Ambulance will now charge for service

FALLS VILLAGE — Representatives from the Falls Village Volunteer Fire Department and  ambulance squad and an ambulance billing company explained to a group of senior citizens what the new billing system will mean at a meeting at the Senior Center Thursday, Nov. 4.

Another meeting was held for other town residents later that day.

Ambulance chief Linda Paviol and Bob Holdsworth, president of Holdsworth Pelton of Cromwell, made the presentation, which attracted not just The Lakeville Journal but also a cameraman from Channel 3 news.

“Over the last 15 years ambulance services have had two choices: to keep going back to the taxpayers as costs increase or to offset some of the costs by charging against insurance,� Holdsworth told the group of 12 seniors.

Of about 180 ambulance services in Connecticut, between 20 and 25 do not bill for services, Holdsworth said. (That list includes Salisbury and Sharon.)

Falls Village will now be billing for ambulance service. He explained how it will work.

Medicare Part B covers 80 percent of a “medically necessary� ambulance call. Supplemental insurance usually picks up the remaining 20 percent.

“You will get a bill. If you can pay it, please do.

“If you can’t,  if it’s a choice between paying the bill and keeping the lights on or going to the grocery store, we have a hardship policy. Write a request and sign it. We’ll work our way through it.â€�

Holdsworth said the reason for hiring his company to handle the billing is two-fold.

Processing the paperwork is complicated and would be trying for the ambulance company volunteers, who have enough on their plate keeping up with their training.

Secondly, “We can implement the policies the department wants.�

In the event of a hardship application, “You don’t have to explain it to Linda at the post office, you explain it to me. It’s more private that way.�

He urged the seniors to spread the word among their friends and to be sure a copy of emergency contact information and details of any medications, allergies, etc., is “somewhere conspicuous,� such as the refrigerator, as well as in wallets or purses.

Holdsworth was asked what the company’s percentage is.

“Nine and a half percent; eight and a half if the invoice is paid within two weeks,� replied Holdsworth.

Someone asked what happens if there is a month with no calls. Would that mean no revenue for Holdsworth?

 â€œIn theory, yes, but insurance companies pay at different times so there is usually something coming in.â€�

Will the town’s contribution to the ambulance service go up?

“Probably not,� said Paviol, who reiterated a couple of times that none of the billing revenue goes for salaries.

“We will remain a volunteer service. The purpose is to offset the cost of new equipment — especially a new ambulance.� (The current one is 10 years old.)

Asked about limits on paramedic charges,  Holdsworth said the charge will be the figure set by Medicare.

However, he cautioned, “the amount paid by federal and state programs is diminishing, so even if the state sets rates, retail costs keep going up. So it doesn’t matter what the state does, Medicare sets its allowable figure and that’s that.

“The difference is lost revenue for the ambulance company. If the cost is $1,200 and the allowable limit is $800, Medicare covers 80 percent of that. The $400 is money the ambulance company can’t collect and that’s why it is difficult for volunteer services to survive.�

Holdsworth said his company handles billing for 31 percent of the state’s ambulance companies, and 70 percent of those employ at least one professional.

He said it typically takes a year to get a good idea of how effective the new system is. “It might not reduce the town’s share but it could help contain upward costs.

“The goal is to reduce the burden on taxpayers and make the ambulance more efficient as a subset of the fire department.�

Both Holdsworth and Paviol stressed that if someone calls 911, the ambulance will come, same as always.