Who is FireMed?
FireMed is a program of The City of Eugene, Fire & EMS Department, City of Springfield, Fire & Life Safety Department, and the Lane Rural Fire/Rescue District. These are the three area fire departments responsible for providing ambulance service to central Lane County. Eugene and Springfield created FireMed in 1986 with Lane Rural joining when they started providing ambulance service in 2002.
What is the U of O Student Membership?
The University of Oregon has arranged a special membership for U of O students. The eligibility and benefits of this membership are identical to regular FireMed membership. Student membership covers all members of the student's household living together as a family. The student must be the head-of-household, not a dependent. Roommates, whether in dorms or other housing, must have separate memberships.
Some Things Students and Parents Should Know About Ambulance Service in Eugene-Springfield:
Ambulance Service is Expensive
Taxes do not support ambulance service in the Eugene-Springfield area. Patients and members pay the full cost of our excellent service. The cost for a transport from the campus area to Sacred Heart Hospital at Riverbend will be $1760. From surrounding recreational areas, the bill could exceed $3000.
Air ambulance costs are another level. When you need an air ambulance, you really need it. And the cost will likely be ten times higher than a ground ambulance bill - $18,000 - or more. Sometimes much more.
Refusing Ambulance Service is Risky
Every year students on campus refuse ambulance service for fear of a large bill. The same thing happens across the area. Patients arrive at the emergency room by automobile who should have been in an ambulance. Some even drive themselves. Too many of these people don't survive or have seriously reduced abilities because they didn't get medical help as fast as they could have. One, inexpensive ambulance membership solves this problem.
U of O Student Membership is Cheap(er than Cheap)
The University of Oregon has arranged a special price for FireMed membership for students. The regular fee for FireMed Basic, ground ambulance coverage, is a reasonable $62 per year, per household. Student FireMed is only $35 per year. This membership covers the student and all dependent members of the student's household. For just $60, students can join FireMed Plus, which includes ground ambulance coverage plus air ambulance coverage through Life Flight Network, the northwest's premier air ambulance provider.
Coverage in Most of Oregon - and Beyond
FireMed has reciprocal agreements with 85 other ambulance providers across the state of Oregon. Your student membership is good in all of Lane County, and most of the state. Life Flight has ten bases in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, as well as a similar reciprocal network covering six states. FireMed travels with you.
Who qualifies to be a member?
Membership is available to anyone living within one of the three ambulance service areas (ASAs.) If you are unsure whether you live within one of our ASAs, please contact us by phone (541-726-3636) or email with your residence address. We will determine for you if you live in our ASA, and if not, if an ambulance membership program is available in your area.
Everyone in your household is included under one membership. A household is all permanent residents of a non-commercial, single-family dwelling living together as a family. Roommates and boarders must have their own membership.
Why do other FireMed agencies charge a different membership fee amount?
Each City, District, Association, company, or other organization that provides ambulance services is independent and operates their own membership program. Each sets fees according to the requirements of each locality. The FireMed name is reserved for public, fire department-based ambulance providers. Other types of organizations will have other names, but provide similar benefits. Your FireMed membership will likely be effective if you use an emergency ambulance from another provider thanks to our extensive reciprocal network in Oregon.
What does it mean in the Terms of Agreement that, "Persons who receive Medicaid, Department of Medical Assistance Programs, Oregon Health Plan or other government assistance medical benefits need not be members in order to have full coverage for services covered under these programs. Any such membership constitutes a voluntary contribution only."
Under federal and state regulations for these programs, a medical provider cannot bill the patient for any balances owed after Medicaid, the Oregon Health Plan or other such programs have reimbursed the provider any amounts on behalf of patients who receive these services. Therefore a FireMed membership does not provide any extra benefit to these patients.
However, it may be beneficial for persons who are covered under these plans to still join FireMed. FireMed will cover these individuals if the assistance program rejects the medical claim or if the patient becomes ineligible for these services during the membership year. In these cases, unless they are a FireMed member, the patient will be responsible to pay the entire amount for ambulance services.
Why does the City charge for the ambulance service?
The ambulance services are designed as fee-for-service programs, though they sometimes receive small amounts of general fund or property tax revenue for their operation. Since medical care is a cost that most people have some form of insurance for, most patients have the ability to pay. The ambulance services rely largely on these third party reimbursements (Medicare, Medicaid, Oregon Health Plan, private health insurance, etc.) for their revenue.
The cost of operating an ambulance service is high. Each medic unit has two Emergency Medical Technician - Paramedics, highly skilled medical care providers, who respond to every emergency they are called to. Each unit also has the latest and greatest in medical equipment, medicines, and supplies. We are available 24 hours per day, seven days per week, all year long. In our combined system there are at least nine, medic units on duty at a given time.
FireMed ambulance membership allows you to pay one small annual fee to cover your entire family for any emergency ambulance transport any of you may need during the year. This makes the service affordable to anyone, and assures everyone in the community high-quality ambulance care when needed.
What does FireMed have to do with my insurance?
FireMed will bill any insurance that is available to cover an ambulance transport. This could be health, auto, homeowner's or other insurance. We will collect whatever the insurance provider will pay and accept that as payment in full. (If you have no insurance, FireMed will cover the entire cost.) Collecting these insurance payments helps keep the cost of FireMed membership low so that everyone can afford it.
What do I do with the member card and sticker you sent me?
The card and sticker are ways that members can show their support of the FireMed program. You are not required to display the sticker or carry the card in order to get services. If you choose to display the sticker, you may do so wherever you wish (i.e. auto or residence.) We encourage all members to display their sticker to let their friends and neighbors know that they know the value of FireMed membership.
Can I call FireMed to ask for an ambulance?
Only the 911 emergency communications system can dispatch an ambulance. If you think you may have an emergency situation, call 911 and give your information to the dispatcher.
For information about placing a 911 call, visit the Central Lane Communications website.
When is it appropriate to call 911?
Call 9-1-1 in an emergency when you believe the situation is life threatening or very serious. Examples include symptoms such as:
- Chest pain
- Not breathing or difficulty breathing
- Major injuries
- Serious burns
- Choking
- Drowning
- Sudden collapse
- Poisoning
- Emergency childbirth
- Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body