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EMS proposes fee increases and warns House bill compliance will raise personnel costs
Summary
EMS leadership proposed a 6–7% increase in base service fees and a $0.50 per-mile increase to offset rising personnel, insurance and supply costs. They said compliance with House Bill 567 (raising entry-level EMT pay to $15/hour) will likely raise personnel services by about $160,000 in 2026.
County EMS leaders presented proposed fee schedule changes for 2026 and described a staffing and pay restructuring required by state legislation, asking the commission to consider fee and revenue adjustments to preserve service levels.
EMS proposed raising base service fees by roughly 6–7% and increasing the transport mileage fee by 50¢, citing across‑the‑board increases for personnel services, insurance and medical supplies. Leadership recommended reducing their revenue forecast to $5.8 million (from a prior estimate) to remain conservative while still achieving positive cash flow under the proposed fee and staffing changes.
EMS also described required compensation adjustments to comply with House Bill 567, which raises the entry-level EMT minimum to $15 per hour. Chief staff said implementing the bill resets the bottom of the pay scale and will compress higher steps unless offsets are applied; the department estimated about a $160,000 increase to personnel services under the new scale and associated step adjustments. Commissioners debated scheduling and on‑duty rest practices for 24‑hour shift staffing and asked staff to provide policy-compliant shift options that balance fatigue management with cost constraints.
No final vote was taken; EMS was directed to provide alternative scenarios and additional documentation on how the proposed fee changes align with regional peers and reimbursement rules.
