10/16/2026
"It was only a one-hour ambulance ride. Why is the bill so high?"
We hear this a lot. Here's what most people don't see: you're not just paying for the ride. You're paying for an ambulance that was ready the moment you called.
In West Virginia, 30% of EMS agencies respond to one call per day or less. But the costs don't stop when the phone isn't ringing.
🚑 Someone has to pay for the paramedic or EMT on standby, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
🚑 Someone has to pay for the ambulance and equipment, which can cost up to $500,000, whether it's used once a day or not at all.
🚑 Someone has to pay for the medications. Many of them cost the agency more than insurance reimburses for the entire response.
When you call 911, you expect someone to answer and an ambulance to show up fast. That readiness is the real cost of emergency care, and right now, many rural agencies are struggling to cover it. That is why bills are high. That is why County and State funding is necessary
The ride may only take an hour. Being ready for it takes every hour of every day.
KINGWOOD – Bruceton Community Ambulance Service temporarily suspended service. KAMP is operating with just one fully staffed ambulance and eliminated its Sunday overnight shift. EMS coverage in Preston County continues to struggle. Kelly Fike, president of Terra Alta Community Ambulance Squad and ...
