Grand County commissioners on Oct. 28 authorized Grand County EMS to temporarily alter its billing timeline while the department transitions to new billing software.

Austin Wingate, EMS chief, told the board the department normally follows two three-step billing cycles — an external billing sequence then an internal collections sequence — before sending accounts to third-party collections. Because the department will operate on two systems during the transition, Wingate asked to streamline internal collections to a single internal attempt before accounts are placed with third-party collectors.

Commissioners approved the temporary deviation from EMS policy 2040 and agreed to set an administrative end date of May 1, 2026, with a possible buffer through April or May if needed. Wingate also notified the board that the county will correct a minor W-9 filing error on a co-response grant application with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment; commissioners authorized staff to make the correction and sign documents as appropriate.

Wingate said the change aims to shorten the software cutover timeline; commissioners emphasized the policy remains to exhaust billing avenues before third-party collection and that the deviation is temporary.

The board recorded the motions approving the billing deviation and the administrative action to allow staff to fix the W-9 and sign any required grant documentation.