As the world continues to changes, our leadership faced a hard decision driven by rising call volumes, cost of supplies and equipment combined with dwindling donations.  Having had a hard time making ends meet, it was presented by our leaders and adopted by our membership that we would begin to bill for services rendered.  Our agency prescribes to a very specific type of billing referred to as “soft billing” described below.  We continue to serve every patient with the utmost care no matter their ability to pay.

What is soft billing?

If you are uninsured, underinsured or have a co-pay, you will receive a bill for these services as a matter of compliance and continuity.  Any balance remaining after insurance payment may be written off as charity care upon request and as allowed by law, but will never be sent to collections.  Our charity care policy can be found at www.RiverRoadRescue.org/charitycare.

Will my premium be affected?

No. Health insurance companies to set aside funds specifically for EMS transport.  Your insurance  provider already collects these funds when you pay your premium.  When these funds aren’t used for EMS transport billing, they are converted to profits for the insurance companies. 

What if I do not have my medical insurance information at time of transport?

Our providers utilize skilled medical billers and most providers also utilize a specialized and secure data feed allowing your EMS record to be connected to your hospital record.  If we are able to record your name, date of birth and social security number at time of service, then our providers will likely be able to find your medical insurance information with ease.  In some cases (especially if you were injured in an auto accident or at work), a provider billing department may need some additional information for billing purposes. In these cases you will receive a bill for your outstanding balance with directions to provide this information. 

I was not transported to the hospital but a fee was still generated, why?

Providing ambulance service has an associated cost even when a patient refuses medical attention in the form of transportation to definitive care (hospital).  If you request service, we feel it is only fair that we ensure our costs are covered so that we may continue to be able to afford to help others.  We charge a nominal fee for this service to which our soft billing practices still apply.

My question was not answered, who do I contact?

If you have received a bill for our service, please do not call our stations, but rather call the number on the bill itself.  A representative will gladly work with you to remedy any issues you may have.