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Mobile ambulance provider urges action on repeat nonemergency transports
Summary
A local private ambulance operator told the Mobile City Council repeat nonemergency transports are imposing unreimbursed costs in the “millions” and urged the city to seek enforcement tools; city staff outlined education and mental-health response steps and said legislative change may be required for transport rules.
Corey Hughes, owner of Medevac ambulance service in Mobile, told the City Council on March 18 that repeat nonemergency ambulance transports are costing private providers “in the millions” and taking units out of service for prolonged periods.
Hughes said his company routinely responds to the same people multiple times per day and that traditional collection and billing remedies have not solved the problem. “We’ve got multiple patients that essentially use all the ambulances in the city as taxis,” Hughes said. “We’ve got multiple patients that we’ve transported 3 and 400 times this year.”
The council and staff discussed the limits on local authority. Director Lasky (Mobile Fire Rescue) said the city focuses first on ensuring everyone who needs emergency services receives them, then works case-by-case on repeat calls. Lasky said the city has been in touch with the state about options and described steps the city will take to reduce demand and improve response.
“We look at these and try to take them on a case-by-case basis and have had some success in the past,” Lasky said. He told the council the city will expand mental-health response tools, increase crisis-intervention resources, and launch a public-education campaign on proper 911 use. Lasky said staff will develop a 911/ambulance campaign that could include social media and public service announcements to explain when to call for transport.
Council members and staff also raised the regulatory limit: if a patient requests transport after crews arrive and checks are normal, state rules generally require transport. Council members suggested pursuing legislative relief in Montgomery to allow narrow exceptions or post-response penalties for repetitive abuse; staff said such relief would require changes at the state level. Chief Barber and other staff confirmed the site-level decision—whether to transport—remains the operational trigger.
Vice President Gina Gregory and Councilman Carroll supported a dual approach of local prevention and outreach to state legislators for statutory relief. The city attorney’s office and police noted an existing municipal ordinance makes providing false information to emergency services a prosecutable offense, but that proving false reporting is legally and practically difficult.
No formal council action was taken; council members asked staff to return with an education plan and to continue pursuing intergovernmental options.
