American Dad submitted insurance details for daughter's $600 ambulance ride — and the bill skyrocketed by 116%
The family initially received a bill for around $600, but post insurance claims, it jumped to $2,342.14.
Medical bills are stressful enough as it is, but America's healthcare system is on a whole other level of surprises. For one California dad, that surprise came after he did what he was supposed to do and provided his insurance information. In a video shared on Instagram by Los Angeles–based content creator Robby Witt, who posts as @TheSephew, he explained how a hospital bill for his daughter’s emergency ambulance ride nearly doubled after the provider processed his insurance. The video reached over 33 million viewers and has been liked by over 1.4 million people so far. Witt said his daughter had been rushed to the hospital after experiencing a severe anaphylactic food allergy reaction, as per Newsweek.
The family initially received a bill for around $600, which he assumed was the final cost, but that changed after he submitted their insurance details. A second invoice arrived, this time for nearly $1,300. In a phone call with a billing representative, Witt asked why the price had increased, to which the representative explained, "You’re not eligible for the discount since you are insured," she told him. The representative went on to clarify that the total charge for the ambulance ride was actually $2,342.14. Witt’s insurance paid $1,078.85, leaving him responsible for the remainder. When he asked if canceling his insurance would make him eligible for the lower price, he repeated, "You’re only eligible for the discount if you’re uninsured."
At one point, Witt asked whether this situation was common. The representative replied that it was tied to a California law that went into effect in 2024, known as AB 716, which expanded discounts for uninsured patients. Witt, visibly stunned at the explanation, said later in his video, "If I want to pay less for medical care, I should cancel my insurance if my daughter needs lifesaving medical care? That is special. That is a special law." "This is not satire. This is the state of healthcare in America for a lifesaving ambulance ride for my daughter. The state of California is penalizing citizens who have insurance," he wrote in the caption of his Instagram post.
Under current California rules, hospitals are required to provide free or discounted care to uninsured patients earning up to 400% of the federal poverty level. The intent is to protect those without coverage, but insured patients can sometimes end up paying more out of pocket. A Kaiser Family Foundation analysis finds that medical debt remains widespread in the U.S., with nearly 1 in 10 adults — roughly 23 million people — owing medical debt, including significant unpaid amounts for essential care. About 11 million adults owe more than $2,000, and 3 million owe over $10,000, even for routine or emergency services.
Witt’s video sparked a wave of responses, with many people condemning the US healthcare system. "Had this happen to me as well!!! Kids charges following labor and delivery for routine stay. Exact same conversation, but mine was 2020," wrote @docthall. @ogui39 commented, "I’m terrified that something could happen to my family when they visit the US, and not having enough money to take them to the hospital." "Just wait till they’re about send you to collections, they usually knock off a few hundred bucks at least," @mattieice52 said.
You can follow Robby Witt (@TheSephew) on Instagram for more comedy content.
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