LAKEWOOD — The Lakewood Fire Department continues its compliance with a new emergency medical services law.

In August 2022, the Lakewood Board of Trustees established an EMS department and chose Professional Ambulance Billing of Williamsville to be its EMS billing company. At the board’s Aug. 15, 2022 meeting, Mayor Randy Holcomb said PAB was the best candidate. The contract for billing is through Dec. 31, 2025.

In 2022, during the passage of the state budget, a change was made that allows fire departments to recover the costs associated with providing emergency medical services and ambulance transportation.

The Chautauqua County Legislature recently approved a measure that any remaining fire department or ambulance service that wants the county to take over emergency medical service billing can do so without further approval from elected officials.

“On Dec. 15, 2022, the Lakewood Fire Department began the rollout process of billing for EMS through the newly-created EMS Department,” the village noted in a press release.

“Village public safety will not be altered during this rollout as residents and visitors of the village will have the exact same quality of services available. The process, however, does merit additional required insurance and personal information upon treatment. Health insurance carriers, Medicare and Medicaid will be billed directly as patients should not expect to receive any request for payment or be responsible. Residents and non-residents without health insurance will not be billed for any services rendered. Village residents’ health insurance co-pays will be waived,” the release stated.

In June 2022, the fire department endorsed the village board to bill for EMS. The fire department, the release noted, responds to hundreds of EMS calls annually. For more information, contact the village hall at (716) 763-8557.