(a) The City of Chicago may levy reasonable fees, as determined by the Comptroller, for ambulance services rendered by public ambulances.
(b) The City will bill the patient for any services rendered. The patient shall be responsible for any amount billed. If the patient has insurance, the City may also bill the insurance company.
(c) After the City receives payment by an insurance company, and after the patient has paid any amounts required by the insurance company, such as a co-pay, the City shall waive any remaining amount owed by the patient.
(d) If at the time of service the patient is uninsured, the following shall apply.
(1) The Department of Finance shall credit the amount billed to cap the bill to the patient at the fee cap set forth by the Comptroller in rules.
(2) A patient may participate in a payment plan in which the balance owed is divided equally into monthly payments, not to exceed 24 payments.
(3) If the patient participates in any of the following programs or has the status of being in one of the following categories, the Comptroller shall waive any ambulance fee remaining after any payment from any non-insurance assistance.
(A) Government Issued Unemployment Compensation.
(B) Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
(C) Federal Public Housing / Section 8.
(D) Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
(E) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF).
(F) Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
(G) Worker's Compensation Income Benefits.
(H) Illinois Free Lunch and Breakfast Program.
(I) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP / Food Stamps).
(J) Enrollment in an organized community-based program that assesses and documents limited low income financial status as criteria.
(K) Household income of 300 percent or less than the Federal Poverty Level.
(L) Foreclosure (received a notice of foreclosure, entered into a consent foreclosure, gave a deed in lieu of foreclosure, or had a judgment of foreclosure entered on primary residence within last three years).
(M) Eviction.
(N) Bankruptcy (liability for fines and penalties remain after obtaining a bankruptcy discharge).
(O) Student (attending high school, college, trade or vocational school with a valid student ID card).
(P) Senior Citizen (65 and older).
(Q) Active Military (including reservists and national guard).
(R) Recently Inactive Military (discharged from the military in the last 180 days).
(S) Homelessness.
(T) Unemployment.
(U) Domestic Violence Victim.
(Added Coun. J. 12-9-92, p. 25465; Amend Coun. J. 7-30-97, p. 50612; Amend Coun. J. 11-19-14, p. 98037, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 11-24-20, p. 24619, Art. VI, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 10-27-21, p. 39543, Art. X, § 3)