westmed mccormick ambulance unlawful upbilling for ambulance services mariposa California

1. I am writing this on behalf of my wife Maura M.
2. My wife was attacked by dogs and injured (bruising and strains) on July 21, 2013.  An ambulance that was not called by us, but by a Redondo Beach Fire Dept EMT and not at our request, transported my wife and myself to an emergency medical provider known as Providence LCMMC in Torrance CA.   We didn’t request this hospital destination, rather the ambulance driver told me where he was taking her as we were on the way there.  I asked why we were going to that specific hospital, the driver said that is where the ambulance company goes.  In other words, this destination hospital was not chosen by my wife or myself.
3. After emergency treatment on July 21, 2013, Westmed dba McCormick Ambulance sent a billing for a “Code 3 ALS-E” (i.e., Advanced Life Support) ambulance billing for $1634.  No backup was provided for this billing.  The billing should have been coded BLS (“basic life support”) and not ALS.
4. My wife had a fall and was wrenched.  On information, research and belief, this billing by Westmed dba McCormick Ambulance is for an upcoded and inflated billing for services to my wife.  The EMT PCR (patient condition report) makes clear that my wife was not in urgent danger and did not require and was not provided “Advanced Life Support” services.  As such the primary charges (for ambulance) are at minimum a 60% overbilling over the reasonable, necessary and customary charge for identical services in the region.
5. Repeated promises (twice in the past 2 weeks) from Westmed dba McCormick Ambulance to get back to me to resolve this are not being honored.
6. I’m very willing to resolve this but I don’t think I’m being treated very fairly.
7. I’ve been a Cal attorney for over 30 years and a partner in two Los Angeles law firms, so I do have a sense of what is fair and what isn’t in medical billing practices.
8. My wife has received a settlement offer for her injuries from an insurer (USAA) of the owner of the dogs that attacked my wife but my wife cannot and will not accept it until Westmed dba McCormick Ambulance’s upcoded and inflated claim for ambulance services is reduced and resolved.
9. Westmed dba McCormick Ambulance’s actions are preventing medical providers from being paid, including Westmed dba McCormick Ambulance.
10. Commencing in mid-November 2013, and continuing several times after that, I spoke to Kaitlin and Dana White of Westmed dba McCormick Ambulance to provide information about billing and services provided, and on November 18th, I spoke to Dana White of Westmed dba McCormick Ambulance.  I followed up with a fax to Dana White of Westmed dba McCormick Ambulance last week.  I explained to Kaitlin and Dana White of Westmed dba McCormick Ambulance that, based on my research and examination of pricing of services by ambulance providers, the billing from Westmed dba McCormick Ambulance seemed to be upcoded, very inflated and not a usual, reasonable and customary charge. 
11. Based on research, I believe it is the case that the ambulance services  of $1634 are approximately 60% higher than what the majority of providers in the service area charge.     

As I have expressed in several calls and written notices to Westmed dba McCormick Ambulance, the amount of the charges is not reasonable and necessary in the 90277 geographic area. 

As such, since Westmed dba McCormick Ambulance refuses to reduce the bill appropriately or to communicate with me about it, I have no alternative but to file consumer complaints about it.