EMS Transport Billing 

The City of Fairfax, as well as the majority of our surrounding jurisdictions, charge medical insurance carriers for ambulance transport services.  This, in combination with tax dollars and donations, off-sets the rising cost of providing emergency medical services.   Cost recovery from EMS billing is directed back to the fire department for the purchase of ambulances and other emergency equipment. Funds recovered through EMS billing lessen the tax burden on city residents and businesses.  Locally, nearly every city and county collect this fee.  Nationwide, more than 80% of jurisdictions recover costs in similar ways.

No one will ever be denied service based on ability to pay or whether they have health insurance. However, most city residents have health insurance, and ambulance transport is a standard covered service. Indeed, patients already pay for this coverage in their health insurance premiums and have done so for many years. Insurance companies recognize that ambulance transportation is a normal cost associated with patient care during medical emergencies.

The fire department is very clear in its determination to ensure that the public welfare is maintained and enhanced with our insurance fee collection program. The overriding guiding principles under which the ambulance billing program is designed include:

• Ability to pay will never be considered when rendering service. No one will suffer financial hardship as a result of an ambulance transport.
• The system of providing emergency medical services in the city will remain caring and compassionate.
• The fire department will continue to provide the highest quality care possible.
• An ambulance transport services fee will never diminish the type and quality of care provided by EMS providers in the City of Fairfax.
• Citizens will never be asked for insurance information or asked to pay at the time of their emergency.  This information is obtained later in a non-intrusive manner.

For information email or call 703-385-7940 (TTY711). 

Medical Record Requests

Medical or EMS billing record requests do not fall under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), instead they are governed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). 

All medical record requests must be accompanied by an authorization signed by the patient or their legal representative. Attorney offices may use a form internal to their firm with the same signature requirements. 

Please email medical record or billing requests to: EMSbilling@fairfaxva.gov

For fire related record requests, please refer to the City of Fairfax FOIA page.

Additional Information & Forms

• Request for Transport Fee Hardship Waiver Form
• Transport Billing FAQs
• Transport Billing Waiver Policy
• Notice of Privacy Practices
• Procedure for Privacy Practice Complaints
• Disclosure of Protected Health Information

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