As public expectations for health care have increased over the past 60 years, so have public expectations of ambulance services in Saskatchewan increased.
In Sun Country Health Region, this has brought us to the point where the Region owns and operates the majority of our services, of which there are 16 in total, and provides grants to the others.
Within those services, we have three Advanced Care Paramedics, 12 Intermediate Care Paramedics, about 80 Primary Care Paramedics and about 60 Emergency Medical Responders. All of those people receive some level of emergency medical training initially and continuing education on a regular basis afterward to ensure they have the required skills to provide quality care to their patients.
Ambulance services are not an insured service in the province of Saskatchewan. The cost of ambulance service is shared three ways: between Sun Country Health Region, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, and private insurers. If you have no private insurance, you will be responsible for charges incurred.
The occasional receipt of a bill comes as a shock to patients who have never needed to call 911 and have no insurance coverage. In spite of our best efforts to advise the public and our patients about the costs, some people are still surprised to receive what can be a hefty bill in the mail.
There are several ways to prepare for those costs and keep them as low as possible.
For one thing, the Saskatchewan government has a program called the Senior Citizens' Ambulance Assistance Program (SCAAP) to subsidize costs for those over 65 years of age. Seniors have the highest need and comprise the highest percentage of those using ambulance services. The SCAAP caps fees forseniors at $250 per ambulance trip within the province.
The government's Supplementary Health Program is another method. Lower-income residents(those receiving Saskatchewan Assistance Plan benefits and nominated by Social Services for supplementary health benefits) have the full cost ofambulanceservice covered by Saskatchewan Health's Supplementary Health Program.
Through the Children's Benefit Program, children (up to and including 17 years of age) of eligible, lower-income families also have the cost of emergency ambulance services fully covered through the Supplementary Health Program.
Another plan is Workers' Compensation/SGI. If an individual is injured at work or involved in a motor vehicle accident, other government agencies such as WCB and SGI cover the costs for eligible individuals.
Ambulance fees increased in April of 2011 for the first time in several years. We do not anticipate another increase in the immediate future. The Region understands patients may have difficulty paying the charge. Staff is always available to discuss payment arrangements. No patient will be refused the service based on the need to pay.
I hope this helps to clarify a complex subject. No one wants to need an ambulance but we're all grateful to have one available when it's required.
