During a recent government meeting, Multnomah County residents voiced significant concerns regarding the billing practices of American Medical Response (AMR), a key provider of ambulance services in the area. Dr. Blaise Schollard, representing himself and his spouse, detailed a troubling experience with AMR's billing system, highlighting issues that have persisted over the past two years.

Schollard praised the quality of medical care received during five ambulance trips from 2021 to 2023 but criticized AMR for what he described as \"deceitful\" billing practices and a lack of corporate accountability. He noted that despite having two health insurance policies, Cigna and Kaiser, his family received unexpected bills claiming they were responsible for payments. Schollard's attempts to resolve these issues were met with frustration, as he found AMR's customer service difficult to navigate and unresponsive.

He recounted multiple failed attempts to communicate directly with AMR's corporate office, stating that all interactions were funneled through a contracted non-profit, which left him feeling unheard. Schollard's advocacy efforts included reaching out to his state representative, Mark Gamba, who facilitated communication with AMR's advocacy personnel. However, he reported a lack of follow-through on promised actions to rectify the billing issues.

The meeting underscored the broader implications of AMR's practices, as Schollard emphasized that many other patients might be facing similar challenges. His testimony raised questions about the accountability of emergency service providers and the need for improved communication and billing transparency in the healthcare system. The discussion is likely to prompt further scrutiny of AMR's operations and could lead to calls for regulatory changes to protect patients from similar experiences in the future.