Contact & FAQs

Acute Rescue is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year at all locations. Our dedicated Communications Center operatives located at our corporate headquarters are available to help you with all of your medical transportation needs at 208-965-8072 or 1-866-228-8311.

Our in-house Billing Department is available for specific billing or insurance questions Monday through Friday, from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm at 1-866-869-4199.

EMS licensing and other rules pertaining to emergency medical services in Idaho fall under the jurisdiction of the IDHW’s Division of Public Health, Bureau of EMS and Preparedness. The Bureau of EMS and Preparedness and the Idaho Physician’s Commision issue guidelines and requirements for EMS licensure and dictate the type of care an EMS provider may administer. The main difference between an EMT and a Paramedic is the level of training and education they receive, and the type of care they are able to provide.

Emergency Medical Technician – Basic (EMT): An EMT provides Basic Life Support (BLS) in pre-hospital settings when a medical emergency occurs. BLS may include CPR, oxygen administration, airway obstruction help, spinal immobilization and bleeding control. BLS skills include knowledge and skills in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), using automated external defibrillators (AED), spinal immobilzation, bleeding control, oxygen administration, or relieving airway obstructions in patients of every age. BLS ambulance transports are for patients who require continuous basic medical supervision and monitoring.

Emergency Medical Technician – Paramedic (Paramedic: A Paramedic provides Advanced Life Support (ALS) in pre-hospital settings. Paramedics receive advanced training and can administer medication and perform other more-invasive procedures in medical emergencies. ALS generally refers to the type of care provided to anyone encountering life-threatening medical emergencies like shock, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and respiratory events. It requires knowledge and skills beyond that of an EMT, such as cardiac rhythm interpretation, electrical interventions, and pharmacologic knowledge for patients of every age. ALS ambulance transports often require services such as IVs or narcotic medication administration, advanced airway interventions and management, or cardiac monitoring. Critical Care/Flight Certified Paramedics are an even higher level of certification, and are required for more complex cases that involve high complexity decision-making to treat single or multiple vital organ system failure and/or to prevent further life-threatening deterioration of the patient’s condition such as multiple medications running simultaneously, or mechanical airway management such as ventilators.

In Idaho, EMS eligibility and regulations are overseen by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare’s (IDHW) Division of Public Health, specifically the Bureau of EMS and Preparedness. These rules govern all aspects of emergency medical services within the state.
NREMT licensure is not the same as an approved Idaho EMS Licensure. Idaho EMS licensure is what authorizes providers to practice emergency medicine within the state.

For detailed information on current EMS eligibility by licensure level, certification, and other requirements, visit the Idaho Bureau of EMS and Preparedness.

If you’re interested in affiliating with Acute Rescue and Transport as part of your employment, our Human Resources team can assist you. We can guide you through the process, including detailing the process for verification of existing licensure or certifications held in other states that require official verification by the Idaho Bureau of EMS and Preparedness as part of your Idaho EMS licensure application.

Regulatory Body: Idaho Bureau of EMS and Preparedness and the Idaho Physician’s Commission.
Affiliation Assistance: Contact Human Resources for personalized guidance.

Understanding Ambulance Transport Costs with Acute Rescue and Transport
At Acute Rescue and Transport, the cost of ambulance transport involves several key factors. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect:

Base Rate or Load Fee: Each level of service typically includes a base rate or load fee, which varies depending on the type of transport and care required.

Mileage Fee: Additional charges apply per mile based on the distance traveled during the transport.

Individual Evaluation: All rates are evaluated individually, taking into account specific patient factors to ensure fair pricing.

We strive for consistency and affordability by aligning our rates with the current CMS Medicare Fee Schedule. This approach helps us provide transparent and competitive pricing for our patients. For a precise quote tailored to your needs, please contact our Communications Center at 208-965-8072 or 1-866-228-8311. Our team is ready to assist you with detailed information and support.

How Acute Rescue and Transport Ensures Optimal Ambulance Service and Cost Efficiency
At Acute Rescue and Transport, our Communications Center and Administrative staff are highly trained to manage your needs effectively during scheduling.

Here’s how we ensure that both costs and care are optimized:
Detailed Patient Assessment: Our team asks specific questions about the patient’s condition and required services. This helps us align the level of care with the patient’s needs and medical directives from their physician, ensuring appropriate and efficient service.

Cost Efficiency: By gathering detailed information upfront, we aim to keep ambulance transport costs as low as possible for patients and clients while still providing high-quality care.

Advanced Dispatch Technology: Our Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) software includes specialized prompts to guarantee that all requirements for dispatching medical resources are met. This technology helps in deploying the right resources for each unique situation. It also incorporates AI to provide accurate and specific arrival and departure times for your transports.

24/7 Availability: Our Communications Center operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Whether you have questions or need assistance, our team is always available to support you. For more information or to schedule a service, contact our Communications Center anytime at 208-965-8072 or 1-866-228-8311.

To ensure availability and optimal care, it’s recommended to schedule your ambulance transport as early as possible. Acute Rescue strives to accommodate all same-day requests, however, especially for long distance or air medical transports, booking at least 24 to 48 hours in advance is ideal. This allows us to coordinate the necessary resources and ensure we meet all your specific needs and medical requirements. For urgent or emergency transports, contact our Communications Center directly at at t 208-965-8072 or 1-866-228-8311. Our team is available 24/7 to assist with immediate arrangements.

Acute Rescue and Transport provides access to experienced Communications Center specialists and Administrative Staff who can assist with coordinating your transport needs and ensuring you receive the best care. Our staff will work closely with you and your case manager, medical team, and insurance to address any concerns and assist in streamlining the transport process. For personalized assistance, contact our Communications Center at 208-965-8072 or 1-866-228-8311. We’re here to help 24/7.

Acute Rescue and Transport is a trusted EMS partner throught the areas we serve, providing critical support to 911 emergency services across Idaho in or around our service areas. As a reliable mutual aid EMS responder, we are sometimes dispatched by either County Authorities or the Idaho State EMS Communications Center to assist with emergency medical calls. Our mission is to ensure that every emergency in our community is met with prompt, professional care, especially when local resources or volunteer EMS agencies are engaged in activities where they require additional EMS resources.

We specialize in Critical Care ambulance services, staffing our ambulances with highly trained, Critical Care Paramedics. This allows us to deliver more advanced medical care for severe emergencies, allowing us to provide a higher level of care than many rural EMS agencies are licensed to provide. When Acute Rescue transports a patient, we follow Medicare guidelines to bill the patient’s insurance for our services.

Acute Rescue maintains licensure with the Idaho Bureau of EMS and Preparedness at the Critical Care level. This is the highest level of EMS licensure available, and is the same level of licensure of many larger 911 EMS Systems such as the ACCESS system in the Treasure Valley. This is a higher level of care than many smaller rural or volunteer 911 EMS agencies are able to provide.

The key difference between Acute Rescue and 911 services lies in how they are funded. Acute Rescue is a private, Idaho native owned and operated ambulance service, primarily funded through billing patients’ insurance for ambulance transport services, and is not supported by taxpayer dollars or other government financial assistance such as grants. When a patient is transported, Acute Rescue follows Medicare guidelines to bill insurance companies or patients directly for qualifying patient transport services, which is our primary funding source for providing services. At Acute Rescue and Transport, we prioritize a compassionate billing practice to ensure that the ability to pay does not prevent anyone from utilize our services in a medical emergency.

911 Services, on the other hand, are typically funded by taxpayer dollars, government grants, and local funding. These public EMS services are part of the municipal or county emergency response system and may not charge patients directly for emergency response, though they might bill for transport. The level of licensure of public EMS agencies varies based on what the agency is able to maintain and provide for the areas they serve. Unfortunately, due to the dramatic decline of volunteerism, the large geographic response areas of ambulance districts, increased state population, and because EMS is not considered an essential service in Idaho, many public EMS are being forced to request support from other EMS agencies like Acute Rescue to help respond to 911 calls for service.

Yes, Acute Rescue and Transport does bill patient medical insurances for medical transport services that meet medical necessity. Typically our non-medical transportation services such as Gurney Van Transports, Wheelchair or Ambulatory Transports, or Secure Psychiatric Transports are not billable to insurance.

Acute Rescue is an in-network provider with many health insurance providers for ambulance transport services. For questions if your insurance plan is accepted, please contact our Communications Center at 208-965-8072 or 1-866-228-8311. If your insurance is not a regularly billed insurance, our specialists may direct your coverage question to our Billing Department for additional research. Our Billing Department may need specific patient demographics information in order to look up a patient’s eligibility. Our in-house Billing Department is available for specific billing or insurance questions Monday through Friday, from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm at 1-866-869-4199.

At Acute Rescue and Transport, we prioritize a compassionate billing practice to ensure that the ability to pay does not prevent anyone from utilize our services in a medical emergency. Our goal is to provide accessible and affordable ambulance and non-medical transport services, so you can focus on getting the care you need without financial worry. For more information about our billing policies or to discuss payment options, contact our Billing Department Monday through Friday, from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm at 1-866-869-4199.

Acute Rescue is committed to community engagement and values the contribution of dedicated volunteers, however, we are unable to offer volunteer positions to EMS providers. All of our trained medical providers are paid based on current competative market wage rates. Full time employees are also offered a comprehensive benefits package as part of their employment.

We do offer opportunities for ride-alongs for those interested in gaining hands-on experience in emergency medical services, as well as clinical hours for EMS training programs. Our ride-along program allows individuals to shadow our skilled EMTs and Paramedics, providing an inside look at the critical work we do.

If you’re looking to explore a career in EMS, or are a training facility looking for a partner for clinical hours, Acute Rescue welcomes your interest. Contact us today through the form below to learn more about how you can get involved and make a difference in your community!