Title
Resolution to Approve Fees for the Fire Department Ambulance Transport and Appropriate Funding (8 Votes Required)
Memorandum
The Ann Arbor Fire Department provides emergency medical services and ambulance transport to patients regardless of their ability to pay. The Fire Department is sensitive to those who face financial hardship and understands that a patient's illness or injury can create large medical bills which may impact the ability to pay. Since the Fire Department has been licensed as a basic life support transport agency, it has transported over 122 patients.
In an effort to recover cost for services that are customary with ambulance transport, the City of Ann Arbor recently signed a professional services agreement with Medicount for billing services. To begin billing for services pursuant to this agreement, the City must first adopt a fee structure.
Attached for your consideration and approval is a resolution authorizing billing for ambulance transport. The Fire Department proposes to collect fees in alignment with the third-party entity (Huron Valley Ambulance) that also provides ambulance transport within the City of Ann Arbor.
When determining cost to serve, Service Units consider expenses such as labor, materials and supplies, equipment, and overhead costs. The proposed fee structure was based upon calculations done with the City of Ann Arbor Finance Department based on cost for service. The actual cost was calculated to $471.42 for basic life support transport. Consistent with other City fees, these amounts have been rounded to $470.00 for basic life support transport.
Transport rates are in alignment with the Medicare ($430.93), Medicaid ($244.29), and Blue Cross Blue Shield allowance rates along with adopted rates of the Brighton Area Fire Authority and Livingston County EMS ($600.00 emergency, $450.00 non-emergency). These agencies are the most comparable since they are also in the Washtenaw / Livingston Medical Control Authority...
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