Wake County EMS can help you save with ambulance use
WAKE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- Membership in Wake County's EMS Fund covers 911 ambulance transport to a local hospital from anywhere in the county for an entire household.
The cost is $60 a year, which county officials say can pay for itself with just one transport.
"The EMS bill can get up into several hundred dollars very quickly even with the basic service," explained Wake County EMS District Chief Jeffrey Hammerstein.
"Insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, often times can pay parts of that, but it's almost impossible to dictate how much," Hammerstein said.
"It's not uncommon at all for people to be left with a co-pay. We call it the EMS Fund. What it is, is a $60 dollar payment and then for the course of the year, you are no longer held responsible for any other billing left over from that," Hammerstein said. "We do file insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, as a service for you. But, whatever would be left over after that payment we no longer hold you responsible for that," Hammerstein said.
This program applies to EMS units in Wake County only, and it does not cover air transports or non-emergency ambulance services.
Officials also point out, the program runs on a fixed year calendar from October 1 to September 30, which means while you can join anytime during the year, payment covers you only until September 30 of each year.
For more information on the Wake County EMS fund click HERE.
