HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017 17_Ambulance Service Fees_2017.09.19CITY OF OWASSO, OKLAHOMA
RESOLUTION 2017 -17
A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OWASSO, OKLAHOMA,
ESTABLISHING FEES AND CHARGES FOR SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE OWASSO
AMBULANCE SERVICE AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE
WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Owasso, Oklahoma, has approved ordinances
establishing the Owasso Ambulance Service, Codified as Part 13, Chapter 2; and
WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Owasso desires to establish the following fee
schedule for the provision of emergency medical and ambulance services, effective November
1, 2017.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OWASSO,
OKLAHOMA, THAT:
Section One: From and after the effective date of this Resolution (as herein set forth), the following
service charges are established for the City's Ambulance Service.
Section Two: The patient service charges for ambulance service shall be:
Ambulance Service (with Transport) - $1,300.00 plus Mileage
Mileage Rate - $15.00 (Per Loaded Mile)
Treatment without Transport - $100.00
Section Three: The service charges billed to healthcare facilities shall be:
Patient Lift Assist - $250.00
Non - emergency Transport - $500.00
PASSED AND APP E
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September, 2017
Chris K ell
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Sherry Bish , City Cie r 0 �qs
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APP R ED AS TO FORM:
Julie Lombardi, City Attorney
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The City Wi out Limits, nl
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council UDC /C
City of Owasso
FROM: Sherry Bishop
Assistant City Manager
SUBJECT: Resolution 2017 -17 Approving Ambulance Service Fees
DATE:. September 15, 2017
BACKGROUND:
A list of all rates and fees was provided to the council at the June 13, 2017, work session as an
introduction to a series of discussions over the next several months relating to recommended
changes.
Recommended fee changes fall into three categories:
• Existing Fees - Existing fees that are recommended to be increased or decreased;
• New related fees - Fees that are related or similar to existing fees, but would change or
restructure those charges or would be a new charge for services; and
• Completely new fees - New fees for services that have previously been free or
unregulated.
Three areas of service fee changes have been included in current discussion: animal control
and ambulance service, and community development /building services.
AMBULANCE SERVICE FEES:
No changes are proposed for the ambulance subscription rate. An increase in the ambulance
service fee is proposed and new fees are proposed for ambulance services that are currently
being provided at no charge.
The Ambulance Service proposed fee changes are as follows:
• Increase the ambulance service (transport) fee from $1,100.00 to $1,300.00;
• Establish a new fee of $100.00 for medical treatment without transport;
• Establish two new fees applicable only to healthcare facilities for patient lift assistance
($250.00) and for non- emergency transport ($500.00).
Resolution 2017 -17 establishes all fees for ambulance services with an effective date of
November 1.
The attached memorandum from Fire Chief David Hurst includes additional details of the
proposed changes.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of Resolution 2017 -17 establishing fees and charges for services
provided by the Ambulance Service.
ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution 2017 -17
Proposed Ambulance Fee Increase - Memo dated August 4, 2017
Table - Ambulance - Schedule of Fees - Proposed
The City Wi out Limits.
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council
City of Owasso
FROM: David Hurst
Fire Chief
SUBJECT: Proposed Ambulance Fee Increase
DATE: August 4, 2017
BACKGROUND:
The Owasso Ambulance service fee and mileage rate was last updated by Owasso City Council
on June 18, 2013. Resolution 2013 -12 established our fees and mileage rate as follows.
Ambulance Service Fee- $1,100.00
• Mileage Rate - $15.00 /Per Loaded Mile
• $0.00 Treat /No Transport
A survey of ambulance fees and mileage rates was conducted through e-mail and phone
inquiries With Mediclaims (our ambulance service billing vendor) and various EMS agencies
across the region.
Following the regional and statewide analysis of fees and rates, staff evaluated the
department's scope of pre - hospital medical services as it related to billing practices. Staff found
that it was logical for the City to maintain a single fee for ambulance transport calls and a
mileage rate for loaded transport miles. Staff also recommends a new fee for treat no /transport
services.
Revenue projections based on fiscal year 2016 year -to -date billed charges were provided by
Mediclaims. This data was used to estimate the potential impact of an increase in ambulance
fees on the citizens of Owasso. Increasing the ambulance service fee to $1,300.00, maintaining
the mileage rate of $15.00 /per loaded mile and instituting a $100.00 treat /no transport fee, is
projected to increase annual receipts by $440,889.62.
The impact of the proposed ambulance fee increase would be experienced by our patients'
health insurance companies and by patients who reside outside of Owasso City limits and do
not pay a subscription fee. The increase would not impact patients who live within Owasso City
limits and pay the monthly fee on their utility bill.
Given that (1) the last rate increase occurred in 2013, (2) call volume continues to increase (3)
there are associated costs with treat /no transport calls (4) calls for service and operational costs
related to providing ambulance service have risen annually; the fire department proposes
increasing the ambulance service fee, maintaining the current mileage rate, and adding a
treat /no transport fee.
SERVICE COMPARISON
The Owasso Fire Department is one of only three fire departments licensed by the State of
Oklahoma as a Paramedic -level ambulance service, and our paramedics provide a level of
clinical care that is equal to or greater than other ambulance services across the Tulsa region.
The department provides advanced life support patient care and ambulance transport to a
response area that exceeds 70 square miles and 45,000 people. Additionally, ninety -four
percent (94 %) of the City's Firefighters are licensed paramedics; permitting us to place more
paramedics at the patient's side than any other ambulance service in the region and allowing
our staff to simultaneously perform multiple life- saving skills on patients who are in serious or
critical condition.
NEW SERVICE FEES:
Additionally, staff would like to include a $250.00 lift assist fee and a $500.00 non - emergency
transfer fee. These fees would be specifically designated to charge only healthcare facilities
(hospitals, nursing homes, memory care centers, urgent cares, doctor offices, etc.).
Area healthcare facilities frequently utilize emergency services for patient lift assists and non -
emergency transfers. These calls for service often overburden the emergency system,
decreasing the availability of fire, ambulance and dispatch resources for emergency calls.
Fire department staff routinely informs healthcare facility staff, that other ambulance service
providers should be contacted for availability prior to contacting the Owasso ambulance
service. While some healthcare facilities adhere to the City ordinance, other facilities continue
to utilize the City's emergency services for non- emergency patients.
The City of Owasso, Code of Ordinances, Part 13, Section 13 -235 states
B. Upon proper notification, and under the limitations set forth herein, the ambulance
service shall respond to a request for non - emergency medical transport of a non -
emergency medical patient, as defined herein, residing within the areas set forth in
Section 13 -333, if no other ambulance provider is available and that:
1. The fire chief determines that, in his or her judgment and discretion, the City's ability to
provide emergency medical services would not be adversely affected by such a transfer
and;
2. Such non - emergency medical transport shall be to or from an area within that area set
forth in Section 13 -333 hereof, and to or from a health care provider within a radius of
twenty -five miles of the corporate limits of the city; and
3. A charge for such non - emergency medical transport shall be assessed and collected
in accordance with a fee schedule as approved by city council by motion or resolution.
The impact of the proposed lift assist and non - emergency fee would be experienced by our
area healthcare facilities. This fee is not intended to drive revenue. Instead the fees are meant
to discourage the use of emergency service for non - emergency calls. The hope is that the City
would not need to charge these fees to a healthcare facility.
PROPOSED ACTION:
Staff plans to recommend the following:
• Increase the ambulance service fee to $1,300.00
• Maintain the mileage rate of $15.00 /per loaded mile
• Establish a treat /no transport fee of $100.00
• Add a $250.00 fee for patient lift assists
• Add a $500.00 fee for non - emergency transports from healthcare facilities
ATTACHMENT:
Rate Comparisons of Oklahoma Ambulance Fees
Rate Comparisons of Oklahoma Ambulance Fees
Samaritan
$1,800.00$1,800.00
$1,600.00
,500.00
$1,300.00
$1,400.00
$25.00
$200.00
Bartlesville
$1,500.00$1,500.00
$1,300.00
,200.00
1$1,300.00
$1,300.00
$1,200.00
$15.00
$750.00
Cheyenne/Arapaho
$1,500.00
$1,500.00
$1,500.00
,500.00
$1,500.00
$1,500.00
$15.00
$100.00
Broken Arrow
$1,400.00$1,400.00
$1,300.00
$1,100.00
$1,100.00
$15.00
EMSA
$1,300.00$1,300.00
$1,300.00
$1,300.00
$1,300.00
$1,300.00
$12.00
Westville
$1,150.00$1,150.00
$950.00
$850.00
$800.00
$750.00
$15.00
Mercy
$1,100.00$1,100.00
$1,100.00
$1,100.00
$900.00
$900.00
$18.00
Miller
$1,100.00$1,100.00
$1,000.00
$900.00
$800.00
$700.00
$16.00
Owasso
$1,100.00$1,100.00
$1,100.00
$1,100.00
$1,100.00
$1,100.00
$15.00
Pafford
$1,100.00$1,100.00
$1,100.00
$1,100.00
$1,100.00
$1,100.00
$12.00
Blackwell
$1,075.00$1,075.00
$850.00
$850.00
$750.00
$750.00
$15.00
$200.00
Ponca City
$1,075.00$1,075.00
$850.00
$850.00
$750.00
$750.00
$15.00
$125.00
Nowata
$1,064.00$1,064.00
$1,064.00
$1,064.00
$850.00
$752.00
$15.00
$75.00
Checotah
$1,000.00$1,000.00
$900.00
$850.00
$800.00
$750.00
$15.00
$100.00
Hominy
$1,000.00$1,000.00
$1,000.00
$900.00
$800.00
$800.00
$15.00
Stilwell
$1,000.00$1,000.00
$800.00
$700.00
$650.00
$600.00
$12.00
$150.00
Wagoner
$1,000.00$1,000.00
$900.00
$900.00
$800.00
$800.00
$15.00
$100.00
Collinsville
$900.00
$900.00
$855.00
$855.00
$855.00
$855.00
$15.00
$175.00
Cushing
$850.00
$850.00
$850.00
$850.00
$750.00
$750.00
$15.00
$100.00
OTEMS
$850.00
$850.00
$750.00
$650.00
$595.00
$400.00
$12.00
$150.00
Skiatook
$850.00
$850.00
$850.00
$850.00
$850.00
$850.00
$15.00
$95.00
Dispatch Fee
Chandler
$775.00
$775.00
$775.00
$775.00
$650.00
$650.00
$10.50
Okeene
$750.00
$750.00
$650.00
$650.00
$550.00
$450.00
$12.50
Pawnee
$750.00
$750.00
$750.00
$700.00
$650.00
$600.00
$12.00
75% run type
Perry
$750.00
$750.00
$550.00
$400.00
$450.00
$300.00
$12.00
$100.00
Tonkawa
$750.00
$750.00
$750.00
$700.00
$650.00
$600.00
$13.50
$200.00
Hartshorne
$640.00
$640.00
$640.00
$640.00
$640.00
$640.00
$12.00
Jay
$580.00
$580.00
$720.00
$600.00
$600.00
$580.00
$15.00
$150.00
Guymon
$570.00
$570.00
$570.00
$570.00
$570.00
$570.00
$8.21
Cimarron County
$500.00
$500.00
$500.00
$500.00
$500.00
$500.00
$8.50
Davenport
$500.00
$500.00
$500.00
$500.00
$500.00
$500.00
$9.00
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