Who pays when an ambulance responds: Atlantic Health bills for ALS; Basking Ridge says it won't pursue residents for unpaid balances

At a Bernards Township information session, Captain Sarah Bonafoi said Atlantic Health bills patients for Advanced Life Support (ALS) transports and for ALS assessments even if a Basking Ridge Fire Company ambulance performed the transport. "Atlantic Health ALS will bill you for transport," Bonafoi said, describing hospital billing practices for ALS-level services.

Why it matters: Ambulance bills can arrive weeks after an emergency and can be sent to collections if unpaid; residents asked whether they should decline transport for fear of bills.

Bonafoi outlined the local billing landscape: Atlantic Health (sometimes referred to in the presentation as Atlantic Health System) issues invoices for ALS transports and assessments; Atlantic Health BLS also may charge for assessments. She said invoices that bear the Atlantic Health name must be paid and may go to collections if unpaid.

By contrast, Bonafoi stated that the township-owned Basking Ridge Fire Company recently began requesting insurance information and billing for in-home assessments and hospital transports but "will not pursue payment" from Bernards Township residents if insurance does not cover the balance. She said the company started that billing practice in May (date given during the presentation) and that residents should complete any insurance-request forms they receive.

Bonafoi emphasized practical points for callers: if Atlantic Health ALS is present on a call, the resulting transport or assessment will be billed by Atlantic Health rather than the Basking Ridge Fire Company; if a township resident is transported in a Basking Ridge ambulance with no ALS involvement, the township will ask for insurance information but said it will not aggressively pursue collection from residents.

Quote: "If Atlantic Health responds to a medical emergency, Atlantic Health ALS will bill you for transport," Bonafoi said, adding that the bill will come from Atlantic Health, not from the Basking Ridge Fire Company.

What remained unclear: The presenter gave slightly inconsistent timing when describing when Basking Ridge began billing (she corrected herself verbally from December 2025 to May); the precise year was not stated clearly in the session recording. Residents seeking definitive policy or timing should consult township billing notices or contact the Basking Ridge Fire Company or Atlantic Health billing office.

Next steps: Bonafoi offered contact information and a township website link (provided during the session) for follow-up; she encouraged residents to respond to insurance-request forms to ensure billing is processed correctly.