Pixabay EAST ST. LOUIS — A class of patients and their families claim a helicopter ambulance transport company uses predatory billing practices, charging some patients up to $153 per mile for medical transport services. Teresa Belyeu, Gary Budnick, Keith Cotton, Bridgette Diaz, Amanda Dyke and others filed a complaint April 27 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois against Air Evac EMS Inc., doing business as Evac Lifeteam, alleging breach of implied-in-fact contract and predatory billing practices. According to the complaint, the plaintiffs were all patients or those who had loved ones that were transported "under medical circumstances" using Evac Lifeteam services. Specifically, the plaintiffs allege that there was "no express contract for payment" for the medical transportation prices. They also allege Evac Lifeteam did not disclose the amounts "they intend to charge" for the transportation, with one plaintiff being billed more than $51,000.