Re: Billing services --- recommendations?

[Guest guest]

Billing out of San has worked very well for us.We have been

using them since 2003. Our collections run around 54% of our gross. Others that

claim higher tend to talk about after write offs ect. When you look at the net

vs gross as a comparison you will always be looking at apples and apples. I

think 54% is a good number. We have seen a increase in that over the last few

months and are waiting to see if it is a trend. We talk to them every

day and they call us frequently. We have full control of our account. They have

always been responsive to our concerns the few we have had.

Henry Barber

Calhoun County EMS

Kim wrote:

> Can anyone recommend a billing service that has worked well for their EMS?

Our current " prospect " that started off well months ago has me a bit concerned

with their lack of communication. Voice mails were left unreturned, emails

unanswered... seems the only person with any sort of presence at the company is

the secretary, and she can't answer my simple questions {sigh}. I suppose I

could keep hounding them, but right now this is just not a good sign.

>

> I do appreciate all the help!

>

> K. Pelletier

>

>

[Guest guest]

> Can anyone recommend a billing service that has worked well for

their EMS? Our current " prospect " that started off well months ago

has me a bit concerned with their lack of communication. Voice

mails were left unreturned, emails unanswered... seems the only

person with any sort of presence at the company is the secretary,

and she can't answer my simple questions {sigh}. I suppose I could

keep hounding them, but right now this is just not a good sign.

>

> I do appreciate all the help!

>

> K. Pelletier

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

> Can anyone recommend a billing service that has worked well for

their EMS? Our current " prospect " that started off well months ago

has me a bit concerned with their lack of communication. Voice

mails were left unreturned, emails unanswered... seems the only

person with any sort of presence at the company is the secretary,

and she can't answer my simple questions {sigh}. I suppose I could

keep hounding them, but right now this is just not a good sign.

>

> I do appreciate all the help!

>

> K. Pelletier

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

> Can anyone recommend a billing service that has worked well for

their EMS? Our current " prospect " that started off well months ago

has me a bit concerned with their lack of communication. Voice

mails were left unreturned, emails unanswered... seems the only

person with any sort of presence at the company is the secretary,

and she can't answer my simple questions {sigh}. I suppose I could

keep hounding them, but right now this is just not a good sign.

>

> I do appreciate all the help!

>

> K. Pelletier

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

From KPRC Houston tonight...

Man Receives $750 Bill Despite Denying Ambulance Service

Ambulance Service's Billing Practices Questioned

POSTED: 2:36 pm CDT October 6, 2005

UPDATED: 10:08 pm CDT October 6, 2005

HOUSTON -- Everyone depends on EMS and fire departments to come to the

rescue during the most desperate hours. But the KPRC Local 2 Troubleshooters

uncovered a pattern of complaints from people who say they never called for

help, but still got hit with huge ambulance bills. And even the law can't

help resolve the disputes.

Jim Kowalik was involved in a minor fender-bender in December. An ambulance

from Clear Lake Emergency Medical Corp. was called out. Seven days later,

Kowalik and his passenger both received a bill for $750 -- the fee for

ambulance services.

" We never should have been responsible for it, and I'll use the word -- it

looks like a scam, " Kowalik said.

The accident was not Kowalik's fault. Plus, Kowalik and his passenger never

called for the ambulance. Medical records show paramedics were only on scene

a total of six minutes and there was neither treatment nor transport. Yet,

both still got a bill for $ 750.

" If my dogs had been in the car, I guess they'd all gotten billed for $750, "

Kowalik said.

Kowalik's not alone -- the Troubleshooters have received complaints from

several other people involved in minor accidents. They said they refused

treatment and transport, but still got billed $750.

The Troubleshooters then tried to talk with the chief executive officer of

the company that handles all of Clear Lake's billing -- Intermedix. He was

unavailable to talk with the Troubleshooters on-camera, but told them that

if a paramedic does even a quick assessment of a patient, even if that

patient is not the one who called 911, that's considered a level of care.

Therefore the base rate of $750 applies.

By comparison, the city of Houston charges nothing if a patient is not

transported to the hospital.

The Montgomery County Hospital District charges $100. But EMS Chief

said that fee only applies when a person asks a paramedic to treat

him or her. said there is no fee if a person did not call 911,

refused treatment, but a paramedic checks them out anyway just to be safe.

" We should be open to that, as well as the consumer, and there should not be

the threat of bills for documenting such interaction, " said.

The Troubleshooters also tried to talk with Clear Lake's EMS chief. He was

unavailable to talk on-camera, but said that $750 was never meant to be used

as an across-the-board fee. I

Clear Lake told the Troubleshooters that because of their investigation,

they have now dropped the base rate of $750 down to $175.

Troubleshooter Arnold reported that a large portion of the problem is

that there is no state agency that regulates how much EMS services can

charge patients.

There's also no state agency that handles billing complaints. That means if

you feel you were unfairly charged by an EMS provider; you're on your own in

fighting it.

Arnold took the findings of his investigation to State Sen. Janek, who

is also a doctor.

" I'm very interested in seeing that the state has a dispute-resolution

technique, " Janek said. " There is a very gray area in there as to what point

that person is actually receiving services from that ambulance. "

Janek said he will now push for the state to begin monitoring billing

complaints and create a system to help consumers resolve disputes,

especially since the law is not very clear on this point.

The State Bureau of Emergency Management was set to begin tracking billing

complaints on Sept. 1, but Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have put those plans

on hold.

The Troubleshooters' investigation continues Friday on KPRC Local 2 at 5

p.m.

Arnold will show how the Troubleshooters' report prompted the largest

volunteer fire department in the country to launch its own investigation

into the billing practices of Intermedix.

Billing services --- recommendations?

Can anyone recommend a billing service that has worked well for their

EMS? Our current " prospect " that started off well months ago has me a

bit concerned with their lack of communication. Voice mails were left

unreturned, emails unanswered... seems the only person with any sort of

presence at the company is the secretary, and she can't answer my simple

questions {sigh}. I suppose I could keep hounding them, but right now

this is just not a good sign.

I do appreciate all the help!

K. Pelletier

[Guest guest]

We use Intermedix as our billing and electronic medical records provider.

They have always been courteous, professional, and willing to answer any

questions we may have.

Dr. Mattern and his staff provide a topnotch service.

Give them a call, 1-.

Peggy

[Guest guest]

I just wanted to say a big " Thank you " to those who offered advice and

assistance in finding a billing service; I am in contact with a few people right

now, and looks promising. You folks have been a great help!

Thanks again!

Kim

[Guest guest]

I just wanted to say a big " Thank you " to those who offered advice and

assistance in finding a billing service; I am in contact with a few people right

now, and looks promising. You folks have been a great help!

Thanks again!

Kim

[Guest guest]

I just wanted to say a big " Thank you " to those who offered advice and

assistance in finding a billing service; I am in contact with a few people right

now, and looks promising. You folks have been a great help!

Thanks again!

Kim