Ambulance Billing

Longview Fire Department administers its own in-house ambulance billing division, under the direction of the Assistant Chief, Hank Hester. This division is operated by a staff of 4 full-time medical billing account specialist and is located in the administrative offices of the fire department at 100 E. Cotton St.
The ambulance billing division bills insurance companies, government medical coverage plans, and/or patients for ambulance transport, advanced life support and basic life support services. All patient accounts are processed from the time that the claim is made until it is resolved with a zero dollar balance. In addition, they assist in the quality assurance program for crew documentation, trauma reporting to the state, legal and lawyer correspondence, and monitoring of all State and Federal guidelines pertaining to patient privacy and protection (HIPAA).

Ambulance billing rates are determined by fee schedules set by federal and commercial insurance companies and adjusted by geographical location. The average ambulance bill for advanced life support in our area is approximately $800. In the unfortunate event that a medical emergency occurs, our billing department utilizes multiple resources available to obtain accurate insurance information and works diligently alongside insurance agencies in hopes to lessen the burden of an ambulance bill.

Oftentimes insurance companies deny payment for specific services or will cover only a portion of the fees actually billed. In order to offset the high cost of ambulance service charges, the Longview Fire Department offers an opportunity of enrollment in our Ambulance Subscription Program. For a fee of $70 per year, per household, subscribers will be covered from out of pocket expenses such as deductibles and copayments or from services not covered by insurance companies. Learn more about our subscription program and see if you qualify.

For questions about your ambulance bill or to obtain records, please call our EMS Billing Department during normal business hours Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 903-237-1232.