Emergency Medical Services Billing

In recent years, the number of volunteers supporting emergency medical responses has been declining. Emergency medical services are critical to the health, safety, and welfare of our community. To ensure these services are available for those in need, the Commissioners of St. Mary's County (CSMC) provided funding for our Department of Emergency Services (DES) to hire career EMS personnel. These highly skilled employees are assigned in partnership with the various rescue squads, ensuring adequate staffing of our ambulances. Join our Career EMS Team! Search for openings at: www.stmaryscountymd.gov/careers.

Since 2021, St. Mary’s County Government (SMCG) has had a soft billing policy for EMS. This means that SMCG bills insurance companies for emergency medical services, such as ambulance transport. Patients do not have to pay anything beyond what their insurance covers (no co-pay, co-insurance, out-of-pocket cost, etc.). This ensures that insurance helps cover costs while protecting patients from financial burden.

Our billing agency has agreed to only bill insurance providers for emergency medical services. Patients should not receive a bill; however, sometimes mistakes happen. If you do receive a bill or have questions about billing, please contact DES via email to [email protected] or by phone at (301) 475-4200 ext. 2129.

Patients may still receive requests for insurance information if needed.

Your health and safety come first. If you need emergency medical help, call 911 without hesitation. St. Mary’s County is committed to making sure no patient is personally responsible for the cost of emergency ambulance transport.

Even in this case, patients are not required to pay. St. Mary’s County is committed to making sure no patient is personally responsible for the cost of our emergency medical services/ambulance transport.

St. Mary's County tax dollars will continue to contribute to the costs of the county emergency services; billing insurance assists in covering expanded needs and supplemental career staff to support our volunteer rescue squads.

The same soft billing practice applies. Insurance providers will be billed for emergency medical services, not the patient.

The amount billed will depend on the services provided. Fees are based on the level of care required at the time of the emergency.

No. The cost associated with emergency services are already factored into the premiums established by most insurance companies.

No. Volunteer Rescue Squads will continue to collect revenue generated from the rescue tax.

No, it supports them. All St. Mary's County Rescue Squads voted favorably to implement this system.

If you do receive a bill or have questions about billing, please contact DES via email to [email protected] or by phone at (301) 475-4200 ext. 2129.

The EMS/ambulance crew will ask you to sign a form that acknowledges you were treated in an emergency. This signed form allows for billing to your insurance as is required by Federal guidelines and verifies your receipt of the County's HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices. If you, as the patient, are unable to sign due to your emergency, a family member or other person may sign on your behalf. If you are unable to sign at the time of your emergency and no one can sign for you, a form will be sent in the mail for you to sign and return.