Amari’s Struggle for Survival
Sara England’s 3-month-old son, Amari, faced a dire situation when he struggled to breathe.
In Salinas, California, doctors recognized the urgency and called for an emergency airlift to a San Francisco hospital to save his life.
The moment felt like a lifeline, a necessary step to ensure Amari received the critical care he required.
The Shocking Price Tag
However, this life-saving flight did not come without a hefty cost.
After the urgent airlift, the family was stunned to receive a bill totaling $97,599.
The insurance company, Cigna, deemed the airlift “not medically necessary,” suggesting that Amari could have been transported via ground ambulance—a two-hour drive—a proposal that seems absurd considering he was moments away from respiratory failure.
Playing Hot Potato with Medical Bills
The unexpected financial burden highlights a deeper issue within the American healthcare system.
The No Surprises Act was intended to protect families from exorbitant out-of-network bills, yet Sara now finds herself caught in a frustrating battle between Cigna and the air-ambulance company, each shifting responsibility for the nearly $100k charge.
Simultaneously, she is navigating the challenges of caring for four children, all while fighting against a system that seems designed to complicate medical emergencies instead of supporting families in need.