HomeMy WebLinkAbout980746.tiff vC S
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Steven A. Jensen
31235St �1:;n ' I S 0: „9
Greeley, CO 80631 `
(970)356-9811 Ci r-.+r
4/12/1998
Weld County Ambulance
Weld County Conunissioners
Greeley City Council
To Whom It May Concern:
Today I am being turned over to a collection agency for a bill I contacted you about several months ago.
Damage is being done,in your names,to my credit. Please give me the courtesy of a response to my
previous letter and to this one BEFORE undertake this action.
The ambulance bill in dispute is form an auto accident on November 11, 1997. Combined dispatch states
that the original call was placed to 911 by a party other than myself. Be that as it may,I called second to
report the accident using my cell phone less that two minutes after the accident. lAt that time I told
dispatch that this was a single car accident,with only an UNINJURED driver involved, me. They
confirmed that I was the driver of the vehicle and that I did not need an ambulance. 10—15 minutes later
an ambulance arrived on scene. You know the rest of the story.
I cancelled the ambulance,I feel strongly that this bill should also be cancelled. The City neglected to
cancel the ambulance,not me. Their oversight needlessly endangering other traffic and failed to return the
unit to service.
Any "customer"has the right to know what they are being charged for services,it is called a written
estimate. I should have been advised by county ambulance personnel that in consenting to be evaluated,
charges would be incurred and how much those charges were. Had they done so, I would have advised
them that I did not require their services. My refusal would have placed them in a legal bind. Because they
are Paramedics,on the scene of an accident,they are obligated to render aid. They can not charge for this
service,neither can a Nurse or Doctor who stops at the scene of an accident.
I was asked to sign a written release. It is called a release because it releases the ambulance from farther
obligation. No place,on the release form,dose it state that I have agreed to hire them for the purposes of a
medical exam or the amount of charges I have agreed to pay. Because I was not informed of charges,
signed no financial information and cancelled the ambulances response long before their arrival, I believe
this bill to be invalid. As such I do not plan to pay it. If the City and the County can demonstrate the
statutes requiring me to pay these uninformed and unsolicited charges,payment would be forthcoming.
Lets get this matter taken care of before it damages my credit.
980746
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OFFICE OF BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PHONE (970) 356-4000, EXT. 4200
1 FAX (970) 352-0242
915 10TH STREET
P.O. BOX 758
C
GREELEY, COLORADO 80632
COLORADO
July 13, 1998
Steve A. Jensen
3123 5th Street
Greeley CO 80631
Dear Mr. Jensen:
•
The Board of Commissioners has made a decision regarding the policy of charging for
evaluations made by ambulance service paramedics. There will be no change in the
policy. In the future, whenever possible, people will be advised of possible charges at
the time of their evaluation.
Since there is no policy change, you are still responsible for the $78 ambulance bill you
received earlier.
We appreciate your patience in waiting for this decision.
Sincerely,
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
✓ • ( .0
W. H. Webster, Pro Tem
cc: Gary McCabe, Ambulance Service
Eric Brown, Greeley Tribune •
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