In the heat of the moment, sirens and flashing lights are a welcome sight at the scene of a medical emergency. The bill that follows, however, can cause a pocketbook emergency.

Elizabeth Frandsen, the director of mobile intensive care services at Mary Greeley Medical Center, said that there are many factors affecting ambulance transportation costs.

“Reimbursement rates are only 40 percent,” Frandsen said in reference to reimbursement of ambulance expenditures.

The hospital sets the ambulance transportation prices at Mary Greeley, Frandsen said. Along with base rates at Mary Greeley, Frandsen said that there is a standard minimum rate for ambulance transportation while a patient is onboard.

“[It’s] $28 per loaded mile,” Frandsen said.

A “loaded mile” is when a patient is inside the ambulance.

The further price of ambulance transport depends on the type of medical services provided during the trip, Frandsen said, adding that these services can range from first aid to intensive care. Frandsen also noted that ambulances are capital intensive vehicles, which also plays into the cost of ambulance services.

Traci McBee, public relations manager for Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, said that on the insurance side of the issue, the cost of transport and the insurance payout accompanying it comes down to whether or not the ambulance service used is in or out of network, as well as whether or not the ride was necessary.

“In order for ambulance to be a covered service under most health plans, it must be considered an emergency,” McBee said.

The amount of miles traveled, the condition of the transported and the type of transportation, such as ground or air, also affects the cost of an ambulance bill, McBee said. Due to differences between insurance plans and accompanying co-pays and deductibles, the price that an insured is required to pay differs, McBee said.

“The timeline for payment is largely determined by when the claims are filed by the provider,” McBee said.

This means that the billing cycle depends on the ambulance service provider. Once a correctly filled out form is received from the provider by the insurance company, a claim and necessary payment is usually processed in less than 30 days, McBee said.

In order to avoid ambulance transportation bills, one must look at necessity.

“[They] do not so long as they’re competent and aware,” Frandsen said in reference to patients accepting ambulance services.

The mobile intensive care unit will come out to assess a patient to see if they need emergency transportation free of charge, Frandsen said.

“Transporting a patient from their home to a nursing home or from a hospital to a nursing home isn’t considered an emergency,” McBee said, highlighting a case where an insurance company may not cover the cost of ambulance transportation due to lack of necessity.

Regardless, Frandsen said anytime someone is reasonably concerned about something that may be a medical emergency they should call 911.