DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — On her 54th birthday, Dana McKee's daughter drove her from Sullivan to a walk-in clinic in Decatur. McKee had been having issues breathing, but was avoiding getting checked out until she could see her primary care doctor. 

When McKee made it to the clinic, her care team told her she should head to the ER due to her breathing issues. While McKee initially did not want to ride in the ambulance, she decided to because she thought it would mean she could get help more quickly.

"I went by ambulance and when I got there they took me not into triage, but out into the waiting room of the ER," said McKee. "I then proceeded to wait for two hours and 45 minutes before I walked out. It was a four mile trip from Route 36 to St. Mary's Hospital." 

That trip on an Abbott EMS ambulance left McKee with a bill of $2,714.16. The individualized bill shows a few charges ranging from $20-$90 for various tests and supplies, as well as an $118 mileage fee. What McKee disagrees with is the $2440.42 charge labelled as an emergency fee. 

"That was just for the ambulance, that was not for any of the machines that I had used," said McKee. ""I was very upset at this because that breaks down to $600 a mile. How do you justify that cost?" 

McKee's insurance covered around $1,200, meaning she has a bill of almost $1,500 to pay. As a single family household, she doesn't know where this money will come from. 

"I've called and tried to work out a payment plan and I told them I could give them $20 a month, but the lowest amount they will take is $60," said McKee. "But I said you're not the only medical bill I have and they said 'we won't accept anything less.'"

With the bill being due on October 20th, McKee says she's concerned Abbott EMS will send the bill to collections.

According to the US Census Bureau, nearly 20% of American households have medical debt just like McKee. 

One national nonprofit, RIP Medical Debt, pays people's medical debts to relieve stress and make sure they can still seek care. They say medical debt usually comes from emergencies or unexpected illnesses. 

"Illinois was sort of pinpointed along with seven other larger states as being a particularly hard state to find an affordable ambulance ride," said Daniel Lempert, the Vice President of Communication for RIP Medical Debt. "Over two thirds of people's experiences with emergency ambulances means they had these out-of-pocket expenses, even if they had insurance."

WAND reached out to Abbott EMS to see if they could break down how the cost of ambulance rides is determined. An Abbott EMS spokesperson responded with this statement: 

"Abbott EMS paramedics and EMTs save lives by delivering timely healthcare to critically injured and acutely ill patients. When patients need emergency medical services because of a life-threatening injury or illness, our first responders are ready. There is a common misconception that the costs of ambulance services are driven by distance transported. In actuality, our cost is driven by the need to maintain a staff of highly trained and experienced paramedics and EMTs who are in a high state of readiness. Also reflected in our charges are the costs of providing critical pre-hospital healthcare, capital equipment costs such as vehicles and medical equipment, fleet maintenance and extensive training for our first responders. Our teams respond at a moment’s notice, without regard for a patient’s ability to pay. In many markets, the billed amount for emergent transports is mandated and/or established by the city, state, or municipality. Additionally, both Medicare and Medicaid have fixed reimbursement rates to all ambulance providers.

"Most insured patients will only need to cover the cost of their co-pays or co-insurance. If patients believe their insurance should have covered the cost of a service, they should promptly contact their provider for clarification. Abbott EMS recognizes the complexity of what happens after an emergency illness or injury and has a dedicated team of Patient Advocates to assist our patients through the transport billing process. If a patient is experiencing a financial hardship, we work with them to find equitable solutions."

McKee said she has already reached out to local legislators to encourage more regulation and transparency regarding the cost of ambulances. She said if she would have known the cost in advance, she would have taken the risk to make the drive in her own car. 

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