The Beavercreek Township Fire Department is currently seeking reimbursement from private health insurers, Medicare, and Medicaid for ambulance transportation. While no one living in Beavercreek City/Township will be required to pay for any uncovered expenses, we expect you might have questions about why we are charging insurance companies for the service, and how it impacts you. Below you will find frequent questions and answers about Emergency Medical Services billing. If you still have questions, please feel free to call the Beavercreek Township Fire Department at (937) 426-1213 (EXT:6009) or contact our billing service AccuMed Group directly at 1-888-479-9991.

EMS Billing FAQ

What is Emergency Medical Services (EMS) billing?

EMS billing is a service fee charged by the Beavercreek Township Fire Department for ambulance transportation (paramedic or EMT) to a hospital facility.

Why does the Beavercreek Township Fire Department charge for EMS services?

The costs for providing emergency medical services are expensive by nature. To help fund this system, a “third-party reimbursement” program was implemented in 2003. Such programs exist in an estimated 85 percent of communities nationwide. 

Reimbursement for the expense of emergency ambulance transport is sought from a patient’s Medicare, Medicaid, or commercial health insurance provider. These policies contain provisions with built-in premium charges that reimburse fire departments such as the Beavercreek Township Fire Department for transports to hospitals. Consequently, everyone pays for EMS transports services regardless of usage. 

The Township wants to take advantage of these premium charges and “re-direct” private medical insurance premium dollars and Medicare dollars back to the Township. Therefore, EMS revenue recovery may be viewed as a “rebate” of private insurance and Medicare premium dollars; not a form of “double taxation” as some would say. Moreover, EMS recovery is also viewed as more equitable as the citizens who use this service help to pay for this service. 

Lastly, this reimbursement is used to support township operations such as providing vital emergency services e.g., the purchase of medical supplies, paramedic training, fuel, etc. It must be noted that while this reimbursement assists in offsetting emergency medical costs these monies in no way cover all the costs incurred for treatment and transport. By billing insurance carriers for ambulance service, this assists with the ever-rising costs of Medical Supply’s, Medications, and Fuel Costs. 

Who will be billed?

We will bill only the insurance carriers of patients who are insured or have Medicare coverage and only when they are transported to a hospital emergency room. Furthermore, if you live in the City/Township of Beavercreek and do not have health insurance coverage, you will not receive a bill for transport. Consequently, no resident will pay anything “out of pocket” as the result of being transported to a hospital. 

In the event that our billing company does not have complete insurance information, you may receive a Request for Information (RIF) letter requesting insurance information. Also, if you are transported to a hospital and your insurance company pays for the transport, you may receive an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) letter from your insurance company. Your insurance carrier may not reimburse the Fire Department for the full fee, but rest assured, if you live in Beavercreek City/Township, you are not responsible for this difference.

Do not confuse an EOB letter with a bill; once again, no City/Township resident will receive a bill for transportation to the emergency room of any local hospital. 

While Medicare law provides the above exemption for “out of pocket” expenses for Beavercreek City/Township residents, the same Medicare law mandates that The Beavercreek Township Fire Department charges all nonresidents for hospital transportation regardless of insurance coverage. We will bill only the insurance carriers of residents who are insured or have Medicare coverage. In other words, if you live in Beavercreek City/Township and do not have health insurance, we will not bill you. We will bill all non-residents; however, even if they are not insured.

For those who do not live in Beavercreek City/Township, the initial ambulance transport billing goes to a third-party payer, if available. If the bill is not paid by Medicare, Medicaid, or a private health insurer, we will bill the individual.

How much does it cost?

We will invoice Medicare or your insurance carrier reasonable and customary rates for this area based on the services you received.

Will this increase local insurance rates?

These costs have been built into your premiums for many years. More than 80 percent of the nation’s fire departments that transport patients to the hospital bill for these services. Ambulance costs are less than 1 percent of health care expenditures. Why not pass the cost on to the end-user of the service, obtaining additional revenue for the fire department? That can help hold down the need for additional tax revenue at the local level. A fire department that does not bill a medical insurance company is only making the insurance company a little richer. Rate increases are driven by drug costs, technology, and research. One hundred percent of this money will be dedicated to the Fire & Rescue Service. Billing at the allowable costs will have minimal impact on insurance premiums.

Who is The AccuMed Group?

The Beavercreek Township Fire Department uses the billing services of The Accumed Group for patient EMS billing.

Why has The AccuMed Group sent a Signature Authorization form or a Request Insurance Information Update?

Occasionally if the Patient was not able to provide this information at the time-of-     service, Accumed will reach out to request billing / signature information later.

Why does The Accumed Group paperwork say:

                           Beavercreek Township Fire Department

                           PO Box 2122

                           Riverview MI 48193

The Accumed Group is in Ann Arbor Michigan and use the Riverview address for receiving mail correspondence.

If you have questions regarding information you may receive, Please Contact

The Accumed Group 1-888-479-991 or Beavercreek Township Fire Department

937-426-1213 (Ext: 6009)