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Commissioners approve $2,402.70 voucher amid debate over Title 25 hospital transfers
Summary
The board approved a $2,402.70 voucher for Model (Mondale/Monville) Heights after debate over whether the county should cover costs tied to Title 25 patient transfers; commissioners asked for contracts and clearer billing before paying other service contracts.
Weston County commissioners moved to approve a voucher for Model Heights totaling $2,402.70 to cover a Title 25 transfer, but the vote followed extended discussion about who bears the cost when hospitals transfer or admit Title 25 patients.
Unidentified Speaker 10 formally moved to approve the Model Heights voucher for $2,402.70 (described in the meeting as a Title 25 transfer) and Speaker 6 seconded the motion. Board members asked for contracts and billing documentation before paying related service invoices; Unidentified Speaker 9 said the board should have the contract in hand before releasing payment.
Several commissioners and staff debated whether the county is automatically liable for Title 25 transports and hospital costs when patients are admitted or transferred from other counties. Unidentified Speaker 13 described a recent case where an ambulance brought a patient who was later designated as a Title 25 case; speakers questioned whether the county should pursue billing the hospital or the patient’s county of residence. The board discussed statutory language that obliges the county for the first 72 hours of a Title 25 case, and staff said weekends and holidays can affect when the 72-hour clock begins.
After discussion, the chair called for a voice vote; the motion passed (vote tally not specified in the transcript). Commissioners directed staff to obtain the contract before processing similar payments in the future and to follow up about billing for out‑of‑county patients.
