Ground Ambulances Still Exempt From No Surprises Act — States Scrambling to Fill the Gap (January–March 2026)
NPR(https://www.npr.org/2026/01/11/nx-s1-5628432/states-are-cracking-down-on-exorbitant-ambulance-charges-for-out-of-network-patients) / Chicago Tribune(https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/27/opinion-no-surprises-act-ambulance-bills/)
Half of the 3 million Americans brought to ERs by ambulance each year get a surprise bill. Ground ambulances were excluded from the 2022 No Surprises Act. One documented case: a $6,800 out-of-network ambulance bill that took nearly two years to fight. New Hampshire banned surprise ground ambulance billing effective January 1, 2026. Alabama has legislation moving through its Senate. Only 21 states have independent protections.