CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - A county in North Carolina may begin garnishing wages or bank deposits from patients to collect unpaid ambulance bills.

The Charlotte Observer reports activists protested the proposal Tuesday at a Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners meeting. Dr. Jessica Saxe said people make life-threatening decisions based on their ability to pay and may stop calling 911 for help.

Medic, the Mecklenburg Emergency Services Agency, has said nearly 2,700 ambulance bills are more than 120 days past due, totaling over $2 million.

The county was expected to send those bills to the county Tax Collector starting in October, but Medic spokeswoman Grace Nelson says that’s “on pause” now as the company and county explore options.

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Information from: The Charlotte Observer, http://www.charlotteobserver.com

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