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Welcome to the EMS Billing section of Beavercreek Fire Department
website. Please select from the links below for information about
EMS Billing with Beavercreek Fire Department.
EMS
Billing
What
is EMS billing?
In 2001, the Fire Department implemented the billing for
emergency medical services. In short, when a person is
transported by a Beavercreek ambulance
to a hospital, we charge for that service. We do not charge for calls where
the patient refuses to be transported, or when another agency transports the
patient (however, the transporting agency may charge for their transport).
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Why
does the fire department bill for EMS services?
We recognize the tax burden that every Beavercreek citizen pays. As a result
we constantly search for ways to minimize that burden-through the use of best
practices to make our operations as cost effective as possible and through
the collection of non-tax revenue.
Money from EMS billing is a user-based fee-that is it only
comes from individuals who use EMS service, not from the
taxpayers-at-large. This reduces the cost
of service to taxpayers.
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Why
is EMS billing important?
EMS billing reduces the overall cost of service to taxpayers by generating
revenue from two distinct areas: insurance coverage and non-residents.
Ohio law requires insurance providers to provide coverage for
emergency ambulance transports-and because their required
to provide the coverage, they charge
insurance holders for that coverage. Insurance holders have already paid
for the ambulance transport in their premiums. If we do not
collect the fees for
the ambulance transport to help reduce the burden to you, they taxpayer,
the money remains with the insurance company as profit to
them.
The Fire Department transports any person requiring emergency
medical care-regardless of their residency. As a result,
almost 40% of patients transported annually
are not residents, and do not pay for the services they’re using. Beavercreek
has three large, non-resident populations: shoppers in our commercial districts,
employees in our commercial districts, and commuters on the highways that travel
through the community. EMS billing ensures that when these people use our service,
they also help support it.
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are charges determined?
Our fees for service are based upon the Medicare reimbursable
rates, and are periodically adjusted when those rates change.
All medical transports are classified
into one of three categories (ALS1, ALS2, or BLS), and the charge is based
upon its classification. There is also a fee for mileage associated with each
incident.
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is EMS billing money used for?
The use of revenue from EMS billing is regulated by section
505.84 of the Ohio Revised Code. It allows this money
to be used for: the payment of the costs
of the management, maintenance, and operation of ambulance and emergency
medical services in the township.
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Can
money from EMS billing be used for anything besides EMS
services?
No. The section 505.84 of the Ohio Revised code requires
that all money collected through billing for emergency
medical services be used only for those purposes.
Charges collected under this section shall be kept in a separate fund designated
as "the ambulance and emergency medical services fund," and shall
be appropriated and administered by the board.
If the ambulance and emergency medical services are discontinued
in the township, any balance remaining in the fund shall
be paid into the general fund of the
township.
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