Skagit County hears proposal to update ambulance transport fees; EMS director urges single rate, 3% annual adjustment

Skagit County commissioners held a public hearing Oct. 6 on proposed revisions to Resolution 20170.124 that would update the county ambulance transport fee schedule.

Emergency Medical Services Director Josh Polonio told the board the county needs to update local rates to reflect legislative changes and maintain system sustainability. Polonio said the Balance Billing Protection Act now covers ground ambulance services and that county-operated ambulance agencies must submit their locally set rates to the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) by Nov. 1 for the following year. "We want to make sure that we're collecting the money that we can collect to help offset the cost," Polonio said, describing the intent behind the proposal.

Polonio presented a breakdown of 2024 transports across the county's contracted providers (9,525 total transports). He said Medicare and Medicaid — the…