7READY

7Ready will give you and your household peace of mind and offers good medicine for your bank account if you need emergency ambulance service.

7Ready is a resident benefit program that allows you to pay $7 on your monthly water bill.

By participating in this program, you will have no out-of-pocket costs for ambulance fees. OTEMS is excited to announce to partner with RWD #4 and VVEC. We will continue to offer excellent customer service and quality medical care to the Oologah-Talala community.

If you have VVEC for electric service, you are automatically enrolled. You must call the unenroll if you wish not to participate.

If you have PSO for electric service, you will need to fill out the form stating you want to participate in the program with RWD#4. Form is available here or at RWD#4 office.

To begin receiving benefits for 7Ready, all you need to do is fill out the form stating that you want to participate in program. Forms are available at the water district office and must be filled out in person or you can call the office at 918-443-2542 and request to have a form faxed or mailed. Forms can also be downloaded from the OTEMS website at www.otems.com.

7READY HELPFUL DETAILS

7READY HELPFUL DETAILS

  • If your electric provider is Verdigris Valley Electric Cooperative (VVEC) and you live in the district or the Briarcliff-Tacora Hills area, you are already enrolled in 7Ready unless you opted out voluntarily.

  • If you already participate through VVEC, do not sign up a second time through RWD 4 or you will be double-billed.

  • If you have no insurance, or your insurance completely rejects your ambulance service claim, 7Ready will cover 40 percent of your emergency ambulance bill.

  • 7Ready does not cover non-emergency calls such as visits to doctors’ offices, dialysis centers, trips for regular chemotherapy or radiation treatments. If you have coverage questions, please call the OTEMS office at 918-443-2350.

OTEMS 7Ready FAQs

  • If I participate in the Seven Ready Program, who is covered?

    All residents of participating households, regardless of their age or whether they are a blood relative of the utility account holder, receive benefits. Persons must live at the participating household address to be covered. Someone simply in town visiting is not covered. A good test is whether the person receives bills and mail at the address.

  • What is the cost of participation?

    The Seven Ready program is available for $7 per month, which is conveniently included on your VVEC electric bill. This fee covers the account holder and all permanent members of the household. If you are a RWD#4 customer, you must fill out a form to participate. You only need to be registered with one utility company.

  • I have insurance and/or Medicare. Why should I participate?

    Because Medicare, Medicaid and insurance companies don’t pay full charges – and deny about 30% of ambulance claims outright! If you participate in the Seven Ready Program, OTEMS will bill your insurance, Medicare or Medicaid provider and accept their payment as payment-in-full. You will not have to pay the usual 20% Medicare copayment, a standard insurance deductible or a balance after a partial payment. If your provider denies a claim outright or if you don’t have coverage, you’ll be charged a reduced fee (40% off the standard rates).

  • Will my ambulance ride be covered if another service transports me?

    Unfortunately, it is not possible for us to guarantee that another service will honor our membership.

  • What area is served by Oologah-Talala EMS?

    The Oologah-Talala school district.

  • When do my benefits start?

    When you voluntarily sign up at RWD#4 or set up new electric service at VVEC

  • Are there any excluded services?

    Yes. The Resident Benefit Program does not provide benefits for non-emergency transports (a medical transfer that does not have a hospital emergency room as the final destination) without a physician certification statement. Also, repetitive transports for services such as dialysis, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are not included. The program does not cover non-emergency transports to and from doctors’ offices, dentists’ offices, physical therapy centers and other non-hospital facilities.

  • Why do I need to participate in Seven Ready when I already pay property tax?

    OTEMS cannot survive on property tax alone. Due to rising medical costs and declining reimbursement, ambulance providers are not able to operate based solely on revenues from patients they transport. Over the past decade, more than 50 ambulance agencies have ceased operations because of this – leaving many Oklahomans without quick access to emergency care.

  • What is the average cost for an ambulance transport?

    The nature of each call will vary, but an average ambulance bill will run in the range of $1700-$2000.