Cranberry EMS Subscription Drive Begins

While most residents probably hope never to end up in the back of an ambulance, with a subscription to Cranberry EMS, they won’t have to worry about how to pay for it.

The ambulance service is kicking off its annual subscription drive with a direct mailing to go out today to Cranberry-area homes.

According to the ambulance company, even if you have health insurance, a subscription with Cranberry EMS ensures you will not incur any unnecessary bill for medically-necessary emergency service, regardless of insurance coverage.

While insurance can cover ambulance rides, people might have to make co-payments, which can vary in cost depending on the policy. For those paying out of pocket, the cost of a scheduled patient transfer by ambulance averages $450, according to Cranberry Township. Responding to 911 emergency calls averages $750 but can easily cost much more, depending on the procedures performed and medications administered.

Here’s how the subscription plan works: For $60, all permanent members of a household are eligible to use the service without co-payment or insurance deductions as often as needed during the year. The individual subscription plan, $45, offers the same benefits, but only for the person named on the subscription card.  A Senior Citizen subscription, $40, covers any individual or couple 62 or older living at the same address.

Jeff Kelly, executive director of Cranberry EMS, will meet with interested residents from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, for “Lunch with the EMS Director” in Activity Rooms 2 and 3 at the C. Food and light refreshments will be served. There also will be a question and answer session at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3, in Activity Room 1 at the township municipal building.

Cranberry EMS is the township’s officially designated 911 responder for incidents requiring ambulance service. Although its roster includes a handful of unpaid personnel, the company’s staff, equipment and facilities are self-funded.