Ambulance Billing / Fee Information / Disclosures

Pinellas County Ambulance Billing Office
12490 Ulmerton Road
Largo, FL 33774-2700

Hours of Operation:

• Walk-ins are welcomed; Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  
• Contact us: (727) 582-2008
  Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  (Except county observed holidays and scheduled training days)

For your convenience, Sunstar accepts checks and money orders by mail. If you prefer to pay in cash, please visit our Billing office. If you are unable to pay the account balance in full, monthly payment arrangements are available by calling (727) 582-2008.

Billing Rates:

Pinellas County does the Ambulance Billing for each Sunstar ambulance transport. Our customer service representatives at Sunstar are very knowledgeable and experienced in the procedures to file a claim. They may be able to assist you to file again. You may call our office at 727-582-2008 for more information.

Sunstar Emergency Medical Services is a branch of Pinellas County Government. Therefore, we are unable to offer any discounts or negotiate any reductions in our established rates.

Billing Disclosures:

• Patient Invoicing:  If you have NOT been previously transported by Sunstar and complete Medicare or insurance information was not obtained at the time ambulance service was provided, an invoice will be sent to you, along with a request for your insurance or Medicare information.

  Please complete the form and return it to the following address:  Sunstar, PO Box 31074, Tampa, FL 33631-3074 or you may call our office at (727) 582-2008. The information may also be faxed (727) 582-2021 or emailed http://www.sunstarems.com/contact-us/ .

   

• Insurance Billing: Sunstar will bill the patient’s insurance carrier as a courtesy; however, it is the responsibility of the patient to follow up with their insurance company to resolve any denial in payment. Unfortunately, not all claims filed by Sunstar are paid by Medicare or insurance companies. Medicare and insurance companies have their own specific criteria for payment of claims, and not all transports meet their criteria, which may result in a denied claim. There are specific procedures to file a claim and you may want to consult with either Medicare or your insurance carrier for further information and assistance. 
  
  

  Pinellas County must follow federal government guidelines for the billing and coding (categorizing medical conditions) of ambulance patients.  Our billing staff will use the information documented on the Patient Care Report to determine the appropriate diagnosis and procedure codes that apply to your ambulance transport.

   

• Medical Necessity: Many insurance carriers, including the Medicare and Medicaid Programs, require that a patient’s medical condition warrant the use of an ambulance before they will allow payment. In other words, other forms of transportation must be contraindicated. Furthermore, the policies regarding Medical Necessity are unique to each pay or and can be quite complex. Sunstar, in its capacity as the 911 ambulance provider in Pinellas County, is not responsible for situations where an insurance carrier determines that an ambulance transport does not meet their Medical Necessity requirements. In such cases, the patient will be billed for the full charge.

   

• Insurance Contracting: Sunstar does not contract with any insurance company other than those required by law. Therefore, depending on the nature of a patient’s insurance coverage, the patient may be required to pay any amount that exceeds the “customary” allowable recognized by the insurance company. 

   

• Auto Accidents: If your transport was the result of a motor vehicle accident, our office will send a letter requesting your automobile insurance information. We request that you complete the form in its entirety.  Once the completed information is returned to our office, we will file a claim to your insurance carrier.

   

• Ambulance Transport Records:  When Sunstar transports a patient, the paramedic will complete a Patient Care Report, also referred to as a “run report”. The paramedic will document the patient's condition and care rendered.

   

• Critical Care Ground Transportation: For ground transportation of critically ill patients, Sunstar dispatches the “hospital intensive care unit on wheels,” Critical Care Transport (CCT) vehicle. The CCT is much larger than a regular ambulance, designed to transport critical care patients who require ventilators, numerous medicated IV drips and other forms of intensive medical attention. The CCT carries a transport isolet (infant isolation chamber) as well, for advanced neo-natal life support.