No Transport = No Fee?

reaper said:
Why not county third service? It is gov. funded and strictly EMS!
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Why have two seperate services, seperately funded, when you can have one, all inclusive service?
 
reaper said:
Why not county third service? It is gov. funded and strictly EMS!
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That's my primary job. Actually I think we're a private not for profit that gets a couple of dollars from the county.

But the third service setup is the best option in my opinion.
 
Sasha said:
Why have two seperate services, seperately funded, when you can have one, all inclusive service?
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Because EMS and Fire are fundamentally different. Just because both vehicles have lights does not mean that they're doing the same job.
 
rmellish said:
Because EMS and Fire are fundamentally different. Just because both vehicles have lights does not mean that they're doing the same job.
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Yet if they undergo the same training as every other EMT and paramedic do, they are trained to do both jobs, then it's foolish to fund two seperate departments when both are equally matched, skill wise, for EMS. Actually being fire fighters are more heavily trained in extracation I would think they are even MORE skillful and useful, EMS wise, then just a plain EMT or Paramedic.
 
Sasha said:
Yet if they undergo the same training as every other EMT and paramedic do, they are trained to do both jobs, then it's foolish to fund two seperate departments when both are equally matched, skill wise, for EMS. Actually being fire fighters are more heavily trained in extracation I would think they are even MORE skillful and useful, EMS wise, then just a plain EMT or Paramedic.
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We're really getting away from the point of the thread here, I'll continue the conversation in this thread if you want to repost the above...

http://www.emtlife.com/showthread.php?p=109349
 
Please, lets not start the debate over again. I was just putting out a suggestion. There is a split camp on here. Some like Fire/EMS and Some hate them. We have debated this a hundred times before.

Some have only seen or worked a Fire/EMS service, so that's all they know and they like it. Some have seen both sides and know which one they like. It is all personal opinion and hard to change.
 
The service I work for does charge for assessment-no transport and for treatment-no transport. I believe the only way to get around this fee is if a third party called 911 for you and you did not/ever want us. But, if you called yourself and then decide you don't want to go to the hospital, you will get a bill in the mail.

I don't think insurence will pay for it either?... I may be wrong on that.

Take Care,
 
I think with 911 third services, the city should negotiate the contract with the private company so that scene response is not billed and therefore everyone gets an assessment. If they had enough money they could probably even get scene treatment to be without cost to the pt.
 
emt-student said:
How about patients you treat/stabilize on scene, then turn over to another authority? HEMS? Treat and release with police?
What about if ALS jumps onto a BLS rig? Does ALS bill the BLS service then the BLS bills the patient?
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The company I'm riding with is a private NPO that is jointly owned by 4 local hospitals. One of those hospitals also owns the only helicopter we deal with on a regular basis so the money goes the same place anyway but in that case the helicopter sends the only bill to the pt.

As for ALS jumping on a BLS rig, we charge the other company and they bill the patient. My question about that for anyone that knows about medicare/insurance (R/r) is since we are charging the company for our ALS services provided are they able to bill insurance/medicare for those same ALS services or since they're a BLS service is that all that insurance will pay?
 
We only charge for transport, base rate + milage. We then only get paid what insurance pays out. If the bill is say $750.00 and insurance only pays $350.00 we basically right off the other $400. If the patient does not have insurance, we send them the bill but our billing department is very leinient and only collects what the patient can pay.
 
Sasha said:
When does a human life become less important than making money?
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Let me know when my electric and gas companies start taking good will as payment. Until that time supplies have to be bought, bills payed, and employees paid. That money has to come from somewhere and government money is not free, it comes from the tax payers. Without billing someone (patients, citizens via taxes, etc), there would be no money to provide EMS, and hence no EMS.
 
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I have to say I find all this so strange, and it's something I have to get used to here now I've moved to this US.

Back home in Ireland, 112 (911) is a free service. Period!
 
imurphy said:
Back home in Ireland, 112 (911) is a free service. Period!
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Well, it's actually not free of course, but financed in a different way. Nothing is free, even on volly services, because something is paying for the gas, equipment, etc...it just changes the way it's paid for. :P
 
Sasha said:
It does. Although I work for a private service, I would love to see all EMS as government funded, which is why I love fire service EMS so much. I think it's better for the patient.
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and hence why you are still a student. There are very few to if any fire service EMS that is a patient advocate in promoting emergency medicine. Most hire below the neck line and not what is between the ears.

In regards to source of money, Sasha .. someone pays for it. Either per tax revenue, or per patient charge ... somebody pays.

R/r 911
 
Hal9000 said:
Well, it's actually not free of course, but financed in a different way. Nothing is free, even on volly services, because something is paying for the gas, equipment, etc...it just changes the way it's paid for. :P
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Just don't tell that to some of our patients, they might think we're lying to them when we say it's "free!"
 
mikie said:
Just don't tell that to some of our patients, they might think we're lying to them when we say it's "free!"
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Hey, come on now, I think a lot of patients need a big dose of depression therapy. Here comes the reality stick! :rolleyes:
 
Ridryder911 said:
and hence why you are still a student. There are very few to if any fire service EMS that is a patient advocate in promoting emergency medicine. Most hire below the neck line and not what is between the ears.

In regards to source of money, Sasha .. someone pays for it. Either per tax revenue, or per patient charge ... somebody pays.

R/r 911
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I am a student. My area runs a fantastic fire ems service. Their testing is brutual to even get an interview to be hired. Some of the medics that work with me took their written EMS test and failed it. So I highly doubt they don't hire for knowledge as well.

I know money has to come from somewhere, I'm not retarded. But I would rather it come from tax dollars. I'm not saying EMS has to be strictly free, but everyone should get a free assesment. There should only be a charge for any therapy or treatment, and transport. I have seen too many people forgo calling EMS because they don't want a bill, do not take their illness or injury seriously enough, and it detoriorates and gets worse, costing more money in the long run. If they knew they could call to get an assesment for someone to go "Hey, you really do need to go see the doc ASAP!" then maybe they'd take thier own POV to the ER, or realize the seriousness of their illness or injury and take the bill.
 
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