Des Plaines, IL
Home MenuAmbulance Fees
The Des Plaines Fire Department is committed to providing high-quality emergency medical care to our community. Ambulance fees help cover some of the costs for transportation, treatment, and evaluation services. Anyone, resident or non-resident, receiving ambulance transportation or emergency medical services from DPFD will be charged an ambulance fee determined by the average cost of a patient's assessment and treatment.
-
Fees will match the latest Ground Emergency Medical Transport (GEMT) cost report, covering the actual costs of treatment and transport, plus a mileage fee of $15.00 per mile. Costs vary from year to year based on the GEMT cost report.
-
Advanced Life Support (ALS1 and ALS2) calls will be charged at the GEMT-approved ALS rate, while Basic Life Support (BLS) calls will be charged at the GEMT-approved BLS rate.
-
Patients who are medically evaluated and/or treated but are not transported to a medical facility will be charged a no-transport ambulance fee of $250.00.
-
Des Plaines residents will not be billed for any remaining charges after all insurance payments are received, including deductibles, copays, and any other out of pocket costs.
-
Non-residents will be billed for any remaining charges after insurance payments. All fees collected will go into the city’s general fund or another fund designated for future replacement of life safety vehicles or equipment. The City may take action to collect unpaid ambulance fees according to its policy.
Fees may be waived or reduced when:
-
It is not paid in full by insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or public aid and there is an established hardship based upon the recommendation of competent authority (e.g., collection agency, legal counsel, the Illinois Health Care Services Lien Act, 770 ILCS 23/1 et. seq.)
-
Insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or public aid did not cover the full amount, and a hardship has been verified by the recommendation of competent authority.
-
The patient being charged had no injury or illness and did not request ambulance service.
The above does not make the City or any of its officers, agents, or employees responsible for any damages to persons or property because of the provision of paramedic service or ambulance service as provided herein.
Lift-assist fees apply when the fire department helps an individual who is uninjured and not acutely ill but requests lifting or moving assistance. The number of an individual's lift-assist occurrences determines the fee per occurrence:
| Number of Occurrences Per Calendar Year | Fee Per Occurrence |
|---|---|
| 0-6 | $0.00 |
| 7-9 | $100.00 |
| 10-12 | $150.00 |
| 13-15 | $200.00 |
| 16-18 | $250.00 |
| 19-21 | $300.00 |
| 22-24 | $350.00 |
| Over 24 | $400.00 |
Questions?
For questions regarding ambulance billing please contact EMS MC at 847-577-8811.
Requests for medical records can be made through the website chartswap.com or call 800-244-2345 or fax 800-329-5274.