Dear Red Phone,
“I was intrigued by your article in the Feb 8th 2013 newspaper and concerned that the article seems to be incorrect.
Unless things have changed with Rural Metro, your quote from county EMS director is not true. My wife went for a three mile ride in the ambulance early last year, and along with the typical $35 for one baby aspirin, that ride cost us over $1,700.
Blue Cross paid what they felt was customary $850 and the rest we had to pay out of pocket because they DO NOT HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM.
When I called Rural Metro about this issue, they said that they do not have a contract with Blue Cross and the rest of the bill was my responsibility, NO DISCOUNT OR PREFERRED PROVIDER RATE. I talked to Mr. Petrie about this issue, concerning how could the county award a contract to a company that does not accept one of the largest insurers in the state. He said that he was unaware of it and would look into it, he also said that the contract was awarded before he was in that position. So for him to say that he has received no complaints regarding the insurance coverage it is not true. I for one brought it to his attention along time ago. I only wonder how many county constituents have been taken for a ride by the only ride in town when we have to call 911.”
Dear Reader, the following is a response from County EMS Director Michael Petrie. We hope this helps answer some of your questions.
The Santa Clara County EMS System strives to provide excellent clinical care and high levels of patient satisfaction, at a reasonable price. Feedback from those who use the EMS System helps us continue to identify areas for improvement that best meet the needs of the community. Rural/Metro, like many other ambulance, hospital and medical service companies, accepts most major insurance plans. Many for-profit and nonprofit private insurance companies offer numerous medical insurance plans, including a variety of Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) plans. Some medical insurance plans pay the total amount of the bill, while other insurance plans pay only a portion of the bill, an amount the insurance company considers “reasonable and customary”. This practice is called balance billing, because the patient or responsible party is liable for the balance between the amount paid by the insurance company and the amount of the bill. Insurance companies also often charge deductibles or co-pays. While the County of Santa Clara regulates the rates Rural/Metro can charge, we cannot regulate the insurance companies’ practices of disallowing payment, balance billing, or the amount of co-pays. The EMS Agency recommends that specific questions about insurance coverage be addressed with your insurance company. Mark Norman, the Division General Manger of Rural/Metro can provide specific information regarding Rural/Metro’s billing and insurance practices. He can be reached at (408) 645-7345.
Sincerely,
Michael Petrie
