Finance committee flags $4.4M general fund deficit and $1.1M in unsettled Medicaid ambulance reimbursements

At the May 12 Adams County Board meeting, Finance Committee chair Travis Kulie reported that the county's general fund was running a deficit of roughly $4.4 million at the fiscal year's lowest cash point and urged departments to prioritize special-use funds and grant-seeking to avoid long-term reliance on the general fund.

Kulie said the committee heard from the ambulance and EMS director, John Simon, who reported that approximately $1.1 million in Medicaid reimbursements have not been received due to a state administrative error related to licensing and documentation submitted by the county. Simon told the committee staff are working with state agencies and legislative offices to resolve the issue but said recovery of the outstanding funds remains uncertain.

Kulie said monthly receivables were stabilizing at expected levels, but that ambulance service accounts still showed a negative balance (the transcript cites a negative figure approaching $970,000 as of April month-end). The committee recommended departments pursue special-use funds and grants before using county general funds and asked departments to plan transfers sooner in the budget year.

The committee also reviewed aged accounts payable items totaling about $24,000 in disputed invoices from work performed between 2019 and 2022 and noted statute-of-limitations considerations for older bills. The finance committee will continue to evaluate options to address the general fund shortfall as the board moves toward the next budget cycle.