Billing for Emergency Medical Services

As a Non-Profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing emergency medical services through ambulance response to 911 calls, we are committed to ensuring the health and safety of our patients and the communities we serve, regardless of their ability to pay for those services. However, to maintain our ability to offer exceptional 24/7 coverage, we must address the financial aspects of our operations.

Why We Bill for Services

Our organization does not receive direct financial support from the towns we service, and while we are grateful for the contributions from our community, these donations alone do not cover the extensive costs associated with running an emergency medical service. Here are the key reasons why billing for our services is necessary:

• Operational Costs: The expenses involved in maintaining ambulances, equipment, and trained personnel are substantial. These include vehicle maintenance, fuel, medical supplies, insurance, and salaries for our dedicated staff.
• Uncompensated Care: A significant portion of our services are provided to patients who are uninsured or underinsured, leading to uncompensated care. This burden is particularly heavy for ambulance services, with bad debt representing about 26 percent of total costs.
• Reimbursement Challenges: Current federal health care policy reimburses ambulance services primarily as a transportation benefit, which means we often receive below-cost reimbursement for 72% of all transports. This includes charity care for the uninsured and under-compensated care from Medicare and Medicaid.
• Regulatory Obligations: We are obligated to bill for our services per CMS regulations, which require us to submit claims for reimbursement to ensure the sustainability of our operations.

Our Commitment to the Community

We understand the financial strain that unexpected medical bills can cause. Here's how we strive to balance our financial needs with our commitment to community service:

• Hardship Policy: We have established a written hardship policy that outlines eligibility criteria for discounted care, the basis for calculating charges, and the application process. There is a link to the policy on this page.
• Emergency Medical Care Policy: Our policy ensures that emergency medical care is provided on a non-discriminatory basis, regardless of a patient's ability to pay.
• Community Engagement: We actively seek community support through fundraising efforts.

Conclusion

Billing for our services is essential to sustain our operations and continue providing critical emergency medical care to our community. We are committed to transparency, fairness, and accessibility in our billing practices, ensuring that our services remain available to all who need them, regardless of their financial situation. We encourage community members to understand our financial assistance policies and engage with us to support our mission.

Please note that while we work closely with the towns we serve, we are an independent nonprofit organization, not a township department, and do not receive direct financial aid from the towns.

To Contact our Billing Department:

AIM Billing

892 New Castle Road

Slippery Rock PA 16057

724-794-1222