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Ambulance Billing Creates Turmoil In Town

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THE TOWN OF SHANDAKEN, NEW YORK, in the mid-Hudson Valley,  has been billing people for ambulance service.  And like most other communities, they have been having trouble collecting on them.

When the projected town budget for next year came out showing a hefty decrease in expected ambulance revenues, everybody went into spin mode.

It all started a year ago when the rescue squad Chief resigned claiming differences with the Town Board forced him to leave.  Shortly after that, the squad’s billing clerk quit.  Next, the Town hired their own billing clerk who later recommended that the Town contract out the ambulance collections.  When the town officials balked at that, she quit too.

Those must be some town meetings to watch.  Now they’re debating whether to hire a billing firm in Pennsylvania to collect their fees, but it’s been tabled because of…..well, because.

Read the full story in the Kingston Daily Freeman HERE.

Posted by on November 11, 2007 • Filed under: ambulances
  • Richard W. Muellerleile , Lieu

    To all those concerned regarding this issue,

    1.The Current Town Billing Clerk did NOT quit.. contrary to the reporter from the Freeman’s belief.

    2.The Town Chief and Previous Town Billing clerk left because of irreconcilable differences with the Board, concentrated on their other jobs, and served this municipality and beyond well.

    3. Shandaken Ambulance has now entered into a contract with ARS following concise review and mathematics by the Town Board.

    4. As “Small town political” as this may seem it goes far deeper than anyone can fathom (and the freeman can elaborate looking back to last year.. specifically 12/04 and 12/09.. google it! LOL).

    5. When the projected town budget for next year came out showing a hefty decrease in expected ambulance revenues, everybody went into spin mode because Joe public is not educated upon appropriation of funds for particular municipal services, informed upon the reluctance of insurance companies to pay the fees of any emergency medical service, the expenditures to provide such a service (For those in the know Shandaken is a fully paid ALS service that provides a Paramedic, a Driver, and an Emergency Medical Technician 24-7 with backups on an approx.$250,000 budget in an EXTREMELY large rural area covering 8 townships running approx. 500 calls a year), and the majority of special intrest groups inundating board meetings at such convienient junctures.

    In my humble opinion it’s pretty sad that people are more worried about ambulance services making them money than saving their lives. Not one person complaining about the Ambulance service in the past year in Board Meetings has admitted to using our services, nor have they elaborated upon our standard of care.. It’s all about money (which in comparison, we don’t use a helluva lot of!) and when the board looks at alternatives to save them money they crucify them.
    What about those that have used our services? Is Shandaken Ambulance a substandard service compared to rural ALS systems in NY to anyone? Does Shandaken do a good job when you are the patient? Do we make you comfortable when you are in the back of our Ambulance? Do we actively participate in the community enough? If we don’t what can we do to help? If we are lacking tell us and help us help you in you time of need. We pride ourselves in the lack of negative feedback regarding our patient care secondary to excellence.
    Let it be known that we have an open door policy and if the public feels we are not doing our job then ask us anytime whether it be on the street, in a town board meeting, or beyond. Consider those following things my friend, and you are halfway to being an informed prehospital healthcare advocate.

    Respectfully yours,

    Richard Muellerleile
    Lieutenant Paramedic, Shandaken Ambulance

  • Richard W. Muellerleile , Lieutenant Paramedic, Shandaken Ambulance

    To all those concerned regarding this issue,

    1.The Current Town Billing Clerk did NOT quit.. contrary to the reporter from the Freeman’s belief.

    2.The Town Chief and Previous Town Billing clerk left because of irreconcilable differences with the Board, concentrated on their other jobs, and served this municipality and beyond well.

    3. Shandaken Ambulance has now entered into a contract with ARS following concise review and mathematics by the Town Board.

    4. As “Small town political” as this may seem it goes far deeper than anyone can fathom (and the freeman can elaborate looking back to last year.. specifically 12/04 and 12/09.. google it! LOL).

    5. When the projected town budget for next year came out showing a hefty decrease in expected ambulance revenues, everybody went into spin mode because Joe public is not educated upon appropriation of funds for particular municipal services, informed upon the reluctance of insurance companies to pay the fees of any emergency medical service, the expenditures to provide such a service (For those in the know Shandaken is a fully paid ALS service that provides a Paramedic, a Driver, and an Emergency Medical Technician 24-7 with backups on an approx.$250,000 budget in an EXTREMELY large rural area covering 8 townships running approx. 500 calls a year), and the majority of special intrest groups inundating board meetings at such convienient junctures.

    In my humble opinion it’s pretty sad that people are more worried about ambulance services making them money than saving their lives. Not one person complaining about the Ambulance service in the past year in Board Meetings has admitted to using our services, nor have they elaborated upon our standard of care.. It’s all about money (which in comparison, we don’t use a helluva lot of!) and when the board looks at alternatives to save them money they crucify them.
    What about those that have used our services? Is Shandaken Ambulance a substandard service compared to rural ALS systems in NY to anyone? Does Shandaken do a good job when you are the patient? Do we make you comfortable when you are in the back of our Ambulance? Do we actively participate in the community enough? If we don’t what can we do to help? If we are lacking tell us and help us help you in you time of need. We pride ourselves in the lack of negative feedback regarding our patient care secondary to excellence.
    Let it be known that we have an open door policy and if the public feels we are not doing our job then ask us anytime whether it be on the street, in a town board meeting, or beyond. Consider those following things my friend, and you are halfway to being an informed prehospital healthcare advocate.

    Respectfully yours,

    Richard Muellerleile
    Lieutenant Paramedic, Shandaken Ambulance