HEALTH CARE PLUS

Purpose

Health Care Plus is an ambulance subscription program offered by Montcalm County Emergency Services (MCES). Health Care Plus is not insurance it is a subscription program designed to eliminate out of pocket expenses for Medically Necessary* ambulance transports provided by Montcalm County Emergency Services. Out of pocket expenses include but are not limited to uninsured, deductibles, and co-pays. 

Eligibility

Any resident of Montcalm County is eligible to purchase a subscription. The subscription covers the member, their spouse, and any dependent children under the age of 26 years of age, or dependant persons in their legal guardianship living in the same residents. There are no other requirements, physicals, or health questions to apply. A simple one page application including the demographic and insurance information for all parties covered by the subscription must be completed along with payment in full.

Membership will not be sold to any person living outside of Montcalm County without thorough explanation that MCES may not legally respond to emergency calls outside of Montcalm County unless specifically requested by the ambulance service designated to provide service in that area.   

Location

You are covered anywhere in Montcalm County for pre-hospital services and anywhere in the state of Michigan for inter-facility transports as long as the services are provided by MCES. Inter-facility transports will require subscribers to request that the services be performed by MCES. 

Function

The subscription rate (currently $39) is determined annually after reviewing the subscription program revenue and expenditures for the previous year. Subscription revenue is pooled with that of other members and used to cover any eligible claims that members incur. Subscription rates have never increased and decreased on one occasion since the inception of the program. 

Duration

Membership may be purchased at any time and will remain in effect for 1 year from the date of purchase. MCES will send out renewal notices to all existing members prior to expiration of their subscription. If the renewal is not received by the expiration date the subscription will lapse until the renewal and payment are received. 

Necessity 

Most insurance policies have annual deductibles that must be met before the coverage becomes effective along with co-pays for certain services. These deductibles and co-pays could leave patients responsible for hundreds of dollars in bills for ambulance services. Health Care Plus also covers those without health insurance. 

*Medical Necessity shall be determined by the Director of MCES according to guidelines established by the center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.