Advanced Critical Transport

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/06/08) */
Initially, before addressing this matter, I would like to point out that this issue is 2.5 years old. I fail to understand why Ms. [redacted] did not address this issue in a timely manner; in fact waited until the reality of a wage garnishment...

sufficiently engaged her attention to do so.
Obviously, If her wages have been garnished, this case has been through the courts with a set legal process and is no longer in our hands. The debt assignment was rendered by a Judge after going through the proper legal process. As a matter of courtesy, we will, however address the matter at hand in so far as we can do so legally. The only issues that can be addressed are those brought up by Ms. [redacted] in her correspondence due to strict HIPPA regulations in regard to health care records. Without a signed request from Ms. [redacted] requesting that we release records to the Revdex.com, we are unable to do so pursuant to Federal Law.
Ms. [redacted] states that her child was first transported into the ED at Bolingbrook Hospital via ambulance as was appropriate for the childs condition as presented. This was a short transport of only a few miles and required only BLS service for the administration of Oxygen; something that can be handled by any EMS transport team. Upon arival and subsequent to treatment in the Bolingbrook ED, it was determined that the child should be transferred to a hospital with full pediatric services for further care. Our company was contacted to provide this service because her child required service above the ability of a standard EMS service. As you will note in the complaint, Ms [redacted] states that her child received "IV antibiotics and fluids". The child did receive that as well as two other medications via IV and the IV needed to be continued during transit to the next hospital. I am uncertain how Ms. [redacted] thought she was going to be able to handle an infusing IV pump, cardiac monitor and saturation monitor during an automobile ride to the receiving hospital; not to mention the need to be able to administer further breathing treatments if the need arose. So much for the comment that all we did was provide Oxygen. The care that her child received could only be provided by a Medical Team with a Registered Nurse on board the Ambulance whereas, her first transport was provided by a basic EMS team. They are vastly different services.
The first ambulance transfer at BLS or basic level was approximately 7miles as can be referenced via map program. The second transfer at Medical Transport level was 23 miles. In fact, to facilitate this transfer of her child, our travel from our station in Brookfield to Bolingbrook then to Loyola and back to our station house was in excess of 50 miles, most of which was at emergency "lights and siren" level. The response required by our company was considered to be urgent as was the transfer into Loyola. So much for Ms. [redacted]'s assessment of time and distance.
Ms. [redacted] proceeds to discuss the amount of her bills in "approximate" terms. She has a peculiar method of rounding these amounts. Our bill to the insurance company was for $5473.00; not nearly $8000.00 as she states. So much for her veracity in financial matters. We do not pluck prices out of thin air. We have no idea what the "other" ambulance bill really was. The amount we billed for our service is based on the fee schedule we receive from the insurer. We don't make them up. She was billed the standard rate and under most circumstances, this bill would be paid at 80% to 100% of the billed amount. Her policy, however is through a union. Her insurer only administers this account and her union makes a final decision about what they feel like paying. We deal with many unions, all of whom pay at the insurance company's fee schedule rate with the exception of one union. That union, happens to be the one she is insured through. Her problem most certainly is not with us or with the managing insurance company [redacted]; rather it is with her union.
Our records indicate the following:
1. 11/8/2012 Our services were billed for $5473.00 to [redacted]. The claim will have been priced at fee schedule rate and forwarded to the union. In this case, it went through a re-price agent and was re-priced at approximately Medicare rates rather than private insurance rates. This is her unions choice.
2. 2/25/2013 The services were paid at $1071.20 leaving a balance of 4401.80 for which Ms. [redacted] was billed several times at the correct address. All bills were sent prior to her move in Oct 2013 and none were returned as "not deliverable" by the USPS. At no time did Ms. [redacted] make any effort to communicate with us. Ms. [redacted]'s comments regarding conversations do not reveal to whom she spoke or when. It was not our office. Her correspondence regarding a comment that the bill seemed "totally off" did not come from us or our attorney's office. It is unlikely that her insurance company made that comment either; however, should it be required, a transcript from the insurance company of the phone call can be produced upon request. All phone calls to the insurance company are recorded and every agent receives careful training which includes the instruction never to pass [redacted] on the amount of a bill. To do so, would most likely cost them their job. In this case, we billed the same amount listed on their fee schedule so the comment simply would not have been made because it was the same as the fee schedule amount for the service provided.
3. 9/13/2013 Our office left a message on Ms. [redacted]'s phone letting her know that this was going to go to our attorney for collection proceedings. We asked that she call us prior to that event to work with us regarding her account so that she would not be turned over to our attorney. We received no response and forwarded the file to our law firm.
From this point forward, we have no files. Once we forward to our attorney, we have no active role in the collection process. However, We did request the files from our law firm and the following information is on file in the legal records.
1. Change of address is noted; correct name on answering machine noted
2. Demand notices noted.
3. Answering maching no longer in service, contact via phone with Ms [redacted] with the following discussed: 2/14/2014 payment plan set up for $25.00/month while Ms.[redacted] contacted insurance for additional payment. No payment received and suit authorized 3/5/2014 due to default on promised payment.
4. Court records indicate that Ms. [redacted] and her husband were both served subpoenas by the sheriffs office 5/21/2014.
5. Neither defendant complied with the subpoena; did not show up for trial and judgement in favor of our company was obtained.
6. On 6/11/14, Advanced Critical Transport, Inc. was granted a final and full judgement plus all legal and court fees by the presiding judge.
7. On 7/23/14 Ms. [redacted] was notified by mail of pending payroll garnishment with no response.
Suddenly, when a wage garnishment became a reality, Ms. [redacted]'s attention was engaged fully 2 1/2 years after the event.
So much for not "not hearing anything ....after the summer of 2013".
This is a done deal. It's been through the legal system start to finish and the[redacted] had ample notice and opportunity to deal with this issue. There is nothing to resolve. As stated, the amount that was billed was in line with the fee schedule of payable amounts for service. Had this been dealt with by this family in a timely and honest manner, a compromise with a payment plan would have been reached. If they wish to engage the services of an attorney to review this case for a possible change in outcome, they are welcome to do so. As far as we are concerned, a 2 1/2 year old issue which has been legally decided in a court of law is not a case to revisit.