Politics & Government
County EMS Fee to Begin by July 1
Fire and Rescue Association Chair Kevin McGee told the Board of County Supervisors that the fee is on target to be implemented by the beginning of July.
Prince William County will soon begin charging insurance companies a fee for transport services, but residents will not see any direct charges or any changes in service, according to Chief Kevin McGee, chairman of the Fire and Rescue Association.
The new fee will take effect on or before July 1, McGee told the Board of County Supervisors Tuesday in the quarterly FRA report to the board. A billing contract has been awarded to Intermedix, billing training is continuing, and the implementation is on schedule to be complete by July 1, McGee said.
McGee said that most other jurisdictions in the surrounding region have implemented EMS fees, and that insurance companies already calculate the cost into their premiums, so county residents should not see any effect in their insurance bills.
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The fee will be charged to insurance companies, but any remaining co-pay or deductible after the insurance company is charged will not be billed to the patient. McGee said that the county considers the co-pay to have already been accounted for through taxes.
The fee will bring in an estimated $3.1 million net revenue per year to the county to be used for Fire and Rescue related needs. McGee said the money will be used to upgrade EMS equipment, increase training budgets, and address other needs identified by the medical director and the Fire and Rescue Association.
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Dumfries District Supervisor Maureen Caddigan asked McGee how the community has reacted to news about the coming EMS fee. Mcgee said he has seen very little negative response, and many people have expressed relief that patients will not be billed directly for services. "I feel significant support from the community," McGee said.
The county government has set up a web page for more information about the EMS fee.
In his report, McGee also told the board that the association has adopted several new policies, including a new procedure for marking vehicles during inclement weather to show what vehicles have already been responded to and which ones still need help.
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