The Cost of EMS Shouldn’t Be a Bitter Pill to Swallow
A Western Berks EMS Membership Helps Mitigate Out-of-Pocket Expenses for Patients.
Here’s
how a Western Berks Membership Works
Because most health insurance providers do not cover the entire cost of ambulance services, and,
because sometimes ambulance reimbursement claims are denied by a patient’s insurance company leaving the patient with the full responsibility of paying for the ambulance; Western Berks EMS offers families in its service areas with children under the age of 25 the opportunity to purchase an annual membership to help mitigate out-of-pocket ambulance expenses.
Pay your membership or make a donation online today!
If you have any questions regarding a subscription membership, please call us at 610-678-1545, extension 2. WE DO NOT SOLICIT FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS BY PHONE, only through our annual mailing. Western Berks Ambulance is proud to offer the services that we do to the community.
Another way you can support Western Berks Ambulance is through Amazon Smile. Designating Western Berks Ambulance as your non-profit/charity of choice a percentage of certain purchases will come directly to us. Visit Amazon.com: to shop. Thank you for your support!
Western Berks Ambulance also has an opportunity for additional donations through Thrivent Financial. If you have investments through them you have what is called “Thrivent Dollars” which is money at no cost to you that you are able to allocate to non-profits and/or charities. Please contact your financial advisor for details. As always we appreciate your support!
- Everyone who permanently resides within your household.
- Emergency Ambulance Service (Both Basic and Advanced Life Support).
- Medically necessary routine ambulance transports. (Transports to Doctor’s office excluded).
- Medically necessary long distance transports.
- Medically necessary Advanced Life Support Inter-Facility Transports.
- You will not be charged for the first three (3) lift assists. (Currently $105 per lift assist).
- We currently offer two different plans:
- Silver Plan includes copays, deductibles & 3 lift assists limiting out of pocket expenses
- Gold Plan includes copays, deductibles , 3 lift assists , insurance denials and individuals with no insurance allowing for no out of pocket expenses
- Wheelchair Van Services.
- Ambulance transports to Doctor’s offices.
- Ambulance transports primarily for convenience (i.e.: More comfortable than a wheelchair, or transfers to another facility for personal preferences.)
- Instances where you are treated on scene and refuse transport to the hospital.
- If your insurance company requires pre-authorization/certification, it is the patient’s responsibility to obtain it. Failure to do so will make the patient financially responsible.
- Greater than three (3) lift assists.
We spoke earlier of the response fee for an evaluation. That represents responding and providing an evaluation that includes taking vital signs to make sure they appear to be within normal limits. However, if our evaluation exceeds that by having to provide other procedures, there will be additional charges for that service. Examples of additional charges will include, but not limited to:
- Applying cardiac monitor.
- Initiating a medical command patch
- Administering oral glucose.
- Initiating an intravenous line.
- Checking blood sugar levels.
- Additional charges after the first 15 minutes we are on locations with the patient.
All non-members will be responsible for the entire amount each time.
Medical Necessity: In order for your ambulance bill to be covered by insurance, and to be covered under our subscription program, ambulance service must be both reasonable, as well as medically necessary. The following excerpt from the Medicare manual will illustrate how we determine medical necessity for an ambulance versus a wheelchair transport.
Remember…Emergencies can happen to anyone at any time and usually without warning. By helping us through our subscription program you are also providing yourself and your loved ones with an added benefit. This subscription program helps both of us.
According to Medicare, “Medicare coverage for ambulance services are very specific. Ambulance transportation is covered only if it is medically necessary and the patient’s condition contra-indicates transportation by any other means. Where some means of transportation other than ambulance could be used without endangering the patient’s health, whether or not such other transportation is actually available, no payment may be made for ambulance service. Ambulance transportation is not meant to be used as a convenience.” “If the patient is generally mobile (e.g., the patient could walk unassisted to the vehicle, or could walk to the vehicle with assistance, including the use of a cane, crutches, walker or wheelchair); if the patient shows no signs or symptoms of distress, and there are no other complicating circumstances, it is reasonable to conclude that transportation by ambulance is not medically necessary.”**