Tamarac OKs renewed EMS-billing contract with Digitech after commissioners demand shorter term

The Tamarac City Commission voted 4–1 on Sept. 10 to authorize a new agreement with Digitech Computer LLC to provide billing, processing and receipt services for emergency medical transport payments for Tamarac Fire Rescue, approving a one‑year negotiated term after commissioners pressed staff for a shorter commitment.

Commissioner Marlon Bolton moved to approve the resolution and Commissioner Ruth Patterson seconded. Mayor Michelle Gomez voted no; the four other commissioners voted in favor.

The agreement would replace the city’s existing arrangement and formalize fees and software changes staff said should improve collections. Staff and Fire Chief Mike Nisi told the commission the contract uses a piggyback from another municipality and limits the city’s exposure by establishing a not‑to‑exceed annual amount of $300,000 for vendor compensation. Chief Nisi said Digitech has handled the city’s ambulance billing in various forms since about 1999 and that the company now performs collection, Medicaid/Medicare coordination and residual federal transport reimbursement accounting in one package.

Commissioner Patterson pressed for clarity on the fee schedule and on how the $300,000 cap and the itemized fees fit together. Staff and Chief Nisi explained the $300,000 is a fiscal‑year maximum while the vendor’s routine fees include a monthly flat fee for federal payer processing and a percentage of net collections for transport charges. Nisi said the city typically collects roughly three‑quarters of billed revenue; staff shared historic collection totals and indicated the proposed arrangement would be comparable to or lower than neighboring jurisdictions’ fees.

Patterson asked that council require a competitive solicitation sooner rather than lock in a long term with a single vendor. She proposed — and the commission accepted — a friendly amendment that reduced the term and directed staff to solicit proposals at the end of the shortened term. City Attorney confirmed the commission could impose the shorter term on the piggybacked contract and that the city’s contract contains a termination‑for‑convenience clause allowing the city to end the arrangement with notice.

The contract passed 4–1 after the amendment. Commissioners who supported the motion said they preferred continuity of service while testing the vendor’s new software and collection approach; supporters also noted Digitech’s experience with Broward agencies. Patterson said the shortened term would allow the city to test performance and potentially pursue a competitive solicitation.

If the vendor later seeks to collect on the city’s long‑standing outstanding transport balances that predate this agreement — staff estimated cumulative historical outstanding transport receivables back to 2011 at about $13 million — the commission and staff said that would be handled under a separate collections process and not automatically part of this billing contract.

The commission instructed staff to return with the executed contract and to begin preparing a solicitation timeline that would allow a procurement review at the end of the shortened term.