A California dad went viral after discovering his ambulance bill more than doubled—just because he had insurance. The state law behind it is leaving many wondering who the system is really designed to protect.
Key Facts:
- Robby Witt, a comedy influencer from Los Angeles, was charged $1,300 for an ambulance ride for his daughter—after providing proof of insurance.
- California’s AB 716 law caps ambulance costs for uninsured patients but allows higher charges for insured individuals.
- Witt’s insurance paid over $1,000 of the $2,342 total cost, leaving him with nearly $1,300 still to pay.
- Without insurance, the law would have capped Witt’s bill at $600.
- San Jose also approved a new $427 emergency medical services fee, joining 23 other California cities with similar charges.
The Rest of The Story:
Robby Witt’s young daughter had an allergic reaction and needed an ambulance.
At first, the bill was around $600.
After Witt sent in his insurance information, the cost more than doubled.
Witt shared the confusing situation in a TikTok video that has been viewed over 30 million times.
The video includes a phone call with a billing rep, who explained that uninsured patients get a discount under AB 716—while insured patients are stuck paying more.
The law was meant to protect uninsured individuals by aligning bills with Medi-Cal or Medicare rates.
But Witt argues that it’s punishing people who do the “right thing” by buying insurance.
Comedian rips Calif. law in viral video that ‘penalizes us for having insurance’ after ambulance bill skyrockets https://t.co/5i5A8VXMWZ pic.twitter.com/FkYTrJoKUW
— New York Post (@nypost) March 29, 2025
Commentary:
This law is completely backwards.
Californians are being penalized for having health insurance, and the numbers don’t lie.
Witt’s bill doubled simply because he followed the rules and paid thousands in premiums.
That’s not a healthcare system—it’s a scam.
State lawmakers and regulators have teamed up with insurance companies to create a system where the average citizen pays more for doing what they’re told.
They’ve rigged the game.
And when it comes time to collect, they slap people with outrageous fees and hide behind “cost recovery.”
You’d think the point of insurance is to reduce your out-of-pocket expenses.
But in California, it’s the opposite.
The people who pay into the system subsidize those who opt out, with no regard for income or fairness.
Witt’s example shows that even higher-income families could skip insurance and still come out ahead.
It’s even worse when cities like San Jose start adding $400+ “first responder” fees on top of what residents already pay in taxes.
That’s not about public safety.
That’s about finding new ways to fleece taxpayers.
Witt is right: people are already funding fire departments through some of the highest taxes in the country.
These extra charges aren’t about funding services—they’re about covering for years of financial mismanagement and waste.
And what’s the solution being offered?
“Operational efficiency.”
In other words, stop wasting the money you already have.
But that’s apparently too much to ask in California.
The Bottom Line:
California’s ambulance billing law punishes insured patients with higher costs than those without coverage.
Instead of rewarding personal responsibility, it creates perverse incentives and burdens working families.
When a dad with insurance gets billed double for an emergency ride, it’s clear something is broken.
This law needs to be repealed—or at least rewritten—before more Californians get caught in this trap.
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