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Bill would cap patient out‑of‑pocket ambulance bills and require insurer payments to protect rural EMS services
Summary
House Bill 758 would ban surprise ground‑ambulance balance billing for commercial insurance members, cap patient out‑of‑pocket liability at $100 and require insurers to pay either a contracted rate, a locally established rate, or a default of 400% of Medicare when no rate exists, proponents said.
Representative Steve Gist introduced House Bill 758 as a consumer‑protection and provider‑stability measure aimed at eliminating surprise ground‑ambulance balance billing. Proponents framed the bill as both a patient protection and a way to preserve rural emergency medical services.
Don Whalen, manager of Missoula Ambulance and president of the Montana Ambulance Association, told the committee: “No one should be worried about an unexpected bill when an emergency arises.” Whalen said HB 758 would protect patients by placing…
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