EMS Billing & Financial Assistance

The Tacoma Fire Department provides Basic and Advanced Life Support services and medical transportation for the City of Tacoma, and under a service contract with the City of Fircrest, the City of Fife, and Pierce County Fire District 10 (FD10). This page explains BLS and ALS transportation costs and outlines financial assistance or payment plan options.

Basic Life Support and Advanced Life Support Explained

Basic Life Support (BLS) is an emergency transport provided by certified Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). Advanced Life Support (ALS) is provided when a patient is in a more critical condition and needs a certified paramedic to help treat them before and/or during transport to the emergency facility. ALS means that our emergency personnel can:

Start intravenous lines
Administer lifesaving medication
Provide advanced airway management to help patients breathe
Interpret EKG readings of a heart attack patient, among other lifesaving pre-hospital care
View our Patient Privacy Notice (PDF document)

Financial Assistance and Payment Plan Options

First, we will bill any insurance providers you have for covered ambulance services. This will decrease your out-of-pocket amount, in some cases, to $0. If you have a balance after insurance payments, we offer an installment payment plan with a minimum of $25 per month.

If you meet certain income limits, you may qualify for a partial or full discount on your invoice. We use the Tacoma Housing and Urban Development Income Limits to determine your eligibility and discount. Rates are effective for 2026.

Contact

emspatient.com/tacoma

(800) 238-9398

tacoma@emspatient.com

Mail payments to:
PO BOX 111630
Tacoma, WA 98411

Hours: 8 a.m. to 5p.m., Monday – Friday
(Except observed holidays)

Income Limits for Financial Assistance

Tacoma Housing and Urban Development Income Limits

INCOME LIMIT CATEGORY	DISCOUNT	PATIENT RESPONSIBILITY
Low	25%	75%
Very Low	50%	50%
Extremely Low	100%	0%

Current Tacoma Housing and Urban Development Income Limits, annualized

HOUSEHOLD SIZE	LOW INCOME	VERY LOW INCOME	EXTREMELY LOW INCOME
1	$71,300	$44,600	$26,750
2	$81,500	$50,950	$30,600
3	$91,700	$57,300	$34,400
4	$101,850	$63,650	$38,200
5	$110,000	$68,750	$41,300
6	$118,150	$73,850	$44,360
7	$126,300	$78,950	$50,040
8	$134,450	$84,050	$55,720

Documents submitted that demonstrate a grant of financial assistance from the receiving medical facility for medical care on the date of transport will be deemed evidence of qualification for financial assistance. After you submit this documentation and an application through EMS Billing Services, TFD will grant proportionally equivalent financial assistance.

We will notify you of the determination within 30 days of receiving the completed application and all supporting documents.

Financial Assistance Application:

Download the Financial Assistance Application packet and mail the completed form with all supporting documents to:
Tacoma Fire Department
PO Box 111630
Tacoma, WA 98411
Or send via email to tacoma@emspatient.com

Need additional help? If you need language access help, ADA accommodation, or help with technology barriers to access the EMS Transport Financial Assistance Application, contact Tacoma FIRST 311 by calling 3-1-1 inside Tacoma city limits or (253) 591-5000 from anywhere else.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is there a charge for being transported by the Tacoma Fire Department?

Both BLS and ALS transportation services cost money. The current rate for BLS patient transport is $1,250, plus $25 per mile from the scene of your incident to the medical facility; ALS patient transport is $1,570, plus $25 per mile from the scene of your incident to the medical facility.

To reduce costs to residents, we set a transport charge that covers the program’s expenses. This allows us to bill your insurance and recover our costs through those payments. Also, many patients using EMS in our area do not live here or pay taxes here, and this charge allows them to help pay their portion of the service they use.

Your insurance provider covers most charges, and sometimes the entire cost; however, a balance may remain after your insurance has paid. If you have questions about what your insurance covers, please contact your insurance provider directly.

Will I have any out-of-pocket costs for my TFD transport?

It depends. If you are a resident of the City of Tacoma, the City of Fircrest, or the City of Fife/Fire District #10, the EMS Levy may cover any remaining balance after your insurance pays. *Out-of-pocket charges for BLS transports before December 18, 2023, are not eligible for the EMS Levy benefits.

If you believe that you are a resident of the EMS Levy coverage area, but have not received an invoice, please contact us at tacoma@emspatient.com or call (800) 238-9398.

I think my insurance provider was not billed properly; how do I resolve this billing issue?

There are some cases where insurance billing information needs to be corrected or resubmitted to receive your full insurance benefit:

The information we have is for an old or expired insurance provider, and you can provide us with your new insurance provider information.
You have secondary or supplemental insurance coverage.
We submitted the bill to your insurance provider with incomplete insurance policy or patient profile information, and you can now provide us with the complete information.

If you received a bill for EMS transport and you think there may be an error with your insurance coverage, please contact us at tacoma@emspatient.com or call (800) 238-9398 to confirm that we have all your appropriate insurance coverage information in our records.

How do I pay my bill?

You will receive an invoice from the Tacoma Fire Department with our current payment options. These include:

Calling (253) 591-5844 to make a credit card payment over the phone during business hours

Please make checks payable to the City of Tacoma and send them to:

Tacoma Fire Department
PO Box 111630
Tacoma, WA 98411

Be sure to note your account or invoice number on your check and provide a current phone number where you can be reached.

Our office hours for phone payments or questions are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., excluding holidays.

When do I need to pay my bill?

All outstanding charges are due within 30 days of receiving your invoice. Please note that your invoice may be delayed while we wait for your insurance company to pay.

Charges not paid after 120 days of receiving your first invoice will be reviewed for submittal to a collection agency.

We offer payment plans and financial assistance, so please contact us at (800) 238-9398 or tacoma@emspatient.com to make arrangements for your situation.

What are my rights and protections against surprise medical bills and balance billing?