01
I have a membership plan with Western Berks Ambulance Association (WBAA), why did I get a bill?
Your membership applies to medically necessary emergency and non-emergency ambulance transportation. We may not have your current insurance information. Please contact the billing office at 610-678-1545 ext 2 to verify your information. Wheelchair transports are not covered under the membership plan.
02
My municipality pays my membership. Why did I get a bill?
Lower Heidelberg, South Heidelberg, and Spring Townships as well as Sinking Spring, Wernersville, Birdsboro and West Reading Boroughs all pay for their resident’s membership through their tax base. The membership guidelines requires us to bill any/all insurances you may have first, then any remaining balance will be written off to your membership. You may have received a bill because the service provided to you is not covered under the membership guidelines, we do not have your insurance information to bill insurance, or we billed insurance and are informing you of such.
03
Will my membership with another ambulance company apply to my bill?
We honor memberships with several ambulance organizations in Berks County. There may be other conditions that apply. Please contact the office with any questions.
04
I do not have any insurance. What are my payment options?
You have several options for paying your invoice. You may contact us by telephone to make a credit card payment. If you are unable to pay your balance in full, you may set up monthly time payments. Payment schedules are set up interest-free, so there is no additional cost to you unless your account becomes past due. You may contact our office to inquire about our financial hardship policy. You may also mail your payment to us by tearing off the bottom portion of the invoice and mailing it with your check to us at 2506 Belmont Avenue, West Lawn, PA 19609.
05
Are all of your services covered by insurance?
WBAA offers several non-ambulance services that are not covered by insurance plans. You should check with your insurance carrier prior to service to check to see if it is a covered service. Additionally, some ambulance services may not be covered by your insurance, especially non-emergent ambulance transportation. Please call our office so that we can address your specific situation. Wheelchair transports are not covered under Medicare, most insurances or membership and are the patient’s responsibility.
06
A person I spoke to at my Medicare carrier stated that they would pay for this. Why didn’t you submit it to them?
Not all services we provide are covered by Medicare. WBAA is not required to submit claims for service that federal law prohibits Medicare from paying. If you have any other questions please feel free to contact our office for clarification.
07
I want to provide my insurance information. How do I do that?
Please contact us at 610-678-1545 ext 2 to submit your information over the phone, or you may fill out the back of your invoice and mail it back to us. Please remember to give us the name of your insurance carrier, the name of the insurance subscriber and their birth date, the address for the insurance claim to be mailed to, and all ID/policy and group numbers.
08
I received a check in the mail from my insurance, is this my money to keep?
It is most likely a payment that was mailed to you from your insurance company and is intended to be forwarded to the healthcare provider.
09
I received a check from the insurance company made out to me/spouse. How do I use this to pay for my bill?
The easiest way is to sign the check over to the ambulance company and mail it to the address at the top of your bill. When endorsing the back of the check, the person to whom the check is made out should also write, “Pay to the order of Western Berks Ambulance.” You also have the option to deposit the check from the insurance company into your personal account, and then send full payment to us via check, money order or credit card. In either case, please also send a copy of your explanation of benefits from the insurance company, the tear-off portion of your bill, and a check for any additional balance you may owe.
10
Must I pay my account all at once or can I pay it over time?
WBAAA will submit to any available insurance source however if a balance still remains, WBAA offers flexible monthly payment options by check and credit card.
11
My child received a bill and I want to know what happened?
Although your child may be insured by you, if your child is 18 or older, federal mandates prohibit us from discussing the medical reasons related to his or her care without first receiving written permission from them. The required documentation can be obtained by calling our business office at 610-678-1545 ext 2.
12
I was involved in a motor vehicle accident but it was the other party’s fault. Why do I need to give you my auto insurance information?
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania only allows us to bill one person or party. Although we will send the bill to your auto insurance, your auto insurance will contact the other party’s insurance for appropriate payment.
13
I was involved in a work-related accident. Why did I receive the bill?
Although you may have received a bill, this bill is to be turned over to your company’s human resources staff member. It is advisable they contact us with the appropriate workers compensation information.
14
Why do you need my signature when I have Medicare?
Medicare requires that we have your signature as authorization to bill and accept payments on your behalf. The signature also allows us to bill any secondary insurance you may have after Medicare pays the initial claim.
15
What is the difference between a BLS and ALS emergency transport?
Basic Life Support (BLS) is an emergency transport provided by a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Advanced Life Support (ALS) is provided when a patient is in more critical condition and a paramedic is required to assist in the treatment of the patient before and/or during transport to the emergency facility.
16
My father/mother is elderly and they do not understand their bills. Can you send their bills to me? Would I then be responsible for paying anything?
Yes, we can mail any paperwork to you. Please provide us with your name, address, phone number and relationship to the patient. Although we list you on the account, you will not be responsible for their bills.