Why does it cost so much for an ambulance response?
Our highly trained staff (Paid and Volunteer), vehicles and equipment are dedicated to answering emergency ‘911’ calls our community 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. But all of this equipment and staffing does cost money. These costs are paid for through a combination of user fees that are billed to those who actually use the service and an ambulance tax subsidy from the Town of Watertown.
I have a HMO/Medicare/Medicaid – can you bill them directly?
Absolutely! That’s the preferred method! We do submit claims directly to all insurance companies. There are many steps to this process, which if not handled immediately or properly will result in a delay of receiving payment for your claim.
I was in a car accident – how is that billed?
If you were transported as a result of a motor vehicle crash, your medical expenses are covered under the ‘No-Fault’ portion of your vehicle’s insurance. The billing company for Town of Watertown Ambulance will send you a questionnaire to obtain your car insurance carrier information. It is very important that you complete and sign this form as soon as you are able to, as New York State Law requires that the claim be submitted to the insurance carrier within 45-days of the accident.
I was injured on the job and I received a bill, why is that?
Please ask your employer to contact our billing vendor immediately regarding this. We need to have their Workers’ Compensation carrier information.
I received a bill for a “Paramedic Intercept”. What is this, and will my insurance cover this?
Town of Watertown Ambulance also provides “intercept” services to other volunteer services. Not all volunteer ambulance services have Advanced Life Support (ALS) equipment and personnel available, and–depending on the type of call–EMS agencies are required by both State and local protocols to have an ALS provider respond to certain type of calls and evaluate the patient to see if there is a need for ALS treatment. If you received a bill fromTown of Watertown Ambulance for this service, we were requested by the transporting ambulance service or by Jefferson County’s 911 center. Most private insurances do cover this “intercept” fee. However, Medicare, as well as the Medicare replacement plans, will not cover these “Intercept” charges. In some cases, Town of Watertown Ambulance can have written Agreements with our neighbors filed with Medicare to help cover these types of bills, but not all of our neighboring agencies qualify for these Agreements. If you do have a question about an “intercept” charge, your first phone call should be to our billing vendor to see how to proceed.
I received a check from my insurance company, what do I do?
Most insurance companies send the check directly to us. However, some of the insurance companies send the reimbursement check directly to the patient. If you should receive a check, please sign the back of the check and forward it to either Town of Watertown Ambulance, or to our billing vendor. If you keep the check, Town of Watertown Ambulance will continue to bill you for the service provided, and you may end up in Collections if you do not make arrangements to pay the amount that was sent to you.