Community Connection
Subscription Information - Frequently Asked Questions
How do I subscribe?
What does my subscription cover?
My insurance covers ambulance trips, so why should I
subscribe?
How long does my subscription coverage last?
What is Third Party Billing?
What should I do with the checks that I receive from
my insurance company?
Do my tax dollars fund Shaler EMS?
Does my donation to my volunteer fire company provide
me with a subscription to Shaler EMS?
Is Shaler EMS a department of Shaler Township?
Does my Subscription cover me outside Shaler?
Are wheelchair van and invalid coach service covered by my subscription?
Q: How do I subscribe?
[top]
A: You can subscribe by returning the subscription form sent to every Township of Shaler
resident at the beginning of March of each year. If you did not receive one, please call
us at 412-487-6590 with your address
and we will send you another one right away.
Q: What does my subscription cover?
[top]
A: Your subscription covers the costs of all medically necessary emergency
ambulance trips, including all co-payments and deductibles. In addition,
your subscription provides a discount for non-emergency ambulance, invalid
coach, and wheelchair van transportation. No matter how many times you and
your family may need medically necessary emergency ambulance service, you will not be responsible for any
additional fees for medically necessary emergency ambulance transportation.
Your subscription covers you even if you are injured in one of the
communities that surround Shaler Township.
Q: My insurance covers ambulance trips so why should I
subscribe? [top]
A: It is important to remember that although your insurance company may pay the ambulance
bill, many insurance companies require you to pay a deductible or co-payment. Subscribing
will allow you to avoid these charges. In addition, subscribing does more than protect you
from incurring an expensive ambulance trip. It also insures that Shaler EMS can provide the
best possible emergency medical care to you and your family. Your subscription money
allows Shaler EMS to hire and retain qualified medical professionals, purchase and maintain new
ambulances, and invest in life saving medical equipment.
Q: How long does my subscription coverage last?
[top]
A: Subscription coverage last for one year, starting April 1st and running through to
March 31st of the following year. Sorry, we cannot prorate your subscription. This means
if you renew your subscription part way through the subscription year, it will still run
out on March 31st.
Q: What is Third Party Billing?
[top]
A: Third party billing is the process where Shaler EMS recoups its operating
cost by charging your insurance company for ambulance service. Shaler EMS
bills all patient’s insurance, including subscribers. Subscribers are not
responsible for any charges not covered by their insurance for medically
necessary emergency ambulance service. However, non-subscribers will be
billed for the portion not covered by their insurance. The costs of not
subscribing can be high, as the typical ambulance bill can exceed $400.
Q: What should I do with the checks that I receive
from my insurance company?[top]
A: Any checks that you receive from your insurance company should be sent to Shaler
EMS' billing company. Their address is:
P.O. Box 422
Ingomar,
Pa 15217
These checks are for payment of the ambulance service that you received, not for personal
spending.
Q: Do my tax dollars fund Shaler
EMS? [top]
A: No, Shaler EMS does not receive any local tax dollars. This makes your subscription a vital source of funding for us.
Without it, we could not continue to deliver high quality emergency medical care.
Q: Does my donation to my volunteer fire company
provide me with a subscription to Shaler EMS?
[top]
A: Your donation to your local fire department does not provide you with a subscription to
Shaler EMS. We are independent from Shaler Township's volunteer fire departments and
we do not receive any funding from them.
Q: Is Shaler EMS a department of Shaler
Township? [top]
A: No, Shaler EMS is an independent non-profit organization. Although we are a separate
organization, we do work closely with the township to strengthen public safety.
Q: Does my Subscription cover me outside Shaler? [top]
A: Yes, your Shaler EMS subscription is honored by all of the communities that border Shaler Township and most of the communities in the North Hills. Call 412-487-6590 for a list of communities where you are covered or view them on this map.
Q: Are wheelchair van and invalid coach service covered by my subscription? [top]
A: Shaler EMS no longer provides wheelchair van and invalid coach service. The service that transports you may or may not provide a discount because you are a Shaler EMS Subscriber.
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