan. 1 that will prevent surprise out-of-network bills for ground ambulance rides, KFF Health News reported Nov. 7.
California is the 14th state to provide some protections against balance billing for ambulance rides, according to the report. Nearly three-quarters of ground ambulance rides in the state result in out-of-network bills. The average surprise bill in California is $1,209.
The new law also caps bills for uninsured people, barring them from being charged more than the Medi-Cal or Medicare rate, whichever is greater, according to the report.