A. 
The City of Englewood recognizes the need to bill patients for the provision of emergency medical and rescue services and transportation to aid in the provision of those services.
B. 
No person requiring emergency medical or rescue services and/or transportation shall be denied services due to a lack of insurance or ability to pay levied charges.
C. 
It is in the best interest of the residents of the City of Englewood to establish a policy for EMS and rescue billing in accordance with the Health Care Finance Administration (HCFA) guidelines (as same may from time to time be amended or supplemented) so that taxpayers or individuals legally domiciled in the City of Englewood will not be responsible for the payment of any uninsured out-of-pocket expenses.
A. 
The EFDDEMS shall obtain the necessary licensure from the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services to provide emergency medical services and transportation (the "program").
B. 
The City of Englewood will apply for a provider number from the federal and state Medicare/Medicaid programs, enabling the City to institute a third-party payment plan (the "payment plan") for provided services.
C. 
All patients whether or not taxpayers or legally domiciled residents of the City of Englewood, and/or their financially responsible parties, insurers or carriers will be billed for emergency medical and/or rescue services and transportation provided by the EFDDEMS, according to a fee schedule established by § 36-26 hereinafter, or any amendment thereto. Individuals receiving a bill shall:
(1) 
Make payment to the City of Englewood's third-party billing agency within 30 days; or
(2) 
Provide proof that they have submitted a claim to their insurance carrier for payment within 30 days of a request for payment; and
(3) 
If applicable, provide proof that the individual receiving the bill is a taxpayer or a person legally domiciled within the City of Englewood.
D. 
A patient who receives emergency medical and/or rescue services or transportation from the EFDDEMS is obligated, at the time of service or within a period of 30 days (unless the patient is hospitalized) to provide EFDDEMS with all pertinent identification, insurance and/or payment information to facilitate the City's billing of third-party payment sources for services rendered. The City may, at its option, and where required by law, bill insurers or carriers on a patient's behalf and accept payment on an assigned basis.
E. 
All patients who are not taxpayers or legally domiciled residents of the City of Englewood shall be liable for any copayment or deductible amounts not satisfied by public or private insurance, and the City shall make reasonable collection efforts for all such balances according to the most current rules or regulations set forth by applicable Health Care Financing Administration federal policies and regulations. The City may bill any applicable coinsurance carriers for such amounts. Exceptions include only those instances where the City has knowledge of a particular patient's indigence or where the City has made a determination that the cost of billing and collecting such copayments or deductibles exceeds or is disproportionate to the amounts to be collected.
F. 
The City shall not bill any individual taxpayer or any person legally domiciled in the City of Englewood for any fee, balance, deductible, or copayments not satisfied by public or private insurance, including Medicare/Medicaid, nor will the City bill a taxpayer or a person legally domiciled in the City of Englewood for emergency medical or rescue services, provided that the individual is not covered by public or private insurance.
G. 
The City of Englewood may, either directly or through any third-party billing agency with which it has contracted for billing/collections for emergency medical and rescue services, make arrangements with patients and/or their financially responsible party for installment payments of bills or forgive any bill or portion thereof so as long as the City determines that:
(1) 
The financial condition of the patient requires such an arrangement;
(2) 
The patient and/or financially responsible party has demonstrated a willingness to make good-faith efforts toward payment of the bill.
H. 
A patient who has received emergency medical and/or rescue services or transportation service from the EFDDEMS, including a taxpayer or person legally domiciled in the City of Englewood, for whom the City of Englewood has not received payment from a third-party payer on assignment, and who receives payment directly from a third-party payer for emergency medical or rescue services rendered by the EFDDEMS is obligated to remit such monies to the City in the event the City has not been paid for services rendered within 30 days of receiving the payment. Patients who do not remit such monies may be held liable for costs of collection in addition to the charges for emergency medical or rescue services rendered.
I. 
The City of Englewood shall be authorized to enter into contracts with area hospitals that provide advanced life support (ALS) services to patients who are transported by the EFDDEMS. This will allow the hospitals the capability to bill for all emergency medical services rendered and, if so agreed, timely reimburse the City for its transportation and equipment costs within 30 days of receiving payment.
A. 
The following fee schedule shall be utilized for all emergency medical services rendered by the EFDDEMS:
(1) 
For ambulance transportation: $585;
(2) 
For basic life support (BLS) mileage: $12 per loaded mile;
(3) 
For oxygen administration: fee of $75;
(4) 
For automatic external defibrillator (AED) pads: $75; and
(5) 
For cervical collars: $25.
B. 
The following fee schedule shall be utilized for all rescue services rendered by the Englewood Fire Department:
(1) 
For light rescue: $200;
(2) 
For medium rescue: $450; and
(3) 
For heavy rescue: $800.
A. 
The City of Englewood is hereby authorized to enter into a contract with a third-party billing agency for performance of EMS and rescue billing and collection services; provided, however, that the following standards for such third-party billing contracts are met:
(1) 
The third-party billing agency has in place a compliance program conforming to standards set forth in the Office of Inspector General's Compliance Program Guidance for Third-Party Medical Billing Companies, 63 Federal Register 70138, as amended.
(2) 
Neither the billing agency not any of its employees are subject to exclusion from any state or federal health care program.
(3) 
The billing agency is bonded and/or insured in amounts satisfactory to the City of Englewood.
(4) 
The third-party billing agency shall be responsible for receipt of payment and proper recordkeeping of its collections as provided in any contract awarded by the City of Englewood. Payments received shall be electronically and/or manually transmitted to a designated account of the City of Englewood to be administered by the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the City of Englewood.
B. 
A detailed listing of patients who utilize emergency medical or rescue services and/or transport services provided by the EFDDEMS will be compiled by EFDDEMS. This information will be transmitted to the third-party billing agency. This information will be subject to the confidentiality requirements of applicable law. This information will include, at a minimum, the following:
(1) 
Name, address, and home telephone number of patient.
(2) 
Name, address, and claim number of insurance carrier, if applicable.
(3) 
Date, time, and EMS chart number.
(4) 
Point of origin and destination.
(5) 
Odometer reading at point of pickup and at destination.
(6) 
Reason for transport/patient's complaint/current condition.
(7) 
Itemization and description of services provided and charges.
(8) 
Signature of the patient or authorized decision maker.
(9) 
Name of receiving physician.
(10) 
Names, titles, and signatures of ambulance personnel.
C. 
The third-party billing agency shall obtain the information from the EFDDEMS and will bill the patient and/or their financially responsible parties, insurers or carriers, according to the fee schedule established herein; provided, however, that the third-party billing agency shall not bill any taxpayer or person legally domiciled in the City of Englewood for any fee, balance, deductible, or copayments not satisfied by public or private insurance, including Medicare/Medicaid, nor will the City bill a taxpayer or person legally domiciled in the City of Englewood for emergency medical services or transport, provided that the individual is not covered by private or public insurance.
D. 
The fees for emergency medical and rescue services, transport, miles per trip, equipment, and nontransports where aid is provided shall be established by the Mayor and Council upon recommendation of the City Manager.
E. 
The City Manager shall review the fees for services listed in § 36-26 above, periodically and, if necessary, make recommendations to the City Council to adjust said fees in accordance with the federally approved Medicare Fee Schedule.
F. 
The City of Englewood may, in its discretion, bill additionally for materials, vehicles, and personnel costs in case of a major or unique situation or incident involving EFDDEMS employees.
G. 
The City of Englewood may, in its discretion, bill for Fire Department services utilized at any motor vehicle accident occurring within the City of Englewood or on any federal, state, or county roadway requiring an emergency response from Englewood Fire Department apparatus and personnel. These services include, but are not limited to, patient extrication, absorbent materials, and personnel costs.