State Rep. Beau LaFave’s plan requiring air ambulance operations to give nonemergency patients a notice to be signed before sending an air ambulance to discuss all methods of transportation and costs is now law.
Many times, patients are transported to hospitals by air ambulance without having a say or knowing the costs. Air ambulance companies participate in “balance billing” where the patient’s health care provider will pay for a portion of the bill, but not its entirety. This leaves patients with medical bills in the tens of thousands of dollars.
“No family should have to receive that unexpected medical bill that can force them into bankruptcy,” LaFave said. “This was all about taking the necessary steps to look out for patients and the people of the state of Michigan. This a small step in the right direction when it comes to lowering health care costs and increasing transparency.”
House Bill 5219 now is Public Act 385 of 2018.
