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 web posted October 30, 2007 EDGEFIELD – A Johnston woman’s son was in a wreck on April 8, 2007, when he “rear-ended another vehicle.” The two occupants of the car he hit asked for an ambulance and Edgefield County EMS responded. Michelle Clark, of Johnston also responded to check on her son and said, “I was on the scene of the accident before the police or EMS was. When the EMT asked me if my children needed treatment, I said no.” Mrs. Clark says she then signed a form stating they were refusing treatment. That form, she said, became a nightmare ever since. A short time later Mrs. Clark said she received a bill from the Edgefield County EMS for “treat/ no transport” for $90.50. “I thought it was an error,” Mrs. Clark said. She called the billing office and was asked to put her complaint in writing, which she did. In her letter Mrs. Clark stated her son was never touched by any EMS worker and she felt her signature was for refusing treatment, not to incur a bill. The ambulance, she claimed, was paid for by the insurance company paying for the transport of the occupants of the car her son hit. “How many parents were not at the scene of their children’s accidents and do not know whether or not their children received medical attention and pay the bill when you send it?” Clark wrote and also questioned, “How many insurance companies pay the bills for services not rendered?” Mrs. Clark said instead of her letter clearing up the matter she was sent a “Final Notice” threatening possible garnishments of tax refunds, wages, levies against bank accounts, collection services, and a report to the credit bureaus.“ Mrs. Clark said, “I couldn’t believe it,” and wrote a letter to Edgefield County Administrator John Pettigrew dated October 16. On Monday Mr. Pettigrew said he received the letter and though he had not spoken to Mrs. Clark, “I believe the matter has been cleared up.” Pettigrew said it was the policy to bill the drivers of all calls to EMS even if there was no transport. “The ambulance responding costs money,” Pettigrew said. Due to that the county set the fee at $90.50 and is billed to each driver regardless of who called for the ambulance. Mrs. Clark’s bill was removed due to a transport; two actually were billed and paid. “We’ve changed the policy if there is a transport,” Pettigrew said. When asked if Mrs. Clark’s scenario had changed and no one was transported would she still receive the same bill Mr. Pettigrew said “yes”. Asked how someone that did not call for an ambulance is charged for services never rendered by EMS personnel to a third party and be held financially accountable for the bill Mr. Pettigrew said, “There are some counties that bill every person in the cars.” “That’s just not right,” Mrs. Clark said. “How can they do that?” She said she spoke with Edgefield County Council Chairman Monroe Kneece and he called her back to inform her there “would be no more bill.” But Mrs. Clark says she is more concerned about other people who are being “duped” into signing what is claimed to be a form “refusing” treatment and end up getting a bill for refusing to be treated. “The bill says treated and no transport, they never treated my son and we got billed.” Mr. Pettigrew said the policy to bill all drivers in a collision with no transport of a patient would continue to remain in force no matter whom the ambulance is called to treat. “We don’t know who called the ambulance, whether it was the police, the person, or somebody calling 911 when they ride by.” Mrs. Clark said if she were ever placed in the same situation again she would not sign anything ever again at the scene of a crash. She said she was never advised that what she was signing would result in a bill. “They got my bill taken care of, but just think about how many people are paying these bills or just file them on their car insurance to pay. That’s a lot of money for doing nothing.” Mrs. Clark said she is dealing with a similar issue with the Edgefield County Hospital. EdgefieldDaily.com encourages readers with similar problems to contact us to see if we can aid in resolving the issue. According to Mrs. Clark, County Council Chairman Monroe Kneece resolved the issue quickly and was informed the media had also been advised. ©
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