Residents press Tamworth board to review ambulance billing under Action Ambulance contract

During public comment May 13, multiple residents urged the Tamworth Select Board to review how ambulance rides are billed under the town's contract with Action Ambulance.

One resident told the board the town pays a contract intended to guarantee ambulance response, but that patients may still receive large bills for transport. "It's like all it is is like an insurance policy that guarantees an ambulance will show up, but then you still get billed for the ride," the resident said.

The resident recounted a local case in which a transported household member received a multi-thousand-dollar bill after insurance paid only a portion. Board members and staff said the town's contract guarantees coverage of response but does not automatically pay patient transport fees; several members said they understood the contract is reviewed annually with other towns in the regional agreement and that a board member would attend the next partners' meeting.

A board member reported that the Action Ambulance representative had told the town to contact him directly about disputed bills; the board said staff would bring the issue to the regional meeting where contract terms and billing questions are reviewed.

No formal action or change to the contract was made at the meeting; the board recorded direction to review the issue with partner towns and to raise disputed individual bills with Action Ambulance for resolution.

The transcript shows the contract renewal and the annual partner-review process were discussed; one speaker said the contract had been renewed and that local contract partners meet annually to review terms and billing.

The board asked staff to raise ambulance-billing concerns at the next partner meeting and to report back to the Select Board with findings.