Medical TRANSPORT
Bennington Rescue provides medical transport services for our service area residents and those receiving care at our local hospital (Southwestern Vermont Medical Center) or any of the local skilled nursing, assisted living, or residential care facilities in our primary service area.
Insurer requirements and other factors are difficult to navigate. We strongly recommend getting in touch with our business office Mon-Fri between 7:30 AM - 3:30 PM well in advance at 802-442-5817.
Covered services
When arranging ambulance transport, there are certain insurance rules we must abide by prior to accepting a transport. Examples include:
Ensuring ambulance transport is medically necessary (insurers do not consider certain factors like patient comfort as a reason for ambulance transport).
The sending facility or health care provider obtaining pre-authorization from the insurance company when required.
Submitting documentation of medical necessity and preauthorization to our billing specialists or supervisor.
Exceptions are often allowed for life-threatening transfers from one hospital to another providing a higher level of care.
The patient is responsible for costs of the transport when:
Medical necessity is not met or
The patient, or their healthcare provider, decides to bypass a closer facility that could provide the necessary service. This applies even in urgent or emergent transfers between hospitals.
In some cases, advance payment will be required when we anticipate insurance will deny the transport.
In most cases, residents of a skilled nursing facility (nursing home) when a patient requires transports routine care or diagnostics, the facility is responsible for the transport.
