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EMS revenue outsourcing shows early returns; council wants AR breakdown and staffing assurances
Summary
The city said a new billing contractor has collected about $4.2 million already and the administration expects $16 million in 2025 EMS revenue; council asked for a breakout of outstanding accounts receivable (self‑pay vs insured), trainee and staffing counts, and assurances that tuition and recruitment funds will be used as intended.
Council members pressed Emergency Medical Services (EMS) officials for detail on accounts receivable and staffing after the administration reported a substantial accounts‑receivable backlog had been turned over to an outside collections contractor.
Assistant Commissioner Chapin and other EMS leaders told the council that a newly contracted firm, QMC, began collections in January and had collected roughly $4.2 million through Feb. 18 against prior accounts. The administration said the 2025 budget conservatively budgets $16,000,000 in charges for service revenue and that early returns from QMC make staff confident the number is achievable.
Staffing and operations: EMS staff said the department aims for 23 units in daytime coverage and 19 at night. The budget books were adjusted via a green sheet to show 35 emergency‑medical‑technician trainees in 2025 (an increase from an incorrectly printed 10), and EMS leaders said filling vacancies and graduating trainees could raise their headcount from roughly 294 to about 303 in the near term. Officials said the department has vacancies for EMTs/paramedics and some dispatcher roles the department plans to fill.
Tuition and training: The budget includes an expanded tuition and registration line to fund paramedic training; EMS leaders said the city now pays for paramedic training for employees and graduates expect to reimburse if they leave within a specified timeframe. Council members asked for the exact reimbursement term and for a report on how the program is advertised to prospective recruits.
Accounts receivable and collections: Council members asked for a full breakout of outstanding accounts receivable by year and by payer (self‑pay, insurance, Medicaid/Medicare). Administration staff agreed to provide the requested AR aging and a breakdown of collectability; they noted that historically self‑pay collectability is low, while insured and government payers are collectible.
Requests and follow-up: Council members asked EMS and finance to provide (1) a year-by-year AR aging and the share that is self‑pay, (2) total inmate days or other cross-checks where county jail charges may intersect with EMS billing, (3) an accounting of how many employees used tuition support in 2024 and how the program is advertised to recruits, and (4) operational unit counts in relation to overtime assumptions.
Ending: Officials said they will return with a written AR breakdown and staffing/trainee details for reconciliation and that the city will monitor QMC’s early collections performance to determine whether the 2025 revenue forecast should be revised upward.
