Ambulance bills still surprise Colorado patients with high cost but lawmakers want to change that

When Coloradans need emergency medical transportation, whether they receive a large bill comes down to chance — and what type of ambulance provider happens to pick them up.

Federal and state laws prevent “surprise bills” for rides in air ambulances and in ground ambulances owned by private companies, such as AMR. Most states, including Colorado, don’t have laws preventing those bills from publicly owned by private companies, such as AMR. Most states, including Colorado, don’t have laws preventing those bills from publicly owned ground ambulances.

Last year, a small bipartisan group of lawmakers tried to change that, but pulled their bill to get more input from ambulance providers. Now, they’re working on a new plan to prevent unexpected bills in emergencies, said Rep. Karen McCormick, a Democrat from Hygiene. She anticipates having a bill ready to go when the legislature returns in January.