Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/04/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 11/22/2024, I experience a medical event that required an ambulance. Cranberry Township *** responded and took me to a hospital that was approximately 5 miles from my home. They arrived at my home, moved me to the ambulance, gave me an IV drip, and drove me to the hospital. The entire transport from the time they arrived at my home until the time they got to the ** was ~30 minutes. My insurance reimbursed them $590.41 which is reasonable for the value provided, but now they are attempting to charge me for an additional $780.59 in unsubstantiated surprise charges that have no reasonable basis. These charges are immoral, unethical, and serve to discourage patients in crisis from seeking medical help in an emergency. These charges need to be removed and ideally the *** provider should be penalized for such usary and billing abuse.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/09/2025

  The crew was alerted through 911 to the individual's location.  Here is the history of present illness from the patient care report:

  "The patient states he woke at approximately 0430 with abdominal and rectal pain that the patient initially attributed to needing to pass gas. The patient states he was struggling to move his bowels and subsequently became sweaty and lost consciousnesses. The patient fell from the toilet and sustained a laceration to his right forehead; the patient denies use of blood thinners. The patient complains of associated nausea."

  While under the care of EMS, the patient was provided an IV and ****** through the IV for nausea, a 12-lead EKG to rule out suspected cardiac complications, and even had to carry the patient out of the residence on a ****** stretcher because of his condition.  The crew also assessed Mr. ****** blood glucose level because of our state protocols and the patient losing consciousness.  

  Our crew transported the individual to UPMC Passavant **********, which is 10 miles from the residence.  

  Cranberry Township EMS offers a membership subscription to all residents which writes off any balance bill from a 911 emergency where the patient is transported to the hospital, minus a $50 service charge.  We confirmed that Mr. ***** is not a subscriber.

  Additionally, I have attached our HIPAA signature form which the patient signed.  The verbiage indicates the patient acknowledges the statement on the form, which he accepted financial responsibility for the trip.

  Lastly, there is a No Surprises Act that protects most patients from surprise medical bills for emergency and certain non-emergency services from out-of-network providers; however, ground ambulance services are currently exempt from this act.

  Our current rates are very much competitive with other *** agencies throughout the western ************ region.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/09/2025

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  Their response does not include any detailed breakdown of the costs that they assert were incurred as part of this visit. In their bill they just include a single line item charge that does not align with or justify the level and duration of the service provided.  The insurance reimbursement provide should have been more than enough to cover any of their expenses and salaries of the crew and anything beyond that amount is usary and an attempt to exploit patient's in ther moment of need.  It only serves to discourage people from getting critical medical attention they need and it is immoral and unethical to exploit people in this manner.  I have no intent to pay anything beyond what my insurance company provided and if that is insufficient, they can petition ***** for any additional funds they can justify with them.  There is a reason that the insurance companies will not pay the excessive and abusive fees charged for basic medical service.
  
  Regards,
  
  *** Vries

  Business Response

  Date: 09/16/2025

  We understand that patients may have questions or concerns regarding medical billing, and we are committed to addressing those concerns professionally, transparently, and with empathy.
  

  1. Billing Overview:
  Cranberry Township EMS is a licensed emergency medical services provider operating under the laws and regulations of ************. Our billing practices are compliant with federal, state, and local requirements, and we adhere to industry standards in determining the cost of services.
  

  The charge in question reflects the level of care provided, including:
  Emergency medical dispatch and response by certified personnel
  Medical evaluation, treatment, and stabilization on scene
  Use of advanced life support (ALS) or basic life support (BLS) protocols (depending on the level of care provided)
  Transport to an appropriate medical facility
  Use of medical equipment, medications, and supplies
  Operational and readiness costs (24/7 availability, staffing, maintenance, compliance)
  We've attached the statement from our billing company for review.  *****'s reimbursement of this incident is below the ********************* / Medical Assistance reimbursement rates.
  

  2. Insurance Reimbursement:
  We billed the patients insurance provider, *****, in good faith and received a partial reimbursement. However, like many ambulance services, we are not contracted with every insurance provider. As a result, the insurance payment does not necessarily reflect our full billed charges, nor does it cover the actual cost of readiness and delivery of emergency services. The remaining balance is the patients responsibility, in accordance with the consent form signed prior to treatment and transport, which clearly outlines financial responsibility.
  

  3. Financial Responsibility and Consent:
  The patient signed a standard treatment and transport consent form, which includes an acknowledgment of financial responsibility for services rendered, regardless of insurance coverage. Membership subscriptions are mailed out twice a year for our residents to voluntarily enroll.
  

  4. Ethical and Professional Standards:
  We strongly refute the characterization that our charges are unethical or exploitative. Emergency medical services are resource-intensive, highly regulated, and operate under strict clinical and operational protocols. Our pricing structure reflects the cost of maintaining a skilled medical staff, life-saving equipment, vehicles, and 24/7 readiness to respond to emergencies in the community.
  We strive to balance fair billing with the sustainability of emergency response capabilities for all patientsinsured, underinsured, or uninsured.
  

  5. Resolution:
  We remain open to working directly with the patient to arrange a reasonable payment plan or discuss financial hardship options, if applicable. However, we are unable to waive the valid and legally incurred charges for services that were provided in good faith and under emergency circumstances.
  

  If the patient believes the insurance reimbursement was insufficient, they are welcome to appeal directly to ***** or submit additional documentation to us that may support a reprocessing of the claim. We appreciate the BBB's role in facilitating communication and welcome further questions if clarification is needed.