Costs associated with Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are complicated. Emergency medical technicians, paramedics, 911-dispatch, hospital emergency rooms, medical/nurse advice hotlines, urgent care providers, and primary care doctors are not privy to specific EMS costs nor are they allowed to discuss costs for services with patients.

Please note that a patient’s wellbeing is the only concern to our medical personnel in emergency situations. Certified emergency medical technicians and paramedics will assess patients in the field, discuss options, and determine the most appropriate treatment interventions based on protocols established by our Local Emergency Medical Services Agency.

Patient Bills

Coast Life Support District (CLSD) will bill patients for services received through Wittman Enterprises, Inc., a specialized ambulance billing company. Costs to a patient depend on many factors such as: 

• Advanced Life Support (ALS) vs. Basic Life Support (BLS) services
• Complexity/severity of medical conditions
• Medications and equipment required for medical stabilization (i.e., oxygen, EKG, breathing treatments, IV, etc.)
• Transport versus non-transport by ambulance
• Mileage for ambulance transport
• Insurance coverage, etc.

For questions about a bill related to emergency medical services received from CLSD, please call the billing office at 1-800-906-6552 or your healthcare insurance company.  

Parcel Tax Funding

Emergency medical services, including ambulance services, are subsidized through a voter-approved parcel tax because the income received from patient billing is insufficient to cover the costs of our rural low-volume ambulance services.

Resident Discount

There is a 50% discount for patients residing within the District. See details on your invoice.  You must provide proof of residence such as a utility bill, property tax bill, etc. to Wittman Enterprises, Inc. billing for the discount to apply. You have the option of paying with a credit card.

Established Rates

Every fiscal year, the CLSD Board of Directors reviews the costs for given levels of service which are defined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.  These costs are approved and adopted by the Board through a Resolution of Ambulance Rates. The current Resolution and rate schedule definitions can be found here. The 911-Dispatch will determine the appropriate level of service to send (BLS is Basic Life Support and ALS is Advanced Life Support).

Note: Patients who are assessed on scene but are not transported by ambulance to a hospital will be billed for services received.

Helicopter Ambulance Service

Please note that air ambulance services by helicopter transport are separate from CLSD. Generally, these services are provided by AirMedCare Network (previously CALSTAR and REACH). 

Additional Questions

For questions about a bill related to emergency medical services received from CLSD, please call the billing office at 1-800-906-6552 or your healthcare insurance company. If you have questions about the established rates, please contact CLSD.