Emergency Service
NO Free Ride On EMS With Big Blue
December 1, 2006 
A reader tells the GUARDIAN that Idaho’s largest health insurance provider–Blue Cross–will not cover much of the cost of Ada County EMS ambulance service.
Those of us with health insurance are familiar with the list of preferred providers who have negotiated agreements with Big Blue. Typically the insurance pays an agreed upon rate and the customer matches it with a much lower amount. Not so with Big Blue and the Ada County EMS ambulance.
Ironically (or sadly) Big Blue is the health insurance provider for Ada County employees–including the paramedics who drive the ambulances. No doubt an issue of prices and costs.
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Comments & Discussion
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© 2006 Boise Guardian. 
Dec 1, 2006, 12:39 pm
St Als is a Big Blue partipating provider. So if one had the option of holding out for Life Flight vs taking an ambulance, the cost might be covered.
Dec 2, 2006, 9:46 am
Interestingly enough, I did a ride along in an ambulance recently; with a teen that became ill at our home. They gave me a flyer at St. Al’s where there is a “buy in” insurance plan you can get to cover you and your family in case you NEED ambulance service. Apparently it makes it much more affordable and is something like the life flight pay-pre-need program. Honestly at the time I remember thinking oh another way to generate revenue… hmmm
Dec 3, 2006, 10:20 am
There is a major issue here that goes beyond “big Blue” In my experience most insurance companies, even those NOT associated with the government…typically “low ball” EMS payments…why? Because they can. They typically pay the “medicare” rate or little above it…and unlike Big hospital cooperations with LOTS of political and purchase power (as in they can chose to not honor private insurances and turf patients elsewhere…as long as they comply with COBRA/EMTALA)…. Small EMS lobbies and organizations can do NOTHING about it.
Dont like it? Dont blame EMS, blame the lack of support for EMS at the federal level.
Dec 3, 2006, 12:15 pm
We have Blue Shield, not Blue Cross. They’ll tell you they are two different companies but for some reason their policies are exactly the same. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that an ambulance call for us wouldn’t be covered either.
My gripe isn’t so much with EMS but with Big Blue. They consistently fail to cover needed, involuntary serves for their customers. If I were in a car accident and needed an ambulance, it isn’t like I have much choice in who responds to the call. If I need an operation, I may find out after the fact that the St. Al’s anestheologist isn’t covered under my plan but, of course, I don’t have any choice in which anestheologist I get.
Even a simple visit to my doctor’s office may result in a lab that isn’t on my plan even though the lab is right there in my doctor’s office and my doctor is on the plan.
I’ve tried calling to complain about uncovered charges at supposedly covered suppliers and Big Blue’s response is I’m supposed to insist on a covered supplier. I’ve tried doing that for these auxilary services and have been told by my primary care provider that I don’t have an option. In the case of surgery, you get the provider that is scheduled that day. In some cases, there isn’t any covered provider.
Dec 4, 2006, 11:23 am
I guess we can all figure out that whatever insurance coverage you have it probably isn’t worth very much. If someone set out on purpose to devise a more diabolic scheme, he probably couldn’t do so. The insurance companies have all the power – the individuals have none.
We need our politicians to get a single payer system in place before we all pull our hair out trying to figure out what is covered and what will come out of our own pockets.
And, while we are at it, get rid of hospital advertising and advertising of drugs that may or not be needed by anyone.