Committee backs moving private-ambulance regulatory fee collection to Emergency Management

The committee advanced an ordinance to move collection of private-ambulance regulatory fees from the City Treasurer to the Department of Emergency Management (EMD) after EMD staff said the agency absorbed the Emergency Medical Services Agency from Public Health and should both administer and collect certification fees.

Ami Albertson Alden of EMD explained the code change simply consolidates fee collection and administration under the same agency; she emphasized the ordinance creates no new fees and does not raise existing rates. EMD staff said the controller's office will still review collections and certify that fee revenue matches program costs under the existing adjustment process (report due April 1 under current code).

Supervisors asked how private ambulance billing and day-to-day transport fees operate; presenters said transport billing is handled by individual providers (for example American Medical Response and King American Ambulance) and that permitting/certification fees cover the cost to administer the certification program. Questions about the share of private vs. public 9-1-1 responses were answered with rough estimates: fire department handles 80—60-85% of 9-1-1 transports and private providers cover most non-911 transports. The committee forwarded the ordinance to the full board with recommendation.