The public is invited to an open house at Clallam County Fire District 3’s fire stations and maintenance facility, including Station 34 on 323 N. Fifth Ave., from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

The public is invited to an open house at Clallam County Fire District 3’s fire stations and maintenance facility, including Station 34 on 323 N. Fifth Ave., from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

Fire district covers transport credit for Olympic Ambulance

SEQUIM — Whether you are transported in a red ambulance or a white ambulance in the Sequim area, your bill will be the same.

Clallam County Fire District 3 commissioners voted unanimously in September on a resolution to extend the “Ambulance Transport Billing Credit” to all residents and property owners transported by Olympic Ambulance.

District staff said the credit has allowed them since 2011 to write-off the remaining fees after insurance for residents/property owners who were transported in a fire district (red) ambulance.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

They added that some patients have expressed hesitancy for taking an ambulance because of the assumed cost, so staff wanted to reduce that anxiety.

“The goal is not to have any out-of-pocket costs for an ambulance transport,” Assistant Fire Chief Dan Orr said.

Now the fire district will compensate Olympic Ambulance, a private ambulance company, for Fire District 3 residents/business owners when transport fees are not covered by insurance using funds from the district’s EMS levy revenue.

District staff said a three-month trial started Oct. 1 and both agencies will reassess in January and every year forward. Next year’s fire district budget tentatively includes what district staff call a “conservative” $120,000 to reimburse Olympic Ambulance through 2023.

“They will bill your insurance and it doesn’t make any difference if it’s a red or white ambulance, and it’s gonna get billed the same way,” Orr said.

Fire district staff said that lump sum will be reevaluated annually based on the number of trips.

How much patients pay depends on their insurance provider, where the ambulance goes, if medications and/or oxygen are used, and various other factors, Orr said.

What’s not covered by insurance, if anything, will be paid by the district’s EMS levy lid lift for either ambulance ride.

District staff said they project $3.2 million from the EMS levy being available for the 2023 budget.

“I believe that extending the Ambulance Transport Billing Credit to Olympic Ambulance transports of Fire District 3’s citizens is in the best interest of all of our citizens in Fire District 3,” said fire chief Ben Andrews in a press release.

Fire District staff said Olympic Ambulance transports a majority of residents/property owners to Olympic Medical Center because they cannot afford being “offline” taking someone(s) to Port Angeles and back as other calls may be coming in.

For more information, visit ccfd3.org or call 360-683-4242.

________

Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach him at mnash@sequimgazette.com.

More in News

Samantha Herik, an EMT with the Port Angeles Fire Department, attaches a poster to the side of her department’s vintage 1956 Seagrave fire truck during a fundraising drive on Saturday in the Swain’s General Store parking lot in Port Angeles. PAFD is collecting donations to rebuild the retired vehicle, known as “No. 5,” with a restored engine and transmission. The truck is used primarily for the annual Operation Candy Cane food bank fundraising drive, along with other promotional purposes. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Donation collection

Samantha Herik, an EMT with the Port Angeles Fire Department, attaches a… Continue reading

Clallam County working with North Olympic Library System to relocate its law library

Expanded access to materials is the goal, administrator says

Director: Department continues to shrink

Public works projects not sustainable, he says

Sequim City Council member Kelly Burger takes the oath of office from City Clerk Heather Robley on Feb. 10 after council members voted to appoint him to replace Kathy Downer. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Sequim council appoints Burger to fill seat

Appointed position goes through certification of 2025 general election

Tristan Lowman.
Clallam Fire District 2 hosts annual recognition banquet

Kate Haworth, Taylor Counts and Tristan Lowman were among… Continue reading

Jefferson County home show set for Saturday

The Home Show sponsored by the Jefferson County Homebuilders… Continue reading

A mobile unit from the Jamestown Healing Clinic in Sequim drives to Clallam Bay on weekdays to provide treatment for 30-40 opioid use disorder patients in the West End. The program started last March. (Jamestown Healing Clinic)
Mobile health clinic treating patients on West End

Number of overdose deaths down, official says

Sequim School District administrators, staffers, families and supporters gather in Stymie’s Bar and Grill on Feb. 11 after they learned the district’s bond and levy proposals were passing. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Sequim School District leaders celebrate results

Construction bond, EPO levy both pass

The 2024 Citizen of the Year finalists include, from left, Nicole Lepping, Ron Stecker and Blaine Zechenelly. (Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce)
Three named finalists for Sequim Citizen of Year

Three finalists have been named for the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber… Continue reading

Weekly flight operations scheduled

There will be field carrier landing practice operations for aircraft… Continue reading

Port Townsend Co-op employees narrowly vote down unionization

Organizers hope efforts have brought issues to light

Steven Becker and Delma Morrison, both of Sequim, peer into a display tank on Friday at the Feiro Marine Life Center at Port Angeles City Pier. The center features a wide variety of sea creatures on display as well as touch tanks and educational exhibits. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Life center display

Steven Becker and Delma Morrison, both of Sequim, peer into a display… Continue reading