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1. Why does the City have EMS Cost Recovery?

Colonial Heights is joining a growing number of area localities that are seeking recovery from insurance providers for the costs of emergency ambulance transportation. Most health insurance policies already provide this coverage, which is included in your monthly premiums.

Insurance companies/citizens will be charged according to the type of service received and the distance of transport to the hospital. Charges will be billed to the patient’s health insurance provider, Medicare or Medicaid. Patients without health-care coverage will be billed directly. If an ambulance responds, but the patient is not transported, there will be no charge.

2. What if I don’t have insurance and I can’t afford to pay?

All patients will be treated, and if necessary, transported to a hospital emergency department. Always call 911 in an emergency, regardless of your billing concerns. Our first priority is your health and safety, not Cost Recovery!

Citizens who disclose financial hardships will be billed accordingly, using an “ability-to-pay” scale.

All citizens will be encouraged to subscribe to Fare Care, a yearly subscription plan designed to help pay emergency medical transport expenses not covered by their health care provider, Medicaid or Medicare.

3. How does the billing process work?

The process is similar to going to your health care provider. After a citizen has received emergency ambulance transportation to a hospital, a claim is filed with the patient’s health insurance carrier. Patients receive a benefit statement from their health insurance carrier explaining the amounts on the claim and what expenses the health plan will cover. The statement may also show a “balance due.”

Fare Care subscribers will not receive a bill for emergency ambulance transportation. Their expenses are covered under their yearly subscription fee. Patients who do not subscribe to Fare Care will be responsible for any amounts due.