Wake County EMS and Rescue Fund Subscription Program FAQ
1. What is the cost?
$60.00 per household.
2. Who is covered?
Any permanent resident in the home of the main member (head of household)
3. Will my insurance be billed?
Yes, we will still bill insurance, which will pay any customary and reasonably allowed charges.
4. If you still bill my insurance then what is the advantage to me becoming a member?
Transport to the hospital via ambulance can cost over $500.00. Insurance may not cover all of that cost and there may be out of pocket expenses that you will be responsible for. If you are a subscriber then whether your insurance pays or not, you will not have to pay any ambulancecharges out of pocket.
5. Why can't I enroll on line?
As you are aware, there is a great deal of security, cost and liability issues with taking credit card payments on line. We are in the midst of investigating this as a possibility for many County programs. However, this takes time to insure we are providing the citizens of Wake County with the best program for the most reasonable cost. Hopefully, this will be an option we can offer in the future.
6. I can't enroll on line but can I get an enrollment form on line?
Yes. You can print an enrollment by clicking here.
7. How do you get my insurance information?
One of the ambulance personnel on the scene will attempt to gather insurance information from a family member if possible. If the call results in transport to a hospital, the ambulance personnel will attempt to gather the information at the hospital either from a family member or from hospital registration. Lastly, we will attempt to contact you by mail to obtain your insurance information.
8. Can I enroll more than one house/household?
A person can enroll and pay for more than one house/household; however, there is a $60.00 membership fee and an enrollment form for each one. If you want to enroll yourself and your spouse, your daughter and her family but your daughter and her family live in another home then it will be $120.00 total ($60.00 for your home and $60.00 for your daughter's home) and an enrollment form will need to be filled out with each house/household members information.
9. Am I really supporting my local area Rescue Squad?
YES! 100% of your subscription fee goes back to the local area rescue squads.
10. Can I make a donation to my local area Rescue Squad with my subscription?
YES! Any amounts received over $60.00 will be considered a donation and will go back to your local area Rescue Squad.
11. Is my subscription and/or donation tax deductible?
Wake County Government is a tax exempt organization under IRS code, Section 115, and charitable contributions made to the County are deductible per IRS Code, Section 170 (c) (1). We will provide written notification for your tax records to substantiate any donations. However, this exemption will not apply to subscription payments. We urge you to contact your tax advisor if you have questions relating to your tax liability.
12. Can I pay by credit card?
Yes, there is a place on the enrollment form for your credit card information or if you would prefer we can take your information over the phone. The number to call is 919-856-6205 option 1.
13. What information do I need to give you?
We will need the full legal name (first name, middle initial & last name), no nicknames please, of each enrolling member.
Your mailing address and physical address, if they are the same, please note as such.
Date of Birth of each member of the household.
Social Security number for each member.
Email address of the main member (head of household).
Home and work phone numbers of the main member (head of household).
Credit card information if you would like to pay by credit card, if not please include a check or money order for $60.00 made out to the Wake County EMS and Rescue Fund. Please do not mail cash.
14. Why do you need my Social Security Number?
Though we recognize each person as an individual, we still need a unique identifier to insure that you are not billed for ambulance service. There may be ten Larry Smith's in Wake County but only one Larry Smith will have your Social Security Number. This way we can match patient information to subscriber information and insure that you are only contacted if insurance information is needed.
15. Why do you need to know the names, date of birth and social security numbers for everyone in my house?
Unfortunately, anyone at anytime at any age may need an ambulance. For just $60.00 for a full year you can cover every permanent member of your household and insure that you do not receive an ambulance bill no matter whom in your house may require ambulance service. However, in order to insure you do not receive a bill we need to obtain everyone's information at the time of enrollment, so we can match the patient information to the subscriber information
16. What if the members of my household change?
Simply contact us either by phone - 919-856-6205 or mail - PO Box 1680 Clemmons NC 27012 and notify us of any changes.
17. Am I covered all over North Carolina?
The Wake County EMS and Rescue Fund Subscription Program is only for ambulance service in Wake County. It will cover medically necessary ambulance transportation to an out of county hospitals such as Duke or UNC/Chapel Hill.
18. Can I enroll if I don't live in Wake County?
Yes!! Everyone is eligible to enroll; however, the subscription is only valid in Wake County. If you live in Johnston County but work at RTP, you will need to enroll in Johnston County's subscription program to be covered for ambulance service in Johnston County. If however, you are in a wreck on I40 at Harrison Avenue, an ambulance is dispatched and you are a Wake County subscriber then your Wake County ambulance service is covered whether you live in Wake County or not. Additionally, each member of your household would be covered within Wake County as well.
19. I live and pay taxes in Wake County, why am I not already covered for ambulance service?
Only a very small percentage of tax dollars goes to Emergency Medical Services. The subscription program is an effort to keep tax rates down but still provide excellent medical service to all the citizens of Wake County.
20. What if a member of my household does not have a Social Security Number?
Please include the Federal Tax ID number for work permit or indicate that a Social Security Number has not been assigned yet for the member you are enrolling. Once this member receives a Social Security Number, then call 919-856-6205 or mail - PO Box 1680 Clemmons NC 27012 to update your membership information. If you are unable to provide a number, please be patient with any billing issues that arise. We will resolve them as quickly as possible.
21. How will I know that you received my enrollment information?
We will send every household a confirmation card as an acknowledgement. If you have not received a confirmation card by the end of the next month, please follow up by calling 919-856-6205.
22. Why am I sending my payment to Clemmons, North Carolina?
To maximize efficient and minimize cost, we have contracted with EMS Management & Consultants, Inc in Clemmons, North Carolina to manage database resources and collections for our Subscription Program. This is similar to the lockbox/post office box that you mail your mortgage payment to.
23. Can I pay by cash?
Yes, you can make cash payment in person at the Wake County Finance Office on the 9th Floor of the Wake County Office Building on the corner of Davie and Salisbury Street downtown Raleigh. The Wake County Office Building is located beside the Wake County Courthouse. Or you can go by your local rescue squad station and make cash payment there. You will still need to fill out the enrollment form and present at the time you make payment. Please do not send cash through the mail. If paying by cash, please remember to get a receipt.
24. If I have additional questions, can I email someone?
Yes, questions regarding the subscription program can be emailed to subscriptions@emsbilling.us.