If you are certain a bill has been issued for a career ambulance transport PRIOR to August 2023, please contact Meridian Financial Management for a copy of the bill.

• Mail: Meridian Financial Management, PO Box 1077, Millersville, MD 21108
• Phone: 443-274-2900
• Fax: 443-274-2589

If you are certain a bill has been issued for a career ambulance transport AFTER to July 2023, please contact Digitech for a copy of the bill.

• Website: https://ccdes.payambulance.com/
• Email: CCDES@PayAmbulance.com
• Phone: 888-761-7898

If you are uncertain there is a bill or for any other billing related questions, please contact Tamara Hunt at 301-609-3403 or email at emsbilling@charlescountymd.gov.

• EMS Fee for Service Policy

Go to the Medical Records Request page to learn how to obtain a copy of your medical records.

Dear Charles County Residents,

Using a “service first” philosophy, the Charles County Government strives to provide the best emergency medical services (EMS) and care possible to its residents and visitors. Our personnel, training, equipment, and professionalism enable us to give you around-the-clock quality emergency medical care. We do it with competence, compassion, and an intense sense of duty to the people we serve.

To provide this first class Emergency Medical Service the County began a transport billing policy for Advanced Life Support (ALS) which began on July 1, 2005. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to keep providing this robust service as we are facing increasing resource demands and decreasing operational funding due to the current fiscal constraints. Therefore beginning on July 1st, 2009 Charles County will begin billing for both basic and advanced life support transports.

We want residents to know, without fail, that no one will ever be denied service because of ability to pay or for lack of health insurance. When residents need emergency assistance, we want them to call 9-1-1 without hesitation.

Our billing program is based on concern for the medical and financial health of our county residents. We have designed this program to minimize the out-of-pocket costs for county residents. Uninsured residents will be treated with compassion and provided with options to ensure financial hardship is avoided. There will be no charge for emergency medical care treatment if the patient is not transported.

The demands on our EMS resources dedicated to our residents and visitors continue to grow, in recognition of the needs of the people we serve we believe it best to institute this billing program to continue providing world class services. Our commitment to you is providing the best EMS care possible period. We are proud and privileged to do so.

All health insurance companies can be billed for EMS transport just as they are billed for a patient's other medical coverage. Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Maryland as well as any other medical insurance carrier can be billed directly by Meridian Financial Management for transports prior to August 2023 and Digitech after July 2023. The process for including other companies for direct billing is underway. If covered by one of these insurance carriers and the patient has provided their insurance information, the patient should not receive a bill, only a statement of charges and payment by the insurance company.

The Fire/EMS Tax funds are available for the volunteer fire department/EMS companies' equipment and facilities. The new transport fees are a way of obtaining financial reimbursement for the cost of providing medically necessary ambulance transportation. Medicaid, Medicare, and most other private insurance policies (health, auto, homeowner) already allow for reimbursement for this service. Charles County is implementing this program to seek reimbursement of these funds that will help supplement some of the operational expenses for providing emergency medical services while giving some relief to the general fund and ultimately the taxpayer.

No. A payment will NOT be expected at the time of transport, and all persons will be transported regardless of insurance coverage or their ability to pay.