Detailed Instructions: Given a passage and a query based on the passage, generate an unambiguous, concise and simple answer to the query from information in the passage. Note that the answer may not be present in exact form.
Problem:Under this demonstration, your ambulance company may send a request for prior authorization to Medicare before your fourth round trip in a 30-day period. They'll do this so you and the company will know earlier in the process if Medicare is likely to cover your services. Medicare may pay for emergency ambulance transportation in an airplane or helicopter if your health condition requires immediate and rapid ambulance transportation that ground transportation can't provide, and one of these applies: 1 Your pickup location can't be easily reached by ground transportation. How much does an ambulance ride cost? On average, an ambulance company will charge anywhere from $350 to as much as $2,000 for a trip without insurance. We explored multiple cities throughout the United States and included the prices we had found inside the table below. Even with health insurance, an ambulance ride may not be covered 100 percent. On average, an ambulance company will charge anywhere from $350 to as much as $2,000 for a trip without insurance. Even with health insurance, an ambulance ride may not be covered 100 percent. According to this LaTimes.com article, a patient was billed more than $1,538 for her ambulance ride. Ambulance services. How often is it covered? Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers ambulance services to or from a hospital, critical access hospital (CAH), or skilled nursing facility (SNF). Medicare covers and helps pay for ambulance services only when other transportation could endanger your health, like if you have a health condition that requires this type of transportation. Medicare will only cover ambulance services to the nearest appropriate medical facility that's able to give you the care you need. EMS agencies typically replace their ambulances which already cost about $150,000 unequipped every five to seven years. Outfitting one can tack on $100,000 more, said Tom Izydore, director of Plum Emergency Medical Services, which is looking to buy an ambulance in the next 18 months. You may now be affected by a Medicare demonstration program if: 1 You get scheduled, non-emergency ambulance transportation for 3 or more round trips in a 10-day period or at least once a week for 3 weeks or more. 2 You get this transportation from an ambulance company based in one of these states: New Jersey. If the ambulance has to standby at the hospital and/or a location, it can cost up to $200 per hour. Tips to know: Why is an ambulance ride so expensive? Regardless of how many 911 calls are made in a day, an ambulance service still has to be available for 24 hours per day, staffing crew members and maintaining the vehicles available. The cost of an ambulance ride can depend on the company, the miles being driven, the reason you had to ride in one and if insurance is involved. A basic ambulance ride to a hospital, for example, can cost a lot less than a paramedic unit. To find out how much your specific test, item, or service will cost, talk to your doctor or other health care provider. 1 The specific amount you'll owe may depend on several things, like: 2 Other insurance you may have. 3 How much your doctor charges. 4 Whether your doctor accepts assignment. 5 The type of facility. Query: average ambulance cost
Solution:
On average, an ambulance company will charge anywhere from $350 to as much as $2,000.