Ambulance Billing Policy Statements

The ambulance billing policy include the following:

• The City of St. Charles (nor its business affiliates) will not utilize threatening letters or similar collection tactics to collect payment for services rendered.
• The primary focus of all billing messages and telephone contacts will be to secure the insurance information of the patient(s).
• As a courtesy to our patients, the City of St. Charles will make every effort to bill and collect payment from the patient's insurance company directly.
• The City of St. Charles accepts assignment from the Medicare and the Missouri Medicaid programs.
• The City of St. Charles District utilizes an outside collection agency only when efforts to contact the patient for insurance information or after attempts to arrange for a plan of payment have failed.
• The City of St. Charles will address cases of financial hardship on an individual basis. This requires patients demonstrate financial hardship by contacting our office and providing the information in a timely manner before their bill is sent to the outside collection agency.
• Any patient who contacts our billing office and informs us that they have a financial hardship will be offered a payment plan to meet their individual needs.
• All auto liability insurance claims will be billed to the auto insurance company prior to health insurance when information is available.
• Other injury liability claims (ie: falls) are billed to the insurance provided and/or the patient. Medical services provided and the accompanying fees are the responsibility of the patient.
• As a courtesy to our patients, we will work with any attorney or patient representative if contact is made with our office regarding the incident in a timely manner (before the account is 70 days past due and placed with collections).
• According to our privacy practices, we require the patient, or their representative, provide a release of information before we can provide their records to 3rd party.