Reno squad turns to insurance billing
By Patrick Cooley, pcooley@mariettatimes.comLater this month, the Reno Volunteer Fire Department will begin billing insurance companies of patients they take to the hospital.
"We will take whatever the insurance company gives us, if they are willing to pay the entire bill or if they are only willing to pay part of it. We won't be sending anything to the people of Reno," said Randy Lisk, Reno's assistant fire chief.
He said people would only have their insurance company billed if they were taken to the hospital. Insurers will be billed by a local billing company that will distribute the funds to the department.
Third-party billing for rescue squad calls is a trend throughout Ohio that is relatively new in the area. Representatives from several local fire departments say Washington County is one of the last in Ohio to adopt the practice.
"All of the surrounding counties have been involved in it for years," Lisk said. "The county commissioners in Monroe County have gone with a paid (EMT) squad and are using third-party billing. Noble County also has third-party billing; so do Morgan and Athens counties.
"Those neighboring counties that do bill have done so for a long time," he said.
Lisk said he did not have an estimate on how much money third-party billing would raise.
The department will use the money from third-party billing to pay its steadily increasing operating costs. With the rising costs of gasoline and the increasing amount of squad runs and fire calls, the department's fuel costs have nearly tripled in the last year, Lisk said.
"It's looking like we're going to be needing a new squad (vehicle) pretty soon, and we have no funding for that," he said. "We feel we need extra funding to keep the doors open and keep this service going for the people.
"Times have changed and we need additional fundraising," Lisk said. "The levies aren't enough right now. We hope people come out to our socials and fundraisers. The public has always been great in their support for us and everything we do, and I don't see that changing."
The Devola Volunteer Fire Company has had third-party billing for several months. Devola fire Chief Mike Lee said their initial estimates projected the practice would raise $70,000 a year for their department.
He said he could not immediately say how much third party billing has raised for the department, but their initial estimate on how much billing raised annual could be accurate.
"We've been billing since February," Lee said. "We've looked toward using it for upgrading our equipment and for recruitment and retention. It's been hard to get people to volunteer anymore."
Salem Township Volunteer Fire Department instituted third-party billing a year ago, but has not received a penny due to an error by their billing company, said Jill Treadway, assistant squad chief.
"It was our idea that this would help us not have to close our doors," she said. "We want to be there for the community. We needed funding and the least invasive way of doing it was soft billing."
Treadway said insurance companies already put aside money for paying ambulance bills, so it should not raise individual insurance rates.
Lisk said even if insurance rates do rise because so many squads are going to soft billing, Reno's participation should not make a significant difference.
The Marietta Fire Department instituted third-party billing in 2006.
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Darby1952
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07-06-08 3:21 PM
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Goodsense,, I have been a volunteer fighter, I have been treasurer, president and asst. chief of a volunteer fire department. I have been on the board of directors of the the Bantam League (volunteer) so I think I have a handle on what it takes. And I still say for a small volunteer department, they should be able to handle the billing themselves. I certainly hope the billing company that made a years worth of mistakes was fired.
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Natalie
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07-06-08 1:46 PM
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The article says that Noble County also does the 3rd party billing but that can not be true. Noble County's fire departments do not have ambulance services and haven't for years. United Ambulance does all of that.
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doublej986
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07-06-08 12:46 PM
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Turnout gear and helmets have to be replaced every ten years to meet NFPA regulations. If a dept does not meet NFPA regs, that dept. does not qualify for grants. If they don't get grants depts can't purchase high dollar equipment. Most depts in this county alone do not have all the equipment they need to protect your life and your home efficiantly and safely. That is where the money goes.
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doublej986
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07-06-08 12:43 PM
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Fire depts do not buy trucks all the time. Trucks are purchased because the trucks they have are old and need updated. Do you drive a 20 year old car? I don't think so. Fire trucks usually get replaced after a certain period of time. My dept is around 20 years. Squads are replaced around 10 to 15 years or if the truck simply starts to "nickel and dime" a dept to death. As for responding to other townships...my dept is one of those responding and here is the reason why. All depts have a mutual aid agreement with other depts in the county. That means that when a dept calls for help, the dept gets it. No, most townships do not get reimbursed for their help. We do not expect it. Indian, what you do not understand is that even though depts get levy money and donations, it is not always enough. Vehicles alone have an ever rising cost. In 1999, my dept bought a brand new pumper for over $162,000. Today, that same truck is at a cost of $300,000. Squads cost between $80,000 and $
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fire2118
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07-06-08 10:32 AM
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Indian, its much appreciated that you show support for the volunteers out there. However the new trucks that are bought don't go to only fires, many are taken out for car wrecks and to local events such as tractor pulls and demolition derbys.
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Indian
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07-05-08 8:31 PM
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Volunteers need to be held on the highest pedistol. Up high, you know what I mean. Having said that, fire departments are necessary. EMS is necessary. Paying big bucks to do it all, equipment, trucks, bells, whistles, turnout gear, boats, hoses, etc. is necessary. But with maybe 2-3 fires a year, why do fire departemnts need to buy new trucks all the time? I heard there are a couple townships that have to pay people to run their squads. Even have special levies for that on top on fire AND EMS. Then thrid party billing?????? Huh???? I also heard one township about a third of their paid runs in other townships? Do the other townships pay them? Where is all that money going?
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Finallap
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07-05-08 10:15 AM
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I like what the times says,that Marietta Fire dept started 3rd party billing in 06.. It should had said "the city of Marietta started 3rd party billing in 06",because the Marietta Fire Dept HAS NOT RECEIVED 1 PENNY FROM 3RD PART BILLING
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doublej986
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07-05-08 9:41 AM
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I don't think people really get the concept of a volunteer fire dept. Yes, we get tax money...it's called levy money. Some depts. get a couple hundred thousand dollars, others may only get forty or fifty thousand a year. That may sound like a lot but let me break that down for you. Fire dept.s have to pay for electricity, gas, water and other utilities. They have fuel costs, insurance on their buildings and trucks. They have equipment to buy and supplies. There are some depts. that are squeaking by on their money and can't afford to buy new back boards or put fuel in their trucks. This 3rd party money will help dept.s help you.
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asears75
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07-05-08 8:25 AM
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Do the volunteer fire departments get any tax money for their upkeep and purchase of new equipment?
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goodsense
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07-05-08 8:00 AM
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Darby, I can tell you're not on a volunteer squad - I am. It's hard enough to find volunteers to go through the EMT training and spend their own free time looking out for the community. Try finding volunteers to deal with billing hundreds of patients and, even worse, their insurance companies that try to avoid paying the bills... Third-party billing eliminates that problem for the local squads and collects on a larger percentage of bills. Maybe you could volunteer at your local squad - they'd be glad to have your help!
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Darby1952
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07-05-08 7:30 AM
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Why would a volunteer fire department need to hire someone to do their billing? How many squad runs do they have a day? Lastly, who is watching the books that it took a year for someone to figure out they weren't getting anything back from the billings? I understand why they need to do this billing, but hiring a billing company seems extreme for a small volunteer fire department.
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