Ambulance Service, Basic Life Support, Emergency Transport (bls-Emergency) in California

California Pricing in Context

In California, CPT code A0429 (Ambulance Service, Basic Life Support, Emergency Transport (bls-Emergency)) carries an average Medicare payment of $378.68 — 11% above the national benchmark of $342.37. 247 providers across the state submitted claims for this procedure in 2023, performing 195.1K total services. Individual payments in CA ranged from N/A at the low end to N/A at the high end, reflecting differences in provider setting (office vs. facility), modifiers, and the specific geographic locality code applied within the state.

The average billed charge in California is $2,384.21, which is the figure uninsured patients would most likely encounter before any negotiation or charity discount. Medicare, by statute, only reimburses the allowed amount — the balance between billed and paid is written off under provider participation agreements. Insured patients generally pay a negotiated rate that falls between these two figures; the exact amount depends on plan design, deductible status, and in-network participation. Because California sits above the national Medicare average, commercial rates in the state may also run higher than the US median.

Using RAND 2024 commercial-to-Medicare ratios for Ambulance Services procedures, the estimated commercial insurance price in California lands near $1,156.34, with self-pay cash prices typically around $1,017.01. Before scheduling, patients can request a Good Faith Estimate under the No Surprises Act, compare cash rates from hospital Machine-Readable Files, and confirm whether the provider is in-network with their specific plan. This page presents CMS reference data for informational use; it does not constitute medical or financial advice.