Town of Somerset authorizes billing for EMS

Thomas Tedesco, Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, N.Y.
·2 min read

Apr. 11—BARKER — Barker Fire Department can now bill insurance companies for its ambulance service.

This week the Somerset town board adopted a resolution authorizing the all-volunteer department to pursue payment of fees associated with ambulance-based treatment and transport from their patients' health insurers.

Prior to the board's unanimous vote Wednesday night, Barker Fire Chief David Hotaling told the board his company plans to implement soft billing, as several others have recently done in Niagara County, in an effort to cover continued rising costs to operate their ambulance services.

"Since Covid (expenses) have drastically increased," Hotaling said. "Cost of providing care to patients in the form of meds, intervention, fuel, maintenance, training and basic life support equipment to meet state department of health standards have all gone up. A new ambulance today costs $300,000. The one we purchased in 2020 was $190,000."

He also noted a couple other local companies have ceased their ambulance options because of heightened expenses.

"It's hit close to home. In Orleans County, I know (Kendall Fire Company) got rid of theirs this past year. On the other end of our county (Frontier Volunteer Fire Company) got rid of theirs a few years ago, so it's happening here," Hotaling said.

In 2022, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation that allows volunteer fire companies to bill for emergency medical services.

Barker Fire Department will only be able to issue bills to insurance providers for calls they respond to for residents within the town of Somerset.

The authorized fees for ambulance service are:

—Basic Life Support with Basic EMT level service, $1,000.

—Advanced Life Support treatment above basic EMT level service, $1,250.

—Three or more drugs administered, or one of seven procedures such as defibrillation, external pacemaker or opening surgical airways, $1,500.

—Advanced Life Support treatment on another agency's ambulance, $785.

—Treat and release basic life support service treatment or assessment without transport, $400.

—Transport mileage, $38 per loaded mile.