Editor,
Beginning Feb. 1, 2010 the Village of Sherburne Ambulance will bill for transports of patients to the hospital to offset the costs of future paid staff. The funds generated from billing will be used for personnel costs only, while the money generated from tax collection will continue to pay for regular operational costs such as vehicle maintenance, equipment, fuel, etc. There are several factors that have led to the need for paid staff and patient billing.
The biggest dilemma facing Sherburne Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is a lack of volunteers willing and able to complete the required training to provide advanced life support (ALS) during 911 emergencies. The time required to become a Paramedic is 2 years of full-time training, clinical experience, and testing. While many people are interested in becoming a volunteer to help their community, the task of becoming a Paramedic is often far too daunting as a volunteer. With that said, Sherburne is very fortunate to have six advanced life support providers as volunteers who run a total of nearly 500 calls for EMS annually. The problem lies in day-time response with volunteers committed to full-time jobs, often outside of the Sherburne area. After an exhausting review of the problems and potential solutions, the EMS members concluded the only answer is to prepare to place paid ALS providers in the station during the day-time periods when volunteers are at a minimum. Clearly when incurring the costs of paid staff, a budget increase is required thus the need existed for billing insurance companies and patients for transports.
Sherburne EMS has operated on a tax generated budget for decades to cover the costs of ambulances, medical equipment, fuel, and other regular expenses. This operational budget will continue unaffected to cover the regular expenses of running the EMS service in Sherburne. The Village of Sherburne will utilize funds generated from patient billing for EMS staff costs only. During the examination of possible solutions to Sherburne’s day-time volunteer shortage the possibility of relying on outside agencies to provide EMS was examined at length and ruled out as the best option. If Sherburne were to rely on an outside agency such as Cooperstown Medical Transport (CMT) or the City of Norwich Fire Department, the patients requesting EMS would still receive a bill for services and also have to wait the excessive time for CMT or Norwich Fire to respond from the City of Norwich. So, in short, the patient would still receive a bill and have to wait longer for an ambulance. With Sherburne EMS billing and paying an ALS provider, the patient receives a much timelier response which, during a medical emergency, can make the difference between life and death. With the goal of providing the best service for the least cost this combination paid/volunteer service was deemed the most cost beneficial for the residents that Sherburne EMS serves.
The billing process will work much the same way as going to a doctor and receiving a bill. It is difficult to give an example of a routine bill due to the numerous factors that go into generating the costs for each transport. Individual bills will vary based upon distance to the hospital, level of care required for the patient, and more. A patient will only receive a bill for services if transported to the hospital, calling 911 and receiving an EMS response will NOT create a bill. Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, and even automobile insurance (if the patient is transported because of a motor vehicle collision) will all provide payment for ambulance service. As with all other aspects of health insurance, the coverage for each individual vary based on insurance policies. If the patient is uninsured, the option will exist for a payment plan to satisfy the ambulance charge to help avoid financial hardship because of an ambulance transport. Sherburne EMS strongly encourages residents to utilize the ambulance service when needed and to make concerns about the financial aspect secondary. The medical care provided by the ambulance can make significant differences in patient outcomes during heart attacks, breathing difficulties, strokes, injuries, and much more.
While billing will initiate on February 1st, the date for hiring of paid staff has not been established. It is the goal of Sherburne EMS to generate capital and establish an income stream prior to hiring staff to ensure a successful and cost feasible hiring process. The current volunteers’ dedication will continue to provide ALS to the best of their abilities while at times requiring outside assistance during day-time responses. Through countless hours of meetings, research, and preparation the Village of Sherburne EMS developed this plan for long-term sustainability and the most cost effective solution. It is because of the efforts of the volunteers that make up the Sherburne Fire Department that EMS will continue to thrive in Sherburne. Feel free to contact the Fire Department with any questions, concerns, or if you have the desire to volunteer in your community as an EMT, Firefighter, or driver.
Jansen Casscles
The Sherburne Fire Department
www.sherburnefire.org