More than a year after the Vashon fire district began charging for ambulance transport to area hospitals, those fees are back in the spotlight, with commissioners exploring charging insurance companies only, not individuals.
A handful of islanders attended last week’s fire commissioners’ meeting and raised concerns about the fees, saying that they were concerned the charges would prevent people from calling 911 when necessary. Meanwhile, fire district officials say the fees provide important revenue for the district, but should not be an impediment to people calling for help when they need it. The commissioners stressed at the meeting that the district will not send anyone to collections for an unpaid bill, but are now reportedly considering changing their billing practices so that insurance companies would continue to be billed; patients would not be responsible for any remaining balance.