How Much Does An Ambulance Cost After A Kentucky Car Accident?

After suffering a catastrophic injury, you may require immediate emergency medical attention. Calling 911 and emergency responders often triggers an ambulance to be dispatched to the scene of your accident. While an ambulance ride may be essential to get you the medical treatment and care you need, it does not come without a cost.

The amount you can expect to spend on ambulance costs after a Kentucky car accident can vary widely depending on the circumstances of your case. Fortunately, you can seek full reimbursement for these expenses when you pursue your personal injury claim with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Lexington or an attorney in the Kentucky area against the liable party.

Here is more about how much ambulance rides cost, the factors influencing your bills, and why ambulance costs are often so high.

How Much Will an Ambulance Ride Cost in Kentucky?

The cost of emergency transportation via an ambulance can vary widely on a case-by-case basis. However, according to the Kentucky ambulance fee schedules, in basic life support (BLS) ambulance, you could spend up to $2,450 on your ambulance ride.

However, if you suffered catastrophic injuries in Kentucky and needed an advanced life support (ALS) ambulance, the cost would jump up to as much as $2,750. To give you a comparison, when scheduling a non-emergency ambulance transportation trip, you would spend around $850. Multiple factors can impact the exact amount of your ambulance ride. Some of these factors include:

• Whether the ambulance ride was non-emergent or an emergency
• How much health insurance coverage you have
• How much auto insurance coverage you have
• How far the ambulance had to travel
• The types of services you receive while being transported in the ambulance

It should be noted that you may not need to cover the full costs of your ambulance bills. The goal will be to ensure the insurance company or liable party compensates you for all medical expenses, including your ambulance bills. If you are partially responsible for causing the accident, your settlement could be reduced by Kentucky’s pure comparative negligence laws under KY Rev. Stat. Ann. § 411.182.

What Ambulance Services Does Insurance Cover in Kentucky?

You may be counting on your health and auto insurance to cover your ambulance bills. However, the policy terms will determine exactly how much the insurance company will pay in ambulance fees and the types of services that may be covered.

Since Kentucky follows choice no-fault insurance laws as described by the Kentucky Department of Insurance, you may have personal injury protection (PIP) coverage so you can file a claim with your own insurer no matter who is responsible for causing the accident. Some of the different types of insurance coverage that may be able to help cover these expenses include:

• Auto insurance coverage – In addition to personal injury protection coverage, you should also carry bodily injury liability (BIL) coverage and property damage liability (PDL) coverage. This can help cover a portion of your vehicle repairs and medical expenses after an accident.
• Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage – If the driver who hit you does not have enough auto insurance coverage or is uninsured, or you are hit by a driver who flees the scene, your car accident attorney in Lexington, Louisville, Richmond, or any city in Kentucky may be able to file a claim against your uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.
• Medicaid or Medicare—Both Medicare and Medicaid cover ambulance fees to medical facilities or hospitals. However, according to Medicare Part B (medical insurance), Medicare generally does not pay for ambulance services that do not require transportation to the facilities.

Why Ambulance Costs are So High

Ambulance costs are high across the country. There are several reasons why. First, staff must have comprehensive emergency care training and access to life-saving, specialized equipment. Ambulances must also be staffed continuously, 24/7, to ensure they are available to individuals at any time of the day or night.

However, insurance expenses, transportation costs, infrastructure, ambulance maintenance fees, and other financial burdens can also have an impact on how expensive ambulance rides can be. Between the expenses covered by your health insurance and your insurance claim or personal injury settlement payouts, you may be able to avoid having to pay your ambulance bills out of your own pocket.