The Upper Moreland Township Board of Commissioners by and through its authority and relationship with the aforesaid fire and rescue services hereby authorizes the recovery of the real and reasonable costs incurred by the emergency services organization involving any hazardous material incident, environmental incident or safety and rescue incident, or operation, including vehicular accidents and fires, that occur on the roadways in Upper Moreland Township.
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of Upper Moreland Township 1-8-2024 by Ord. No. 1752. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A.
Upper Moreland Township recognizes the need to bill for fire and rescue services response within the Township to aid in the provision of emergency services.
B.
No person requiring emergency services shall be denied services due to lack of insurance or ability to pay.
C.
Any applicable charges for emergency services rendered shall be billed directly to the user of such services or user's insurance company.
D.
Upper Moreland Township may, either directly or through any third-party billing agency with which it has contracted for billing and/or collections for fire and rescue services, make arrangements with users of such services and/or their financially responsible party for installment payments of bills so long as Upper Moreland Township determines that:
A.
The Upper Moreland Township Board of Commissioners is hereby authorized to enter into a contract with a third-party billing agency and/or collection agency for performance of emergency services billing and/or collection services, provided that the following standards for third-party billing contracts are met:
(1)
The third-party billing service is to be provided at a rate in accordance with any billing services agreement/contract for service or at an amount consistent with the fair market value for services rendered.
(2)
The third-party billing agency has in place a compliance program conforming to the standards set forth in the Office of Inspector General's Compliance Program Guidance for Third Party Medical Billing Companies, 63 Federal Register 70138, as amended.
(3)
Neither the billing agency nor any of its employees are subject to exclusion from any user fee.
(4)
The billing agency is bonded and/or insured in amounts satisfactory to Upper Moreland Township.
B.
The Township may, in its discretion, bill additionally for material, vehicle and personnel costs in the case of any major, extraordinary or unique incidents, including, but not limited to, hazardous materials spills, fire and rescue incidents that destroy or severely damage emergency services equipment and incidents that require services in excess of a "Level 3 Incident" as described in the attached addendum.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The addendum is on file in the Township offices.
C.
User fees.
(1)
Fire and rescue services shall initiate user fees for the delivery of emergency services, personnel, supplies and equipment to the scene of any hazardous material incident, environmental incident or safety and rescue incident or operation, including vehicular accidents and fires, that occur on the roadways in Upper Moreland Township. The rate of the user fee shall be that which is usual, customary and reasonable, as determined by the Upper Moreland Township Fire Department and Emergency Management Coordinator and approved by the Upper Moreland Township Board of Commissioners, pursuant to rates established by FEMA and outlined in the attached policy addendum.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: The addendum is on file in the Township offices.
(2)
Every person and/or utility that requires emergency services shall be billed a user fee according to this chapter.
(3)
The user fee for emergency services rendered shall be billed directly to the user of such services insurance company, if known, as an add-on cost. If the insurance company is not known, the user of the services shall be billed directly, with instructions to forward the bill to his/her insurance provider. When emergency services are rendered relating to utilities on the roadways within Upper Moreland Township and the area is deemed unsafe by emergency responders, said utility shall be billed directly.
(4)
Any and all amounts collected as a result of this Ordinance shall be turned over to the Township and deposited into a designate Township revenue account and shall be distributed according to a formula as determined and approved by the Upper Moreland Township Board of Commissioners for the replacement and maintenance of emergency services materials and equipment.
(5)
The Upper Moreland Township Board of Commissioners may implement rules and/or regulations and/or revoke or amend existing rules and/or regulations as may be deemed necessary for the billing and/or collection of user fees pursuant to this chapter. The Board of Commissioners, at its discretion, also reserves the right to waive billings in certain circumstances.
D.
Uncollectable accounts.
(1)
The user fee is anticipated to be paid by the user's insurance company. In the instance where the Township receives official notification from the insurance carrier that it will not honor the invoice, the Township shall write off the fee as a bad debt, without adversely affecting the credit standing of the individual involved.
(2)
Should the Township determine that an insurance carrier has remitted the fee to the user involved and that the party has failed to remit the fee to the Township, the Township will take appropriate action in order to collect the account.