Committee approves new ambulance-fee procedure tied to GEMT cost reporting; resident balance-billing unchanged

The Aurora Finance Committee voted 5-0 on Nov. 14 to adopt a procedure setting ambulance user fees annually based on the state Ground Emergency Medical Transport (GEMT) cost-reporting calculations. The change is intended to align billable rates with the city's reported cost per transport and increase recoveries from insurers while preserving protections for city residents.

Chris Minnick, chief financial officer, explained that Aurora previously adjusted ambulance fees based on a Naperville regional-survey average but that method did not reflect Aurora’s internal cost structure. Minnick said the GEMT-based approach produces a cost-per-run figure the state can use for reimbursement and recommended applying a two-year inflation adjustment (6% total) to the GEMT-calculated average cost per transport to set the next year’s charge.

Using the 2023 GEMT average cost-per-transport of $1,966, Minnick said the proposed formula would produce a 2025 charge of about $2,083.96. He said the city will continue its established practice of not balance-billing Aurora residents for ambulance transports: if an insurer’s payment is less than the billed amount, residents will not be billed for the difference because resident taxpayers already support emergency services.

Minnick said the city’s GEMT report shows an annual ambulance cost of roughly $27 million and that under current reporting Aurora could claim about $8.1 million in federal/state GEMT reimbursements. He said the proposed change should increase collections from insurers without shifting costs to city residents.

EMS Division Chief Nathan Costner was recognized for providing data used in the report. After discussion, the committee approved the resolution 5-0.