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Resident questions $75 "treat‑no‑transport" EMS fee; county says fee covers treatment costs
Summary
A Cusseta resident complained about receiving a $75 EMS bill without transport and said fees are not publicized; county officials explained the fee is for on‑scene treatment and noted standard transport charges are substantially higher.
A resident raised concerns at the Dec. 2 commission meeting about a $75 EMS bill he received despite not being transported to a hospital. Derrick White of Lafeyette Road told the commission he “does not agree that he should be receiving this bill when he did not get transport” and complained that “the public doesn't know about the fees until they receive a bill.”
County Manager Thomas Weaver and Chairman Charles Coffey explained the county’s billing structure. Weaver said the $75 charge is for treatment when an ambulance crew provides on‑scene care but does not transport the patient. He distinguished that fee from the $10 911 fee that appears on water bills, which supports the emergency‑call system: “the $75.00 is for treatment, no transport charge for when the ambulance comes out,” Weaver said.
At the Dec. 22 work session Weaver supplied comparative regional examples to illustrate typical transport charges and why treat‑no‑transport is billed separately: he listed sample transport rates such as basic ALS at about $1,000, ALS‑2 at $1,600, and BLS at $900, and reiterated that the $75 fee offsets fuel, staffing and on‑scene treatment costs when crews respond but do not transport.
White said his principal concern was the lack of public notice about the fees until customers receive bills. Chairman Coffey asked that staff place an informational item on the next work session so the county can clarify fees and billing procedures for the public.
Next steps: County staff will prepare an itemized breakdown of ambulance charges and bring it to the commission for review and potential public outreach about billing and fee disclosure.
