Lane County delays countywide EMS funding task force, secures $400,000 to stabilize Oakridge

The Lane County Board of Commissioners heard an update Feb. 4 on efforts to address mounting financial pressures on local emergency medical services and agreed to delay forming a countywide joint elected task force until June 2025 to coordinate with ongoing consolidation work in Eugene and Springfield.

Health and Human Services Director Eve Gray told the board that all five Lane County fire chiefs have agreed to participate and that Brenda Moore of the Lane Council of Governments (LCOG) will facilitate the task force. Gray said the county worked with the Lane Community Health Council to identify $400,000 to close Oakridge Fire and EMS’s immediate fiscal gap and stabilize service while the larger countywide process is paced to allow municipal consolidation discussions to conclude.

"All EMS providers in Lane County . . . were recognized to face similar funding challenges," Gray said, and noted that the root cause of local funding shortfalls is limitations on Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement. "We set the service areas for which different EMS agencies operate, and then we identify which agency is going to be able to operate in which service area. The oversight of ambulance services is a core function of the Lane County Board of Commissioners, with assistance from me."

Gray recommended shifting the task force start from late winter to June 2025 so municipal partners can finish their joint work on Eugene–Springfield consolidation and so the county group can proceed with the same facilitator and shared data. She said three of five chiefs had named representatives and that the final task force could number "probably 15 to 20 people," including elected and stakeholder representatives.

Commissioners pressed for contingency planning if Oakridge runs short of funds before task force recommendations are ready. Commissioner Buck said the $400,000 would extend Oakridge into the next fiscal year but expressed concern that services could be reduced if longer-term solutions are not found. Gray said cooperative agreements with other EMS providers would preserve service if Oakridge could not maintain 24/7 coverage, though response times could be affected.

Commissioner Trigger asked about the task force’s make-up and heard Gray say membership would include fire chiefs’ nominees and local board members; she described the work as "a difficult balance" between inclusivity and manageability. Gray said the county will return in May with recommended task-force membership for approval and begin meetings in June, with substantive solution work likely emerging in the fall.

Why it matters: Local ambulance systems in Lane County rely heavily on Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements, which staff said underpay the true cost of service. County oversight of ambulance service areas makes the Board of Commissioners responsible for ensuring continuity if a provider fails.

Next steps: Staff will return in May with the names of proposed task-force members; the task force would begin work in June 2025, led by Brenda Moore of LCOG. Staff will continue short-term conversations with partners to supplement Oakridge funding if needed.