The Volunteer Medical
Service Corps
Your Local Ambulance
Service, Offers 24-hour
Protection for You and Your Family
Please Help Us to Help
You! Subscriptions help to
pay for equipment and training, and could save you hundreds of dollars if you
ever need our emergency services.
How Your Subscription
Helps
Your paid
subscription helps to offset the rising costs of staffing our ambulance
24-hours a day and for the specialized training required for our paramedics and
EMT’s. Your subscription also will help
pay for expensive ambulances and medical equipment such as cardiac monitors and
personal-protection equipment needed to keep our people safe.
Volunteer
Medical Service Corps of Lansdale (“VMSC”) is a non-profit organization which
does not receive any direct tax subsidies for its operations. A board of directors – local resident who
volunteer their time – oversees the management of VMSC.
Most Commonly Asked
Questions About Your Subscription Plan
Q) When
can I join the VMSC Subscription Plan?
A) You
may enroll anytime during the subscription year, which runs from June 1st to May 31st of the following year.
Q) How
much does the subscription plan cost to join or renew?
A) The
fee for a Family Subscription is $65. The fee for a Single Subscription is $50. The price does not vary if you are a new member or a renewing
member.
Q) Does
it matter where I live?
A) You
must reside in our coverage area. The VMSC responds to emergency calls in the following municipalities:
Lansdale Borough Hatfield
Borough Hatfield Township North Wales
Borough Upper
Gwynedd Twp. Montgomery
Township Towamencin
Township Portions of Worcester
Twp.
A) You
may call our business office at 215-855-3779 and request an application and we
will mail you one. Or, you may come to
our office at 175 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and complete an application.
Q) Who
is covered in a family plan?
A) The
family subscription plan covers those members of your family related by blood
or marriage who permanently reside in the same household.
Q) Can my live-in boyfriend/girlfriend or
roommates be covered on my subscription plan?
A) No, each person will need a separate plan.
Q) I thought that the subscription plan was
insurance; so why are you billing my insurance?
A) The
subscription plan is not an insurance policy. It is a cost protection plan that covers any out of pocket expenses such
as co-payments or deductibles, not paid by Medicare and/or insurance.
Q) I do not have Medicare or
insurance. How does the subscription
plan work for me?
A) The
subscription plan provides members, without insurance or Medicare, with a
discount of 50% off of VMSC’s usual charges for medically necessary
transports.
Q) What is the average charge for an
emergency ambulances transport?
A) $750-$1350, depending the level of
emergency care that is needed,
Q) What
types of services are covered by my subscription plan?
A) The
subscription plan covers all 911 originated emergency calls, by VMSC
units only, that originate and end in our
coverage area. The subscription plan does
not cover ambulance services, by other ambulance squads, outside of our
coverage area..
Q) I am being discharged from the hospital;
can I use my subscription plan to return home by ambulance?
A) Your subscription covers 911 emergency calls only. The hospital will arrange for an independent transport ambulance
if it is medically necessary that you go home by ambulance.
Q) I
am a VMSC member. If I call 9-1-1, how
do I know that I will get VMSC?
A) VMSC
services the North Penn Area from three (3) stations and will be dispatched to
all emergency 9-1-1 calls in our coverage area.
Q) Will I receive a receipt or subscription
card that will show I am a member of the VMSC Subscription Plan?
A) Your
check, or credit card statement, is your receipt. Subscription cards are included in your annual enrollment mailing
but are unnecessary. If you are
transported, your subscription will be verified by our staff.
Q) What if I decide I want to cancel my
subscription; will I receive a refund for the amount I paid?
A) No
refunds will be issued. The subscription
fee will be used to cover the cost of administering the plan and for processing
your application.
Q) I
am currently not a member. When will my
subscription become effective?
A) Subscription
is effective upon receipt of full payment and a completed and signed
subscription agreement.
For more information, please visit our web site
at:
Billing Information
When VMSC transports
you, the paramedics will complete a Patient Care Report, also referred to as a
"run report". The paramedics will document the information concerning
your condition with the medical assessment and care rendered to you.
VMSC must
follow Federal Government Guidelines for the billing and coding (categorizing
medical conditions) of ambulance patients. Our billing staff will use the
information documented on the run report to determine the appropriate diagnosis
and procedure codes that apply to your ambulance transport.
If you have NOT
been previously transported by VMSC and a completed Medicare Signature
Authorization or private insurance information was not obtained at the time
ambulance service was provided, an invoice will be sent to you, along with a request
for your insurance or Medicare information.
Please complete
the form and return it to the address noted on the form or you can send it to our
billing office. Our billing office address is, P.O. Box 207, Allentown, PA 18105,
or you may call our billing office at 1-800-473-2278. You may also complete this form online at
ARSNETWORK.COM.
If VMSC has
previously transported you, and we have current Medicare or insurance
information in our billing system, one of the following will occur:
If you
have Medicare Part B coverage, our office will file a claim to Medicare Part
B on your behalf. You will receive a letter notifying you that Medicare has
been billed. Your account will be placed on hold, allowing ample time for
Medicare to process your claim.
If you
have Medicare Part B and Medicaid coverage, our office will file a
claim to Medicare Part B on your behalf. You will receive a letter notifying
you that Medicare has been billed. Your account will be placed on hold,
allowing ample time for Medicare to process your claim. If Medicare approves
your claim for payment, the balance will be billed to Medicaid.
If you
have Medicare Part B and supplemental insurance, our office will file a
claim to Medicare Part B on your behalf. You will receive a letter notifying
you that Medicare has been billed. Your account will be placed on hold,
allowing ample time for Medicare to process your claim. If Medicare approves
your claim for payment, and we have your supplemental insurance information,
our office will file a claim on your behalf for the co-insurance amount.
If you
have a Medicare HMO or other insurance that is your primary
coverage, our office will file a claim on your behalf. Your account will be
placed on hold, allowing ample time for your insurance to process your claim.
If you
have Medicaid coverage only, your transport must meet the criteria Medicaid
has established for ambulance transports, in order for our office to file a
claim on your behalf. The fact that you are eligible for Medicaid does not guarantee that Medicaid will pay for your transport. If you have any questions
regarding Medicaid’s criteria, please refer to your Medicaid Handbook or call
your local Medicaid Transportation Office.
If you
are member of our subscription plan, our billing staff will
bill the account appropriately. Our customer service representatives at Ambulance Reimbursement Services are very knowledgeable and experienced in the procedures for re-filing claims. They may be able to assist you in the re-filing process. You may call our billing office at 1-800-473-2278 for more information.
For your convenience, our billing company accepts several forms of payment by mail; such as, checks, money orders, Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. If you are unable to pay the account balance in full, monthly payment arrangements are available. |
VMSC Headquarters •
175 Medical Campus Drive •
Lansdale, PA 19446 Business Phone: 215-855-3779 • Emergencies Only: Dial 911 Copyright 2014 |