[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town of Salem as indicated in article
histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted by the 1963 Town Meeting; amended by the 1992 Town
Meeting (Ch. 129, Art. I, of the 1995 Code)]
The Board of Selectmen shall establish reasonable fees for the
use of the Town ambulance services.
[Adopted by the Board of Selectmen 3-27-1995; amended 11-18-1997 (Ch. 129, Art. II, of the
1995 Code)]
This policy is adopted pursuant to the authority granted to the Board of Selectmen by the Town Meeting on March 14, 1992. This policy applies to all transported users or responsible parties charged at a consistent rate as currently in effect per the Ambulance Fee Schedule as adopted by the Board of Selectmen pursuant to § 185-4A.
This policy is applicable to all users or responsible parties,
regardless of the existence of third party insurance coverage, except
as provided below:
A.
The Board of Selectmen shall establish a fee schedule to be charged
for the use of the Fire Department ambulance service. This fee schedule
is incorporated into this policy by reference and shall be reviewed
on an annual basis.[1]
B.
All patients that are transported by the Salem Fire Department ambulance
shall be billed for the service.
C.
Whenever possible, the Town's ambulance billing service shall obtain
insurance information from the patient and shall submit a bill directly
to the insurance company.
D.
The Town shall accept assignment of all balances due from the insurance
companies.
E.
A patient shall be exempt from payment for ambulance service if he/she
certifies to the Town's billing service that his/her family income
is equal to or less than the current Hill-Burton income levels.
F.
After receiving payment from third-party insurers, the Town's billing
service shall bill the patient for the patient copayment portion of
the ambulance fee.
G.
Initial thirty-, sixty- and ninety-day bills will be issued on outstanding
balances. This will be followed by a fourth and final dunning notice
at 90 days. At 120 days, the account will be reported to a credit
bureau.
[Amended by the 1997 Town Meeting]
H.
Credit bureau reporting may be foregone in lieu of a payment plan
that provides repayment of at least $10 per month, every month, until
the balance is paid in full.
[Amended by the 1997 Town Meeting]
I.
Requests for write-offs shall be submitted to the Finance Department
and forwarded to the Board of Selectmen for approval. Each request
will detail collection efforts and reasons for the write-off request.
Each multiple transport patient requiring definitive care beyond
observation and monitoring of vital signs shall be billed at the single
transport rate. In cases where additional resources are not required,
the flat fee and mileage charges shall be divided equally by the parties
being transported. Assignment of these charges shall be at the discretion
of the Fire Chief, subject to review by the Board of Selectmen.