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Ambulance board approves rodeo standby fee waiver and hires PCG for GEMT cost recovery
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Summary
Bannock County Ambulance District approved a fee-waiver for Marsh Valley Pioneer Days rodeo standby and entered a professional services agreement with Public Consulting Group to pursue Medicaid GEMT cost recovery, with projected recoveries and tiered fees described in the contract.
The Bannock County Ambulance District and Pocatello Fire representatives reported two actions Tuesday: approval of a fee waiver for a local rodeo's ambulance standby and authorization of a professional-services agreement to pursue Ground Emergency Medical Transportation (GEMT) cost recovery through Medicaid.
Ryan Hearn, representing the ambulance district and Pocatello Fire, said Marsh Valley Pioneer Days organizers use volunteer providers from area units and requested a waiver of standby fees for roughly 12 hours of coverage over two days. Connie Winn, secretary of the Marsh Valley Pioneer Day Rodeo Committee, described the event schedule and confirmed volunteers and local EMTs would staff the standby. The board approved the fee waiver by voice vote.
Hearn also presented a contract with Public Consulting Group (PCG) to assist the district in navigating the GEMT supplemental payment program administered through CMS and Idaho Medicaid. PCG will perform cost recovery going back to fiscal year 2023; the contract carries a tiered fee: 15% of recovered amounts for FY 2023–24 (with a 10% discount for Idaho Fire Chiefs Association members), 12% for FY 2025 and 10% thereafter, and a $5,000 minimum fee stated in the contract. The ambulance district provided PCG's conservative revenue estimate of about $90,000 and a normal estimate of about $120,000 per year; the board discussed that recovered funds would be recorded and that county budgets will need adjustments to account for payments to PCG.
Commissioners moved to enter the contract on behalf of the Board of Ambulance; the motion passed with unanimous "aye" votes on the transcript. Staff noted they would confirm turnaround time for recovered funds and incorporate payment timing into the county's budget process.
No public objections were recorded in the transcript.
