Why do I still get a bill?
The portion of your property tax levy that goes towards the ambulance service operation only covers 36% of the total operations cost for the budget year (2018). The remainder of the operating budget is made up by revenue recovered through billing for ambulance services provided. Unfortunately, we are unable to recover 100% of the total cost of services strictly through billing of Medicare, Medicaid, Commercial Insurance and direct payment from patient.
25% of our total call volume is not chargeable to either the patient or insurance companies.
Do I need to pay the bill?
Quite simply, yes. Without paying for ambulance service the availability of adequately trained staffed ambulance would decrease drastically.
Ambulance transport is covered under most insurance plans (please refer to your insurance plan summary). Additionally, under Medicare guidelines, we must make every effort to collect all unpaid fees. This is to ensure a ‘standard practice’ of collection is in place, as opposed to showing favoritism to any specific individual.
However, we also understand that sometimes the patient or their family just cannot meet their obligations to pay this amount immediately due to financial hardship. With this in mind Clifton Park & Halfmoon Ambulance does offer a Charity Care Program for those patients and families that earn less than 150% of the Federal Poverty Level.
If you need assistance paying your ambulance bill, please contact our Business Department at (518) 371-3880 for an application or payment arrangements.
- You may receive an Ambulance Assignment of Benefits form that simply requires you to read, sign and return it to our billing company, MultiMed, in Baldwinsville NY. This form is normally signed during your transport and simply allows us to bill your insurance company for your services. However sometimes it is necessary to send this form to you for signing after services are provided.
- You may receive an invoice/bill for the total billed amount or copayment. Please submit payment of that amount, or contact us with any questions.
- You may receive a check for payment direct from your insurance company. Since we submit a claim to your insurance company, they may send that the payment check directly to you. When this happens, you are to send your payment back to us for payment. Failure to relinquish these insurance payments is considered insurance fraud and is illegal.
Your understanding and cooperation is greatly appreciated in responding appropriately to any of the above mailings.
To pay your ambulance bill or any portion of which is required by your insurance company, please remit payment along with the mailed invoice to:
Clifton Park & Halfmoon Emergency Corps, Inc.
MultiMed Billing Services
P.O. Box 535
Baldwinsville, NY 13027
(800) 927-5845
If you have any questions about your ambulance bill or amount due, please call:
Clifton Park & Halfmoon Emergency Corps, Inc.
(518) 371-3880
Unlike doctor’s offices or hospitals, ambulance services are prohibited from billing for each skill and item utilized during your ambulance transport. Therefore services are billed according to 3 major categories:
BLS – Basic Life Support which requires an Emergency Medical Technician for evaluation, treatment and transport for conditions that does not require advanced care as outlined in ALS1 or ALS2
ALS1 – Advanced Life Support 1 requires advanced evaluation skills and care provided by a paramedic. Care such as heart monitoring (EKG), starting and/or maintenance of intravenous lines (IVs) administration of medications.
ALS2 – Advanced Life Support 2 requires advanced evaluation skills and care provided by a paramedic. Care such as cardiac treatment (defibrillation/electrical pacing), administration of multiple medications and advanced airway care such as a breathing tube (intubation).
In addition, a cost per loaded mile is included. This is only from the point of patient care to the destination hospital.
Our ambulance service rates are consistent with other services in this region and are approved by the municipalities we serve.
Please feel free to contact us at our main station at:
Clifton Park & Halfmoon Ambulance
15 Crossing Blvd.
Clifton Park, NY 12065
(518) 371-3880