Surprise bills and ambulance bills in Florida

If you have a Florida insurance policy and get covered emergency services at a hospital, surgery center or urgent care center from an out-of-network provider, you owe only your copay, coinsurance and deductible.

Checked against official sources: October 30, 2026.

What Florida adds

State law

Florida balance billing protections

Law: Fla. Stat. 627.64194 for insurance policies; 641.3154 and 641.513 for HMOs; Fla. Stat. 641.3154; Fla. Stat. 641.513

Which plans it covers

Individual and group health insurance policies issued in Florida by authorized insurers (PPO and EPO plans), and HMO plans licensed in Florida. Self-funded employer plans are not covered by state insurance law.

What it adds

If you have a Florida insurance policy and get covered emergency services at a hospital, surgery center or urgent care center from an out-of-network provider, you owe only your copay, coinsurance and deductible. The same applies to covered non-emergency services at an in-network facility when you could not choose an in-network provider who was available to treat you. The out-of-network provider may not try to collect more from you, except for services your policy does not cover. If you are in a Florida HMO and the HMO is responsible for paying for a service, you are not liable to the provider, whether or not the provider has a contract with the HMO; the provider may not try to collect from you, sue you or report you to a credit agency for that service. You may still owe your HMO copayments.

Ground ambulance

The state protects you

If you are in a Florida HMO, the HMO must cover emergency care, including prehospital transport, without prior authorization, and when the HMO is responsible for paying for a covered service, the provider (including an out-of-network ambulance) may not bill or try to collect from you for it, other than your HMO copayment. Florida's balance billing rule for PPO and EPO insurance policies covers emergency services in a facility, not ambulance rides, so it does not limit out-of-network ground ambulance bills under those policies. No Florida law limits ground ambulance bills for people without insurance.

Law: Fla. Stat. 641.3154; Fla. Stat. 641.513(1)(a), (2); Fla. Stat. 627.64194

Law: Fla. Stat. 627.64194; Fla. Stat. 641.3154; Fla. Stat. 641.513

Itemized bills and price estimates in Florida

Florida law gives you a right to an itemized bill within 7 days.

After you leave a hospital or surgery center, it must give you, if you ask, an itemized statement or bill in plain language within 7 days after discharge or after your request, whichever is later. It must list each service and expense by date and provider with unit prices, identify any facility fee, show what is paid, pending with insurance or owed by you, list drugs by name, and not use categories like "other" or "miscellaneous." It must show the phone number of the facility's patient liaison for billing disputes. The facility must make records to check your bill available within 10 business days of your request, free (it may charge its usual copy fee), and must answer billing questions within 7 business days. It may not take extraordinary collection actions before sending you an itemized statement or bill.

Law: Fla. Stat. 395.301(1)(e), (2), (4), (5); Fla. Stat. 395.3011(2)(b)

Price estimates

If you ask before non-emergency care, a hospital or surgery center must give you a written or electronic good faith estimate of its expected charges for your condition, within 7 business days after your request. The estimate must include information on the facility's financial assistance policy. Facilities must post on their website a consumer-friendly list of standard charges for at least 300 shoppable services, or a price estimator tool, and the estimated average payment and range for common service bundles.

Law: Fla. Stat. 395.301(1)(a)-(c)

Where to complain in Florida

Free tools, letters and checklist

Questions about medical bills in Florida

Am I protected from ground ambulance bills in Florida?

If you are in a Florida HMO, the HMO must cover emergency care, including prehospital transport, without prior authorization, and when the HMO is responsible for paying for a covered service, the provider (including an out-of-network ambulance) may not bill or try to collect from you for it, other than your HMO copayment. Florida's balance billing rule for PPO and EPO insurance policies covers emergency services in a facility, not ambulance rides, so it does not limit out-of-network ground ambulance bills under those policies.

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