Ambulance District Board Next Month May Consider Options On Billing For Refusals Of Service

The Ste. Genevieve County Ambulance District board last week discussed the concept of billing for refusals, which director Kendall Shrum is now being allowed by Medicaid.

Shrum raised the issue last Thursday while providing the board with an update from a review of billing and cost-reporting with the district’s billing company.

“We’d have to bill everybody out for refusals,” Shrum said, adding that it might increase the amount of money being written off by the district.

Shrum said refusals of service had been billed in the past “kind of based on what the assessment was and what we did at the scene.”

District officials said Medicaid pays $152 per refusal.

Board member Bill Everett said it would be worth weighing the public relations perception against the revenue.

“I was just thinking of what kind of potential could it generate versus what kind of damage it could do as far as PR,” Everett said.

“My guess is it would be pretty small,” board chair Ernie Weiler said of the revenue.

Shrum said he would compile the number of refusals and break it down by Medicaid, Medicare, insured and uninsured for discussion at the March meeting of the board.

No meeting date was set last week for the month since there was no agreement on scheduling one by adjournment.

See complete story in the February 26 edition of the Herald.