An Aurora, Colorado, resident claims that paramedics endangered her life by refusing to take her to the hospital of her choice, leading to higher out-of-network hospital bills for her.
The incident occurred on the night of November 28, 2022, when Darien Peoples, a 34-year-old Type 1 diabetic, experienced ketoacidosis, CBS News reported. Peoples had frequently received treatment at UCHealth’s University of Colorado Hospital, located just six miles from her home. She preferred this hospital because they accepted her insurance and were familiar with her medical history.
Peoples’ boyfriend dialed Aurora 911, requesting that she be taken to UCHealth. However, the Falck paramedics on the scene declined the request and insisted on transporting her to Parker Adventist Hospital, which was over 12 miles away. Due to her status as a new patient at Parker Adventist, Peoples had to wait for more than two hours before receiving the essential IV insulin she required.
She expressed frustration, emphasizing that her trusted medical team at UCHealth understood her reactions to drugs, while the unfamiliarity with her medical history at Parker Adventist caused delays. By the time she received insulin, her blood glucose levels had soared to 1,400.
Peoples spent five days in the hospital and now faces the burden of high out-of-network insurance bills. She expressed anger and disappointment, saying that the system designed to support and aid patients had failed her. To explore why paramedics didn’t take her to the hospital of her choice, CBS News Colorado sought insights from emergency management experts. These experts argued that a patient’s preference should typically be the priority, unless the desired hospital is on divert status due to capacity constraints.
UCHealth confirmed that they were not on divert status that night and asserted that such circumstances were extremely rare at their hospital. In fact, they had only been on divert status once throughout 2022. Aurora Fire informed CBS News Colorado that the paramedics were following a protocol called “zone master,” which determines the rotation of hospitals for patient transport. According to the city, paramedics were within their rights to refuse Peoples’ request because the zone master protocol was activated, and they were following established city protocols.
However, Aurora Fire’s own policies state that the zone master protocol is activated when all hospitals in the area are on divert status. This discrepancy raises concerns. EMS experts and some fire districts argued that regardless of rotation policies, honoring a patient’s hospital choice should take precedence, except in rare mass casualty situations. Some fire districts even labeled the zone master policy as outdated.
Attorney Brad Levin, specializing in insurance and medical cases, suggested that the city might bear liability for Peoples’ out-of-network bills based on initial review. He believed there could be potential negligence on the part of the ambulance company, resulting in her being taken to an out-of-network institution. Peoples has limited options to pursue without incurring additional costs for her defense.
CBS News Colorado discovered that there is currently no state oversight of ambulance companies and no investigating agency to address consumer complaints regarding ambulance responses. However, this is expected to change in 2024 when new state laws regulating ambulance districts come into effect.
Attorney Brad Levin emphasized the importance of such regulations, particularly in inter-jurisdictional cases, to prevent similar incidents. Peoples shared this concern, highlighting the need for at least some form of human oversight. In the meantime, she hopes that sharing her story will raise awareness and empower others to understand their rights and advocate for themselves when seeking emergency assistance.
Aurora Fire contracts to Falck, which declined to comment, redirecting inquiries back to the city. Aurora Fire itself declined an on-camera interview for the story. Currently, a state committee is actively formulating new oversight laws for ambulances, holding regular meetings to develop regulations that could be implemented next year.