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EMS Cost Recovery is a program to obtain reimbursement for the costs of emergency medical services associated with transporting a patient to the hospital by ambulance. Medicaid, Medicare and most other private insurance policies (health, auto and/or homeowners) already allow for reimbursement for this service. This cost recovery method has been implemented successfully by more than 40 localities in Virginia to recover necessary funds to support the growing needs of EMS services.
More than 80% of residents in the Commonwealth, and 85% nationwide, live in communities that have EMS cost recovery in place. If you were to have an accident or need emergency transport to a hospital in one of these many communities, including our surrounding jurisdictions of Nelson, Orange, Louisa and Greene, your insurance would be billed and those funds would go towards supporting that county’s EMS system. We think it makes sense for Albemarle County to recover costs for our EMS system in that same way by collecting from this previously untapped source.
Residents who have no insurance or who are unable to pay their insurance copayments or deductibles will be treated with compassion and provided with options to ensure that financial hardship is avoided, with the bottom line being that people who can’t pay will not have to pay. The County is focused on collecting reimbursement from insurance companies who are already charging policy holders for this service. Until now those funds have gone untapped by the County and the burden of paying the increasing costs of providing EMS services in the community has fallen solely on our taxpayers.
Key Highlights:
- No one will ever be denied treatment or transport based on their ability to pay
- Most insurance policies, including Medicare and Medicaid, already allow for reimbursement for this service
- The compassionate billing policy insures that anyone who can’t pay will not be required to pay
- Over 80% of Virginians live in communities with cost recovery in place, including all counties that adjoin Albemarle except Fluvanna
Click here to view EMS Cost Recovery FAQs
Click here to view EMS Cost Recovery Brochure
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