[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township
of Mount Laurel as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted
where applicable.]
[Adopted 5-19-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-14]
The Township of Mount Laurel provides emergency
medical services through the Mount Laurel EMS (a department of the
Township of Mount Laurel) to citizens and visitors of the Township
of Mount Laurel on a twenty-four-hour basis throughout the year to
the extent that such resources are available.
All persons needing Mount Laurel EMS services
within the Township of Mount Laurel shall be serviced, to the extent
that such services are available, without discrimination on any basis,
and without respect to residency, ability to pay, or any other factor.
No person located within Mount Laurel Township at the time emergency
medical services are needed shall be denied available service, when
such services are available. There shall be no delay in providing
available service due to EMS billing.
Mount Laurel Township and a professional medical
billing service (retained by Mount Laurel Township for purposes of
seeking payment for the provision of EMS services) shall maintain
accurate records of all Mount Laurel EMS requests for service, service
calls, and services approved by the Mount Laurel EMS. Said records
shall include pertinent information about the general nature of the
call and shall identify the complete name, mailing address, place
of domicile, location and telephone numbers of all persons requesting
and receiving Mount Laurel EMS services, as well as all pertinent
and available insurance information.
[Amended 6-1-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-9]
The Township of Mount Laurel shall contract
with a professional medical billing service for the collection of
payment for services rendered by the Mount Laurel EMS services. Said
bill shall be issued to the insurance company for the person served,
if any, or directly to the person served if insurance coverage is
not available. Fees to be charged for Mount Laurel EMS services shall
be as follows:
A.
For ambulance transportation: $750;
[Amended 4-24-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-4]
B.
Per loaded mile for basic life support (BLS) mileage:
$14;
C.
Fee for oxygen administration: $75;
D.
For automatic external defibrillator (AED) pads: $75;
and
E.
For cervical collars: $25.
F.
One-way
assessment: $150.
[Added 10-19-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-15]
Persons receiving a bill for Mount Laurel EMS
services shall: make payment to Mount Laurel Township professional
medical billing service within 30 days; or provide proof that they
have submitted a claim to their insurance carrier for payment within
30 days of receipt of request of a bill. These provisions shall be
subject to the following:
A.
Persons receiving Mount Laurel EMS service who have
health insurance to cover ambulance and emergency medical services
are expected to cooperate with Mount Laurel Township's professional
medical billing service to secure full payment for services rendered.
B.
In the event the health insurance company of a taxpayer
or domiciled resident does not pay the bill in full, the Township
of Mount Laurel will accept such partial payment to the extent on
the insured's policy limits, including deductible and coinsurance
requirements, as payment in full.
C.
In the event a taxpayer or domiciled resident of the
Township of Mount Laurel does not have health insurance, payment shall
not be required.
D.
Due to the time requirements for the preparation and
processing of insurance claims, interest shall not be charged on Mount
Laurel EMS billings.
E.
After providing emergency medical services, the Mount Laurel EMS shall transmit all pertinent billing information to Mount Laurel Township's professional medical billing service for collection as set forth in Subsection F below. The professional medical billing service shall be responsible for receipt of payment and proper recordkeeping of its collections as provided in its contract with the Township of Mount Laurel. Payments received by the professional medical billing service shall, thereafter, be transmitted electronically to a designated account of the Township of Mount Laurel to be administered by the Mount Laurel Township Chief Financial Officer (CFO). In addition, the professional medical billing service shall simultaneously transmit a transport report to the Mount Laurel EMS for its review and approval and transport a copy to the Township CFO. The Mount Laurel EMS shall prepare a reconciliation report and shall monitor the operations of the professional medical billing service, including billing activities and receipt of funds.
F.
The professional medical billing service shall be
responsible for the initial billing and two follow-up billings. Costs
associated with the professional medical billing service shall be
based solely on a percent of reimbursement collections as provided
in its contract with the Township of Mount Laurel. After three attempts
to collect said claim, the professional medical billing service shall
notify the Township of Mount Laurel and relinquish rights to that
billing, unless otherwise directed by the Township Manager. The Township
of Mount Laurel shall turn said delinquent accounts over to a collection
agency that will be compensated on a percent of cash collections of
the delinquent accounts. The Township of Mount Laurel reserves the
right to determine that a bill is uncollectible and should be written
off.
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
Any individual who is the spouse or an unemancipated
child (natural, adopted or stepchild) of a taxpayer or domiciled resident
as defined below;
Any unemancipated child for whom the taxpayer
or year-round resident has been appointed legal guardian;
Any individual who resides in a permanent domicile
of the taxpayer or domiciled resident and is claimed as a dependent
for federal income tax purposes; or
Any individual who resides in the permanent
domicile of the taxpayer or domiciled resident, and who is deemed
to be a dependent under the health insurance policy of the taxpayer
or domiciled resident.
Any individual whose legal domicile is within the Township
of Mount Laurel. Verification of domicile shall be based on voter
registration, a State of New Jersey driver's license, proof of filing
a State of New Jersey income tax return from a Mount Laurel Township
address or other proofs accepted under federal guidelines.
Any individual listed on the deed of ownership of any property
located within the municipal boundaries of the Township of Mount Laurel
and their dependents as defined above. In the case of a corporation
or partnership, only those individuals retaining a twenty-five-percent
or greater ownership shall be considered a taxpayer. For the purpose
of determining a twenty-five-percent or greater ownership, adult married
or civil union partners may combine their ownership. Dependent, as
defined above, shall be considered a taxpayer.
