Sunstar FirstCare Ambulance Membership Plan Frequently Asked Questions

A single membership costs $89 and a family membership is $133. This is significantly less than the cost of many health insurance plans copayments and/or deductibles. The average cost of an emergency ambulance transport is $1037.

If you have insurance, this annual membership fee will cover deductibles and/or copays that would typically be your responsibility. If you are uninsured, the membership may reduce your ambulance bill by 20% for medically necessary transports. Please check with your insurance carrier, as some insurance plans cover 100% of ambulance transportation. Check your coverage for both emergency and non-emergency ambulance transportation, as coverage may differ.

The ambulance bill may be reduced by 50% if documentation is provided within 60 days certifying the transport was medically necessary.

“Medically necessary” means there is a specific medical need for an ambulance. The trip must be to or from a medical facility for treatment using Medicare standards. Sunstar requires physician certification of medical necessity when a transport is denied or expected to be denied by a member’s insurance. Physician certification is also required when there is a reason to believe the service is not medically necessary or when abuse is suspected. If the physician certification is not received within 60 days from the date of the insurance denial, the member is responsible for the full cost of the ambulance transport. In cases of repeated abuse, membership will be terminated.

The family membership covers members of your family related by blood, adoption, marriage, or registered domestic partnership who permanently reside in the same household.

Yes, if you have an existing family membership you can add members under these circumstances. Please contact us at (727) 582-2008 to update your application and obtain the needed signatures. If you currently have a single membership, you would be required to pay the additional fee for the family membership.

A registered domestic partnership means the entity formed by two persons who have met the criteria listed in Section 70- 237 of Pinellas County Code and filed and Affidavit of Domestic Partnership with the Pinellas County Clerk of the Courts. Information on domestic partnership eligibility and registration can be found on the Clerk’s website at https://www.mypinellasclerk.org or call (727) 464-7000.

Completed applications with payment in full, received prior to the end of the calendar year, will go into effect on January 1. Completed applications with payment in full received after January 1, will go into effect on the postmark date. Enrollment in FirstCare can be initiated at any time, however membership fees will not be pro-rated.

Completed applications with payment in full, will go into effect April 1. Renewal applications must have a postmark date prior to April 1 in order to avoid an interruption of coverage. All memberships expire on March 31 of the following year. Members whose applications are received or postmarked after March 31 will not have coverage for a full 12-month period. Membership fees will not be pro-rated.

The membership provides coverage for medically necessary ambulance transports within the Pinellas County “locality” by Sunstar. Locality is defined by Medicare as the service area surrounding the institution to which individuals normally travel to received hospital or skilled nursing services. The membership does not cover transports via Sunstar’s Mental Health Transport Van.

Sunstar is the only ambulance provider in Pinellas County.

Your check or credit card statement is your receipt. Membership cards are not issued. If you are transported, your membership will be verified by our staff utilizing software that automatically links your transports to your membership account.

No. Membership fees are non-refundable and are not transferrable. However, if you pay prior to the effective date you would be eligible for a refund in situations involving the death of an enrolled family member or other extenuating circumstances.

You can obtain an application online at pinellas.gov/firstcare, or you may contact our office at (727) 582-2008 and request an application be mailed to you.

We have an online bill pay that can be utilized to make a membership payment. To pay by credit card or electronic check, please go to https://pay.bill2pay.com/client/PNLSEMS and indicate “Membership” in the Run # field. We do not have an online application; therefore, you will need to submit a completed application and return by mail. Your membership will not be active until we have received both payment and signed application. ALL payments made by credit card will be charged a convenience fee. The credit card convenience fee is $5.00 for a Family plan and $2.50 for a Single plan.

The collection of your social security number is necessary for billing, the insurance verification process, and to enable other healthcare providers and/or insurers to identify your applicable records.

As with all fees associated with this service, the funds are utilized to support the functions and materials associated with carrying out this critical mission, including staffing, lifesaving medical equipment, ambulances, and technology.

For additional information, call EMS Ambulance Billing at (727) 582-2008.