Rescue Me

  But not without cost.  Just received our Health Statement which contains the use of the Hoosic Valley Rescue Squad conveyance on June 17.  They, the Provider, submitted 2 charges, one for $1,050 and the other $272, totaling $1, 322.  One trip but billing for separate services, evidently.  Medicare approved the entire amount, but paid only $401.29.  Our other insurance, BC/BS paid $102.37.  Since we had already met our Deductibles and Out-of-Pocket Maximum for the year, we paid 0.
    That expense has to be a real hardship for those without adequate insurance.  Some must refuse ambulance services if they know the cost. A few days after our emergency service, we received a call asking, on behalf of the Hoosic Valley Rescue Squad, if we were planning to sue the business where the incident had occurred.  I learned the call did not originate from the Squad, but from a central volunteer emergency services billing agency.  The caller seemed surprised when she heard we had no plans to file a lawsuit.  She said she'd bill our insurance then.