As of August 2023, Rapids Volunteer Fire Company is billing for our Emergency Medical Services (ambulance) to most of the calls we respond this. This is allowed per NYS General Municipal Law 209-B. By no means is this to make any financial hardship on any individual and/or business. The reason our organization is doing this is to help recoup some of the very expensive costs for vehicle replacement, fuel, maintenance, medical supplies, medical equipment, training, etc.

What does this mean for a patient we take care of? If the patient has any insurance we would bill the insurance company for the services rendered, not the patient. What costs are recouped is what the organization is awarded. If by chance there is any outstanding balance that is written off and forgotten about. If the patient does not have insurance legally under the new state law that we are billing under we cannot bill that patient for services. By no means would anything like response time, care, professionalism, etc. change depending on insurance or not.

By law we are obligated to provide a copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices to any patient encountered. If you need an additional copy of such please click here.

We use a third-party billing company, Professional Ambulance Billing, from Williamsville, NY to handle all of our billing processes legally. If you have any questions for them you may contact them by utilizing their website at www.4pab.com.

If you should have any questions for Rapids Volunteer Fire Company pertaining to a copy of your medical record, bill for services, and/or anything pertaning to ambulance serivces please contact the EMS Captain Brent Ast via email and/or his office phone at 716-434-4502 ext. 202.