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MEDACT warns call volume and Medicare/Medicaid changes could cut revenue and strain response; CAD upgrade, AED replacements cited
Summary
Johnson County's Emergency Services director told the Board of County Commissioners that MEDACT and the county dispatch center face rising demand, heavy reliance on Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements and potential funding risk from federal budget changes.
Johnson County's Emergency Services director told the Board of County Commissioners that MEDACT and the county dispatch center face rising demand, heavy reliance on Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements and potential funding risk from federal budget changes.
Director Paul Davis said MEDACT and the ECC dispatched more calls each year: the Emergency Communications Center handled about 76,800 fire and EMS dispatches in 2024, a roughly 3.3% increase from 2023, and MEDACT call volume has risen 67% since 2010. He said MEDACT generates roughly 46% of its operating budget from fees, with Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements comprising about two-thirds of MEDACT's revenues.
Davis warned commissioners that proposed reductions in federal nondefense discretionary spending and administrative reimbursement decisions could materially affect MEDACT revenue and that the department needs to monitor pending federal policy and reimbursement changes closely.
The department asked for several resources in the 2026 budget cycle: ongoing funding to replace county AEDs, continued maintenance of the EMS radio reserve, and a funded capital request for countywide radio infrastructure maintenance. MEDACT also requested nine FTEs to expand unit coverage, a request that was not recommended for funding by budget staff.
Davis and other staff discussed the county's CAD system and interoperability issues: ECC uses a different CAD than many municipal PSAPs, requiring some calls to be reentered and adding processing time, which Davis estimated could add about 45 seconds of processing for transfers. He described an on-hold CAD transition and said the ECC has good in-house support while continued state and vendor engagement is needed.
Ending: Commissioners asked staff to consider body-worn cameras for MEDACT personnel and noted that renewal of the public-safety sales tax could fund some capital and staffing requests; budget staff said eligibility depends on ballot language and statute.
