Council approves EMS budget; members flag drug-device costs, fleet needs and collection delays
Summary
Grant County approved EMS budget categories by voice vote after the EMS presenter requested a 7% salary increase and raised concerns about rising EpiPen costs, new naloxone-style devices, ambulance fleet repairs and billing delays tied to a Change Healthcare cyberattack.
Grant County’s council approved the EMS budget categories 2, 3 and 4 by voice vote after a presentation from the department lead (Speaker 2).
The presenter asked for a 7% across-the-board salary increase to remain competitive and described rising line-item costs for frequently used medical supplies. He said an incoming naloxone-style two-dose device expected this fall would retail at about $1.99 for two doses and could ease EpiPen supply pressures. “It’s gonna be 2 doses for $1.99,” the presenter said when describing the expected device and how it would help EMS budgets.
Council and EMS staff discussed the fleet: the department currently owns 14 trucks and regularly uses about 10, with plans to keep some older vehicles in reserve or convert one to a special-operations unit. The presenter noted a recent minor accident and said some older units need repair, but that volunteer units are a possibility to expand coverage without immediate county purchases.
The EMS presenter also described revenue-collection disruptions caused by a February cyberattack on Change Healthcare, a claims-clearinghouse used to route billing; the presenter said collections lagged for months but expected claims to be paid once systems/processes completed. Council members raised recruitment and training options, including the possibility of providing EMT training in-county to increase volunteer and part-time staffing.
After the discussion Mr. Scott moved to approve the EMS budget and Mr. Lemming seconded; the motion carried by voice vote.
